Agreed, 2017 and 2018 saw us play the best RL I've ever seen, two wingers averaging 20+ a season with plenty of high scoring wins. TJ probably scored the Trinity try of the millennium in 2016. Yet ticket sales did not rise by all that much.

The only way we will really up the attendances is two-fold IMO.

1: A better stadium.

2: Consistent success, ie regular top 5 and at least one piece of silverware. We need that parade up Wood street to wake people up, nothing less will really do it IMHO.

Signing names won't do it. Funny when you think that Salford had the Dr's millions thrown at them and did nothing. This year they were toted as relegation fodder or worse and end up at old Trafford. The lucky signing of Hastings helped massively but it's still a team game and look what happened, it probably saved the club.

We have our own Hastings in TJ and Fifita and if we can get them firing again they are better than any name signing and hopefully, they will lead us to success.

I think a better, and much improved stadium will help FC, and would be increased even further with a successful season to go with it. Also with the stadium, you will not only get stay away home fans coming back, but even bigger crowds on the away gates too.

I know of fans from different clubs have stopped coming to BV because of the state its in, but an improvement, I'm sure, will bring fans back in, out of curiosity for a start. especially when its took so long in planning.

Would be good to attack it from a different angle to, with some good marketing in the run up

Fwiw, 'big name' signings really only work when success has already happened. They wont convince the stay-away fans enough to buy a season ticket. Salford under Koukash is a great example of this. Flip it over, and success on the pitch really does put bums on seats. Salford this season is a great example of this. Or at least it was at the back-end of this season.

Be careful in hailing a new ground as the catalyst that draws in lapsed fans like moths to flames. Salford, again, a big example of resting on their laurels when we got a shiny new ground. Success on the pitch is really the only tried and tested way to bring fans back and hold onto them, that then becomes the start for all the other things happening.

I know it's been a tough couple of seasons for Wakey, and believe you me when I say I understand where you are all coming from, as I've been there myself. There isn't really a golden ticket for these things, but graft and good decisions being made at crucial times go a long way into getting the ball rolling in the right direction.

Gree completely but must point out that ours is not going to be a new ground, its hopefully going to be a new stand that will help drag a Victorian ground into the 21st century or at least one part of it. It will give us the ability to entertain the sort of people who we simply can't at the moment. So in its way, it should actually increase attendances and certainly revenue, especially if we have some success.

I stand corrected.

Certainly, any improvement will always help going forward, as long as your CEO doesn't then sit back and expect. It needs to be used as something that gets the fans excited again, and that enthusiasm can then be directed and developed.

Shouldn't be a problem as the last major structure built at BV was a programme shed.

Not strictly true but no permanent stand has been built at BV since the 1950s and that was only a foof over an existing stand as far as I understand it. The old West Stand was Victorian, the still with us East stand and the big terrace behind the sticks Edwardian.

It's ironic but your old ground the Willows decrepit though it was, was considerably more modern than the current BV. Toilets that flush, roofs that don't leak and an unobstructed view alone will be enough to attract people, that's how tragic BV is.

I like BV.

I like the fact that it's old fashioned. A close to the action ground. I love the fact it has history. I loved the Willows and still find it sad to this day that it no longer exists. I suppose progress halts for nobody or anything whether we like it or not.

I wish Wakey all the best as you've always been my second side really. Both teams have shared similar trials and tribulations both on and off the pitch. Good luck for next season.

I guess the hope with a revamped BV is two-fold; first and foremost, as FC says, it should provide hospitality facilities that attract a significantly higher value of sponsor and guest than we can currently achieve. In personal experience, when I held a box, I brought some guests who between them had a net worth of over £200 million quid - they found it amusingly quaint, but not something worthy of serious consideration.

Secondly, you'd hope that the hordes of people who show an interest in WT but only from a distance, would come down out of curiosity, and then keep coming because the facilities are significantly improved.

The 2 big levers to pull in terms of income are corporate/sponsors and paying punters - and a properly upgraded stadium *should* have a positive impact on both of those, notwithstanding a big PR effort; they certainly won't come if you don't let them know about it.

