13 replies to this topic

[M Hopkins]

I have always been a batley fan even 20 years ago when I was about 6 / 7 but I only started coming to the games as an adult a few years ago when we were playing dewsbury at widness I think it was to stay in champ 1. That was just by chance that my dad and grandad are lifelong batley fans. Since then I've been to nearly every game home and away. Now I'll get to the point. Apart from in the batley news is there any other way of reaching out to get new fans? I've managed to get a couple of people to come to the odd game but not many.

We've a long way to go before our crowds are anything like Featherstone but we need to make a start. Any ideas?

[Batley Bob]

I have always been a batley fan even 20 years ago when I was about 6 / 7 but I only started coming to the games as an adult a few years ago when we were playing dewsbury at widness I think it was to stay in champ 1. That was just by chance that my dad and grandad are lifelong batley fans. Since then I've been to nearly every game home and away. Now I'll get to the point. Apart from in the batley news is there any other way of reaching out to get new fans? I've managed to get a couple of people to come to the odd game but not many.

We've a long way to go before our crowds are anything like Featherstone but we need to make a start. Any ideas?

Cheap season tickets like Bradford maybe , eeerrrrr maybe not

[From the South]

I no longer live in Batley but on my visits if I get chance of a beer or three in the town after a game I often get asked "Did we win?" to which often my reply is "If you'd have spent the admission price you would know." Now I know this isn't the most helpful response I could give but to me it is annoying that the town has many people who claim to be Batley fans but prefer to spend their time and money on a Sunday in one of the town's pubs. Of course they have every right to do this and it is their choice but I think many of them do not realise what a great product we have at the Mount (loverugbyleague.co.uk stadium). Many of those people will remember Batley as rubbing rags playing in a run down, uncomfortable ground. Many people I talk to still think Batley are rubbing rags, despite seeing the vast improvement under Kevin's chairmanship. These are the people we need to tap into, the ones we need to get back on a Sunday afternoon. We need to persuade them to put down the pint pot for a couple of hours in the early afternoon and cheer on the town's only professional sports team. How do we do that? God knows I 'm afraid.

[buford t justice]

The 'fid we win?' question in the pubs after games drives me mad too.

Seems we have tonnes of fans in the town, yet its probably easier splitting atoms than getting them through the turnstiles.

Why is anyones guess, the board are doing a great job, the club is on the up and the product on the field is superb and ever improving under a great coach.

Our hardcore has increased from roughly 500 to about 800ish id say since the northern rail win, so its going in the right direction.

With the super league clubs on the doorstep its always a challenge, but if the proposed reintroduction of promotion back to SL gets the nod, might tempt a few stay aways back, thats the reason a few i know stopped going.

Edited by buford t justice, 09 August 2012 - 09:45 PM.

[M Hopkins]

Drives me mad too. I used to try convincing those people to come to the games but you just get snubbed in a way. Like they wouldn't be seen dead at the mount.

In the last few years I've gone from going with just 2 people to there being 6 of us at home games. I know it's not a great deal and thats why I started this thread. I want to do more I just dont know how.

[Piggy's mate]

Kids! Get the kids in when they are young and many of them will turn up later in their teens with their mates and become life-long Bulldogs. Put more Kids games on before during and after so their parents and relatives turn-up make it even more of a family club than it already is. How successful was the free tickets to the kids sports clubs in the area? I thought that a great imitative and should be continued

[coolie]

in reality youve no chance..everything against you

summer rugby (too much choice)
money tight (for everybody)

even your fan base is dwindling...less than 50% and falling
batleys only hope (other than out breeding batleys indigenous population by 12 to 6 and restoring some balance)
is get the local muslim community to get involved..would be a goldmine if could be achived
but as we know...its take,take,take with them


so however good your intentons of spreading the word about your fantastic club


it will all end up in vain & down the toilet

time for the people of batley to wake up and smell the coffee

im not been critical of your efforts which hopefully will pay off for you


im just been honest

[GuyDinlite]

Go away Coolie you absolute Muppet

[coolie]

Go away Coolie you absolute Muppet

oh so i am wrong then
none of the facts i stated are correct...think youll find all are and also founded

check your facts..richard... sorry mr head

think your bigger ostriches than us if you dont think so

take your head out of your hole & look around batley

Edited by coolie, 10 August 2012 - 11:45 AM.

[Dog Faced Gremlin]

Sorry Coolie I'm gonna have to pick you up on this.

"It's all take, take, take with the Muslim community" is an OPINION not a FACT.

It's a shame really coz I generally agree or I'm at least amused by the majority of your postings.

Stick to the rugby mate

[Gary Coyle]

You'd never ever get the Muslim community involved up at the Mount in any sort of numbers after the Cricket "rent fiasco" of a few years ago, one think you dont do to any muslim is upset him or his community cos the elders never ever forget.

[M Hopkins]

I believe that the number of active batley supporters has increased over the past few seasons so we're going in the right direction.

If we all had the same view as coolie we might as well give up now. I was asking for positive and realistic ideas not tge usual pessimistic comments.

[fredm]

As Piggy's Mate says I think the kids really need to be targeted. Get into the schools, both with coaching/training etc. but also offer tickets to matches. Also get more of them involved with Batley Boys - and strengthen the links with the Boys. Hopefully if they become interested they will bring their parents along as well.

Who knows some of these parents may well be those who used to go up in the old days but have lost the enthusiasm over recent years. Coming up with their kid(s) may well bring the enthusiasm back.

[M.S]

As Piggy's Mate says I think the kids really need to be targeted. Get into the schools, both with coaching/training etc. but also offer tickets to matches. Also get more of them involved with Batley Boys - and strengthen the links with the Boys. Hopefully if they become interested they will bring their parents along as well.

Who knows some of these parents may well be those who used to go up in the old days but have lost the enthusiasm over recent years. Coming up with their kid(s) may well bring the enthusiasm back.

all the junior players at batley boys had the opportunity to obtain a free season ticket for all games home and away this season,and i know that many took the club up on this offer as did my own son,who was coming to the games with me anyway.and from waht i understand the club made this offer to all junior sections of any sporting club within the local area.i know that their parents(who quite a few havnt really experienced rugby league before )are watching the bulldogs.so i think the club is going in the right direction,we as supporters need to keep preaching what a good experience it is up at the mount nowdays.p.s i know its been renamed,but it will allways be the mount to me,atb,scottyy.