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Salford V Catalans Free entry


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I like this approach and let's face it if it wasn't free tickets the attendance would have been woeful given Salford's recent run and that the dragons bring zero supporters.

That said this will undoubtedly ###### some season ticket holders off. Last November the owner openly gave out about poor season ticket sales and now offers free tickets to every Tom, Dick & Harry going, it would certainly make existing season ticket holders think twice about renewing. We all think it's great but I hate to be the person losing out.

If you're going to do this, then at home to the Catalans is the right fixture.

 

As for season ticket-holders "losing out", they aren't. Other people are benefiting, which isn't quite the same.

 

If Dr K made a habit of making several matches free per season, then holders would have cause for complaint (unless this was factored into a lower price for the season ticket). This is an attempt to get some bums on seats and (hopefully) help the club in the long term.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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There are park and ride schemes. There is off site parking.

 

The road is under construction.

 

People just make excuses, the product on the pitch has been erratic to say the least.

 

rumours are all around about a number of players leaving, it drives me mad.

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As a lifelong Salford fan who remembers the glory days at The Willows, I remember parking over a mile away from The Willows to join the crowds walking to the match. Most people just walked out of their houses and walked to the ground. I have not been to the A J Bell stadium as I now live abroad, but I would imagine that there is no 'walk up' to the game. The stadium's location is the biggest problem. I really don't know the answer, but at least MK is doing his best to get people to the ground. I don't know why he is coming in for so much criticism, bearing in mind he saved the club from oblivion.

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I suspect there have been some matches where therevhave been next to no gate takings anyway and tgecstands have been empty.

If you are not getting money in, at least try and use the empty spaces for future promotions.

Personally i like seeing conditions to things like this, maybe even 2 for 1, going from £0 to £20 is tough.

Tgat said, what have they got to lose?

I should imagine that the free loaders will buy food and drink....if just 10% Return then its worth it!

Good strategy as there will be no away fans, Catalan dont travel well so a good chance of a salford W

and hopefully the game will be for a top 8 spec!

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The stadium is not hard to get to by car. It's right next to the M60! It's a total myth that it's hard to get there full stop. It is let down by public transport but most fans travel by car anyway don't they?

 

It's not a myth, unfortunately. As others have pointed out, not everyone travels there by car. Even by car, though, it's only easy if there's no-one else going (which, to be fair, has been the case this season). Attendances above about 5000 bring congestion around the stadium. We've already had one kick off delayed this season because of it, and that for a game with a hardly ground-busting attendance of about 6000 (I thought it was closer to 8000 to be honest). Local traffic is forced down the narrow A57, joining traffic heading for the M60, while using the motorway puts you in competition with people heading for a day's slack-jawing around the Trafford Centre. We've even seen problems around the stadium this season when the attendance has been much lower, caused by an accident or something on the M60.

 

Strategies for avoiding the traffic - like getting there early - don't really work because there's nothing to do around the stadium. Absolutely nothing. It just sits there in the middle of a wasteland, like something from Mad Max.

 

However, things may improve. A relief road is slowly being built, and there's now a building going up on site which is apparently going to be a pub (how exciting). Until these things are finished, we're pretty much just having to suck it up. Ultimately, though, the club needs to give the non-committed a reason to attend. These improvements will just make it a bit easier.

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It's not a myth, unfortunately. As others have pointed out, not everyone travels there by car. Even by car, though, it's only easy if there's no-one else going (which, to be fair, has been the case this season). Attendances above about 5000 bring congestion around the stadium. We've already had one kick off delayed this season because of it, and that for a game with a hardly ground-busting attendance of about 6000 (I thought it was closer to 8000 to be honest). Local traffic is forced down the narrow A57, joining traffic heading for the M60, while using the motorway puts you in competition with people heading for a day's slack-jawing around the Trafford Centre. We've even seen problems around the stadium this season when the attendance has been much lower, caused by an accident or something on the M60.

Strategies for avoiding the traffic - like getting there early - don't really work because there's nothing to do around the stadium. Absolutely nothing. It just sits there in the middle of a wasteland, like something from Mad Max.