Fishermanscap, had we signWestermans 3 year ago would have been happy .But now with is dodge knee that can pop out at any time would not have signed him to much of a gamble to me .Did not know the new signing as had 3 operation on is shoulder .Look what happened last year when we were playing players who ad to play while injured . We did not look good again untill the last 5 games when we had brought 3 new fit players in and we could put 17 fit players on the field. Thought the club would have learnt from this

Sorry but you're just making it up to sort your agenda. Westermans knee doesn't pop out at any time, do you not think we have medical tests before signing players.

More importantly, where does the money come from, are you coughing up? We have half a dozen players on our books who'd get a game at most SL clubs, what do you think we pay them in washers?

No team can sustain a team of stars, despite your pessimism we have a very good collection of top players but there are limits. I think you just have an issue that no signing would help, as pointed out you were having a hissy at the loss of Hampshire and now we have him. You need to get a bit more realistic, as the rest of us seem to be.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-le ... s-17268879

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-le ... s-17268879

Yes we know it popped out, it just doesn't happen all the time.

Toms had 2 operations on his knees-should we not sign him?
Every player plays a,little bit injured- Chris green was injured against London but still played -should we not have played him
I could point out that bill, Reece, Dave, T have all started new deals this off season, you don’t think they’ve signed for less do you? Sometimes retention is more important then recruitment.
I’d love to know what more can be done to fit 32 players into a 1.8 million budget?
As for the assertion, that big signings mean more fans, in my 6 year experience this has never happened. The only thing that has generated fans has been hard work at a community level getting into schools etc etc. Even winning doesn’t do it. As soon as you lose they disappear.

What effect would moving to a "regular" Friday evening do to attendance numbers
With most clubs now playing on Fridays, would this help ?

I know that the drive accross the M62 is unpredictable at best but, the changes from Friday to Sunday to Thursday must have a negative effect and I'm told that for other clubs, Fridays are better for the corporate side.

Regular Fridays are a non-starter for me.

and for others it's Thursday or Saturday oh and Sunday also. I do believe we all understand that you can't have a day that suit's all.

I do my best to work around the varied match days but the short notice changes to accommodate Sky are annoying but they pay money for the privilege

Who's told you Friday is a better night for corporate?

I don't know but it seems logical to me, straight from work then weekend free but I may be wrong having never been to one.

Daddycool not having a go at you the staff ,or the club .Just got ask about my though on signing Westerman .and it' s what I think.And the importance of putting a fit team on the park .though it might not be the strongest.

Fishermanscrap You make it sound like a chore to be got out of the way so you can enjoy your leisure time.

Many factors determine the optimum time for an individual to take part in leisure time, family, friends, work, single parent, carer, child sharing, so many things have an impact.

If you opt for the same regular game time you will allienate a whole section of supporters for the season, unless they can get to the Thursday Sky game, when the club gets a go.

One size does not fit all.

Not a cat in hells chance of seeing any thur/fri night away games but I believe it’s sky who pulls those strings, so not much we can do about those .Gone are the days when everyone took a Sunday off , it’s just another day to a lot of firms but still prefer them myself but I’m lucky as I only work mon- fri, not so simple if it’s part of your contract

What makes you say that, I was just answering your question ie who told said poster Fridays was better for corporate, I was guessing Fridays but as I said I don't knowicon_confused.gif

I didn't ask you, that question was for the person that posted it to answer.

Your response does not make it clear that what you have written is in answer to the last part of my post and as you did not make the comment how can you answer.

Pedant

I shall take that as a compliment so thank you Fishermanscrap

A perfecttly reasoned response on my part

Not sure why you feel the need to be the spokesperson for Wakeytrin though.

ok I'm getting bored now.
The thread was about the new signing and the last post on that has long past.

I was going to leave it running but as we've gone back to our nursery level answers I'll lock it.
Feel free to start a new one if you want to talk about revamped Belle Vue or game days.