I suspect there are a lot of people in the Midlands area who follow rugby league but only really at Super League level. Most of these probably won't have yet noticed that there is a semi-pro team playing in their back yard. Getting these folks to come to Hurricanes games when their SL team isn't playing is key to expanding crowds at the Alex in my view. People new to the sport will be more likely to come back if there is a better atmosphere in the stadium. I love to see SL shirts in the crowd as it shows we have got the attention of the rugby league diaspora.
It's a start and, if Hurricanes become a second team for Mum and Dad, we may become the first team for the kids. Having a big name like Eorl Crabtree on board is vital for that visibility to the wider RL community. With a buzz around the club, getting through to new fans will be much easier.