However, things may improve. A relief road is slowly being built, and there's now a building going up on site which is apparently going to be a pub (how exciting). Until these things are finished, we're pretty much just having to suck it up. Ultimately, though, the club needs to give the non-committed a reason to attend. These improvements will just make it a bit easier.

This is where Salford need to be savvy and put on some pre match entertainment around the 'wasteland'

Do Sale fans have many complaints or is it just us leagies??

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It's all about how easy it is to get there.

I don't how much this is costing the good Dr, but if he invested it into game only transport for fans it would make a far bigger and more sustainable difference.

I thought this guy was a master of business? Seems like cluelessness to me just throwing money until something sticks.

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The Club don't receive the revenue from the sales within the ground as far as I know, only the corporate entertaining is fund generating. This is one of the issues MK has and the previous owners did the deal. It is however in line with other clubs renting their stadiums.

 

I walk to the ground, it takes me about 30 mins but is quicker than driving.

 

The club will put on a bus if there is demand you have to contact the club.

 

 

Sale fans moan more than League fans.

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I am a big fan of the Good Doctor but totally against this as it devalues Salford RLFC and the game. It has ben tried in London and failed. I am all in favour of Kids for a quid for example but it is the paying of the symbolic pound that indicates this is a product worth paying for. Go back to the Huddersfield example. How many of that 10,000 turn up at the Galpharm these days. (cue TRL poster inspired by freebie to buy a season ticket)

 

Your probably thinking - hang is not RR the discount king on here. Now for sure if I was in the manchester area I would go and I do buy the plentiful discounted tickets for major events but I also recognise that what's good for me personally is not what is good in the long term for Salford or the game of Rugby League.

 

When the Grounds not full, as with London ,you will be left with unwanted tag , like London, of being the game they cannot give away tickets for.

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When the pinch comes the common people will turn out to be more intelligent than the clever ones. I certainly hope so.

George Orwell
 
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You either own NFTs or women’s phone numbers but not both

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On balance..maybe free tickets should be for an alternate venue.... this may help pigeon whole the mentality of freetickets for such a ground etc.....

So maybe Salford could hire out the Ethiad (smaller stadium in the complex) and sell tickets for a 5er...market it to city fans as well as Salfords...

One game a year like this with a target of upping attendance to warrent the larger Ethiad...

hopefully some new fans would then brave the journey along the M60....

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On balance..maybe free tickets should be for an alternate venue.... this may help pigeon whole the mentality of freetickets for such a ground etc.....

So maybe Salford could hire out the Ethiad (smaller stadium in the complex) and sell tickets for a 5er...market it to city fans as well as Salfords...

One game a year like this with a target of upping attendance to warrent the larger Ethiad...

hopefully some new fans would then brave the journey along the M60....

"Along the M60....."

From Weaste to the Etihad is 5 miles across the city.  18 mins by car, accessible by Metro, and even walkable (albeit will take about an hour and a half).  I remember that Salford mentioned last season just the idea of taking a match to the Etihad, and the Salford forum was inundated with morons going on about "we aren't going all the way to 'east manchester' for a game" etc etc.  5 miles - from the streets around your old ground.  (i am assuming that not all home supporters even live in these streets!!) 

 

I am sorry to say it, but this pathetic attitude is prevalent among the northern Rugby League fanbase, and really sums up the depressing, down-at-heel mentality that seems to pervade through northern Rugby League supporters.

 

Dr Koukash is offering free admission to one of Salford's games.  Said game would (UNDOUBTEDLY) be played in front of empty stands (in normal circumstances) and Salford are struggling on the field, and could really benefit from a big vocal crowd lifting the team.  Instead, they have fans talking about 'not going', 'this will put off some season ticket holders', 'there is an air show on'

 

Seriosly.... WTF???? It is an opportunity for guys who have bought a season ticket to drag along as many of their family, friends, colleagues, acquaintaces, fans-of-other-clubs etc etc as possible and get them to buy a beer, buy a t-shirt, listen to the Club's marketing speil and watch top level Rugby League for free - and hopefully get enticed into going again. And again.

