Called in at the shop this morning to get our tickets for Sunday and they told us that tickets are flying out and they have sold 1200 tickets to Wigan so far

RL is in demise generally. Rugby is still not and should never be a summer sport. Grassroots and amateur rugby has suffered because of this. How many teams take part these days? That's why the numbers are down across the board. I'll be honest I don't get to as many games as I would like but that's because of where I live, not that I don't want to go every week.

Leeds are struggling so badly they got 14k at the weekend while on a losing run.

There was a good turnout of Saints fans amongst them though, PT.

Apart from Football, most sport is struggling.

Cricket teams are disappearing fast and the bottom line is that kid's generally just dont want to commit to training and playing, plus a whole myriad of other reasons.
As for summer rugby, although we all turned up in winter and stood in the freezing cold and rain etc, it's certainly a more enjoyable watch with the sun on your face.

The big down side is holiday disruption especially for some kids and families etc.

If RL had stayed as a winter sport it would no longer exist, it saved the sport imo.

Excuse my ignorance on the subject, but in what way do the stall holders at Cas promote the tigers?.
And out of interest just what have Wakefield council got to do to bring the city centre up to the standards of Cas vegas and everything it encompasses.
I dare bet if you go into Wakey there will be plenty of replica shirts on show as well, although most Wakey fans would be at work during the day when the market is open.
You set off by criticising Wakefield council for they're alleged lack of foresight in bringing the city up to the exulting standards of Cas, and then finish by complaining that the club need to do more to improve the level of interest, is that club business, or council business, somehow I don't think giving the fans a car sticker will cut it.

All rugby fans never the less

The other code survives playing in Winter and so do the NRL. We only switched for Sky not the supporters, plus less distractions and calls on people’s income in Winter. I don’t know if switching to the so called Summer season saved the sport, no one knows but if they do what are the lottery numbers for Wednesday.

I'm simply reporting what I saw while visiting Cas market
Chissitt I do excuse your ignorance but take a visit and make your own observations rather than implying that Cas folk don't work.
Now regarding the council I would say that Cas have received a very good level of investment over the past few years resulting in a lively escape and town area

I don't particularly care what you think but the Cas public have embrased the club and town

Well you’ve answered your own question but you’re far to opposed to common sense that you won’t get it.

Apart from football and rugby union
Union doesn't rely quite as much on attendance as we do as the RFU is far richer because of corporate funding.
And I'm no expert but I don't think NRL Winter is quite the same as ours.
Also, less games cancelled because of the weather in summer.

Cas are wonderful, I can only dream.

Correct. When we played RL in winter club RU was a joke, not even semi pro. Now club RU is bigger than RL. If we shared the same season I seriously doubt we’d get any kind of TV deal. Hence the sport would be at best semi pro at worst swallowed up by RU or at least all its players would be.

Of course we went to summer for SKY, there was no option

I should probably just said your post was confusing, as for the Cas remark, it was mean't to lighten the post, obviously lost on you, once again excuse my ignorance as I'm not up to speed like you regarding Castleford's development, but wasn't the Xscape private development, and are Wakefield and Castleford council one of the same?, lively Xscape and vibrant town centre, would you care to expand on the town centre comment in relation to the merrie city, as for Xscape over priced, over rated and certainly know how to part you from your money, this is my opinion alone and not automatically that of others, and finally i don't care what you think about my thoughts but fwiw you do this club and it's fans a disservice if you think they don't embrace the club and it's city, maybe there lies within the crux of your post.

We also nearly became Calder because of Sky and we were also demoted by the same agreement to make way for London and Paris. This made us semi professional for several seasons, so not the greatest time for Wakefield was it. I wonder how the crowd numbers were for our last normal winter season compared to now.
I would also add that the contract with Channel 4 will probably generate more interest in our game than Sky.

It would be interesting to see what sort of TV deal was available for RL if we returned to playing through the winter.
To use advertising speak, its a very crowded market, with football comfortably at the top of the food chain.
Union has the 6 Nations to give that game massive profile and they rest of their game rides on the back of it.

Of course the game itself can be played in winter, as it was for over a century but, would the sport be better off moving back to winter ? It would be one hell of a gamble, with the risk of alienating many of the new (SL era) fans.

Only a very few football clubs are solvent and most if not all rely on their sugar daddies to keep them afloat ,quite a few big Chinese clubs have gone to the wall recently after their wealthy benefactors pulled the plug after haemorrhaging money .If the rich ever get bored ,football will be on its arris .To that end RL are small fry and mainly doing a good job cutting our cloth accordingly.

Chissitt I'm no Cas fan or have knowledge about Cas.
Cas have received plenty of private and public money and I'm informed that if you want to go bowling or skiing its the only place to go. Regarding pricing I have no idea but it will be packed over the Easter holidays,
I have nothing but admiration for the trinity Faithfull and if you think I do the m a disservice then that's your opinion maybe you would provide more info.
I honestly think the council have let Wakefield down on a number of occasions, the diabolical market, the pugneys sporting village and Trinity on a number of occasions.i. Proud to be a Wakey citizen but ultimately think the citys been left to rot.

It’s a big game this Sunday and arguably Trinity’s cup final against one of the favourites to win the Cup.

My family and I will be there shouting loud for Trinity. WTID…

Cracking debate… it’s interesting that whilst the popularity of the game ( particularly women’s RL) is growing exponentially around the world (from a zero base in most countries) the impression I get from uK fans is that the game is dying on its feet.

There’s some concern about regional leagues here in Aus… and the over analysis of the periphery (not the actual content of the football matches) but overall the popularity of RL is very encouraging.

I do feel that the only way to grow our support base is to build a feeling of good vibes about the city, the facilities, the community work of the club… the diversity of the sport and the quality of entertainment provided. And that’s difficult… when the preferred view of life is cautious.. even negative..

For example … despite some of the best tries you could imagine… some magical skill and heroic physical prowess.. one of our regular posters suggested that the second half performance would take a thousand people off the Cup attendance… how do you change that?

Sport is about winning and losing… brilliance and mistakes… yes the game was nervy on Sunday but it was a great spectacle… and really tough and gritty opposition! There have been so many stories over the past four weeks it would make a best selling novel!!! How do we get that message out !!!

The feel good factor will hopefully come with results on the pitch and an improvement in community facilities at the stadium….

I think the stadium upgrade along with a a half decent seaosn will put 500-1000 on the gate next season. The target for the club is to build season on seaosn and little by little. It's unrealistic for a club pulling our gates with our facilities and financial backing to expect playoff football. We may get a season like Salford the other year every now and then but even then they had some financial support. We need to build slowly with a long term play in improving the facilities and building a team on the pitch. With some good marketing and some feel good factor we could turn 4000 every week to at least 6000 we just have to give supporters a bit of hope which the alst couple of seasons has been extinguished in a fair few Trinity fans.

once the new stand and facilities are open next year - those first few home results and game day experience will be crucial.

No doubt new supporters who don't usually go to games will come to see the new ground ,the key is making so much fun that they come week in week out

I’d go with that.

If we stay in SL and have some success even if it’s just competing - combined with the stadium upgrade and other initiatives - I see a gradual rise to 6k in regular home fans.

Doesn’t sound hinge but it is in fact a huge leap financially, a 50% increase if my maths is correct.

That means if you were to take an average I reckon it would be about 7.5k with away fans added. We should be able to do very well on that when combined with first class corporate and retail.

It would push us to the top half of SL financially, how we exploit that will be the key.

It’s a slow process with loads of variables but we are currently moving upwards which is where you want to be.