Rugby League: Alive and Handling

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"Along the M60....."

From Weaste to the Etihad is 5 miles across the city.  18 mins by car, accessible by Metro, and even walkable (albeit will take about an hour and a half).  I remember that Salford mentioned last season just the idea of taking a match to the Etihad, and the Salford forum was inundated with morons going on about "we aren't going all the way to 'east manchester' for a game" etc etc.  5 miles - from the streets around your old ground.  (i am assuming that not all home supporters even live in these streets!!) 

 

I am sorry to say it, but this pathetic attitude is prevalent among the northern Rugby

League fanbase, and really sums up the depressing, down-at-heel mentality that seems to pervade through northern Rugby League supporters.

 Dr Koukash is offering free admission to one of Salford's games.  Said game would (UNDOUBTEDLY) be played in front of empty stands (in normal circumstances) and

Salford are struggling on the field, and could really benefit from a big vocal crowd lifting the team.  Instead, they have fans talking about 'not going', 'this will put off

some season ticket holders', 'there is an air show on'

 

Seriosly.... WTF???? It is an opportunity for guys who have bought a season ticket to

drag along as many of their family, friends, colleagues, acquaintaces, fans-of-other-clubs etc etc as possible and get them to buy a beer, buy a t-shirt, listen to the

Club's marketing speil and watch top level Rugby League for free - and hopefully get enticed into going again. And again.

Getting to the Etihad is a doddle from all over Greater Manchester because of its central location and excellent transport links.

If SalfordRLFC are to ever live up to their potential? They need to become 'Greater Manchesters' team like City and United attract supporters from all over the conurbation with United fans having no problem with Old Trafford not being in the City of Manchester.

I've been a supporter of the AJ Bell, but even I'm starting to believe Salford need a stadium somewhere else. Ideally in City of Salford, but not exclusively in Salford. Pomona Docks over the ship canal would be great. It's 50 feet from Salford.

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​THE NORTH OF ENGLAND WITH A POPULATION OF NEARLY 17 MILLION PEOPLE IS THE TRUE EXPANSION AREA FOR RUGBY LEAGUE........IF IT CAN'T EXPAND HERE, WHERE CAN IT EXPAND?
 
 
 
 
 
 
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From what I can gather Salford do not unfortunately get any profit from food and drink bought at the stadium as they rent it. Profit is from ticket sales and products bought in the club shop.

 

Sounds like Salford got a bum deal with the new staduim.

 

Personally I felt at the time of the focus on staduims which was a part of licensing for many years generated this risk with clubs taking any oppurtunity they can to play in a shiny staduim to eleviate fears of relegation without truly evaluating the impact on their business.

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Maybe the Good Doc is testing the water with this enticement, do the people of Salford have a desire for Rugby League any more?

I hope I am wrong but I doubt that the gate will realise more than 3K, I do not know what the number of ST holders there are but a fair assumption based on the attendance against the Giants (1900) would be in the region of 1200 - 1500 allowing for walk-ups and away fans in attendance. I wonder what figure is in his mind that would deem the experiment successful?

Being the business man he obviously is, he must have done his homework and observed how John Wilkinson single handedly kept this great club alive for a number of years even when the ground was in a far more favourable/accessible position than the AJ Bell is, maybe he considers he has the X factor and he will make it work, but it worries me that there may come a time in the not to distant future when he decides enough is enough, who else could there be who would be prepared to put-up as he has done and is still doing, if as it seems the people of Salford have lost their appetite.

I hope this is a resounding success, and the target area responds with old and new supporter's filling the stands.

"If Rugby League had never been Invented, today we would only have Rugby League"

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Theres just way too much competition in the general Manchester area with two world leading football clubs on the doorstep.

 

I'm sure the competition with Sale RU over the small fry of fans after the football lot doesn't help matters either.

 

With the RUWC having a game in Manchester and now the 2016 RUWC U20s are having their tournament at the AJ Bell it looks like RU is trying to muscle in on Salford's patch. 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/33150364

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