The event buying RL fan - can we explain them?

[Scubby]

This year has highlighted quite a few conundrums in terms of the RL event buying fan. This is particularly relevant in terms of internationals.

 

In 2013 the RL World Cup final at Old Trafford sold tonnes of early tickets even though England were not guaranteed to get to the final. Exactly the same with the final at Anfield (over 30k sold even when England were stumbling is pretty impressive).

 

Is there a link between fans wanting to see the big game regardless of competitors? Or is the event at an iconic football stadium a lure (do RL fans like going to Man Utd, Liverpool and maybe even Man City or Newcastle United for big games)?

 

For example, would we have sold 50k plus playing the Kiwis at Old Trafford or Etihad this year - because it was in the north and at those iconic stadiums? Anfield was a bold (and untried) choice but looks like it would have sold out had England won in London - that's 55k.

 

So how can we work out why RL fans will commit money to these games (and pre-buy) but will sit back for other games and wait for offers or giveaways - even if those games involve England in England. Are we even talking about the same fans here? Have the RFL confused the issue even more here by not going for big iconic northern venues for either the Kiwis in 2015 or group games in 2016 (or the 2013 WC)?

[Futtocks]

Option 1 - holding a match in a RL stadium: why oh why oh why... lack of ambition... I'm not putting money in that RL club's pockets... why not the Olympic Stadium/Coventry/Old Trafford/etc.?

 

Option 2 - holding a match in Olympic Stadium/Coventry/Old Trafford/etc.: why oh why oh why... neglecting the heartlands... too far... the beer's too expensive... I'm not putting money in a Football club's pockets... why not a RL stadium?

[Bleep1673]

When I was living in Salford, I was going to various matches, not involving either Salford or Swinton, but Finals, Tour games etc., because I wanted to watch great players, and savour the big game atmosphere, and learn how to play the game. Since living darn sarf I have been to more "Big Games", than average league/cup games. So, I think there was an element of event buying, but why not. If you live as far south as I do, what do you expect me to do? Pay for a season ticket & spend three times as much getting to Home games? Also, look at Magic Weekend, stadiums look 1/4 full all the time because you S/L Muppets just pitch up for your teams game then P*** off again to the pub, then the RFL declare it a sell out FFS, same with the Championships W/end.

[Colin James]

As someone who bought tickets for the WC final in 2013 (also went to Eng v Fra at Wigan) and tickets for the final this year, I'll be honest I bought them in the hope England would be there. If someone had told me England definitely wouldn't be involved I doubt I'd have bothered. Still going Sunday though. Final in 2013 was dire, hope this is better.

In terms of Anfield this year, it's considerably nearer than London, Coventry, Huddersfield and Workington for Lancs fans wanting to see a 4N game. Probably quite a lot who just want to see a game and it happens that the final is geographically the easiest to get to.

[Scubby]

As someone who bought tickets for the WC final in 2013 (also went to Eng v Fra at Wigan) and tickets for the final this year, I'll be honest I bought them in the hope England would be there. If someone had told me England definitely wouldn't be involved I doubt I'd have bothered. Still going Sunday though. Final in 2013 was dire, hope this is better.

In terms of Anfield this year, it's considerably nearer than London, Coventry, Huddersfield and Workington for Lancs fans wanting to see a 4N game. Probably quite a lot who just want to see a game and it happens that the final is geographically the easiest to get to.

 

Yes but you bought them knowing England may not be there. Some games even involving England people haven't bothered or waited for desperate 50% off or groupon offers. 

[Futtocks]

Surely, as a properly pessimistic RL fan, you would have been 100% certain that England wouldn't be there.

[Colin James]

I don't think you can compare finals with other games. For example this year, wasn't NZ a sell out? Scotland isn't an attractive game, expected to be one sided and likely to not be full strength England. Australia could have been a dead rubber so people might have been hanging on to find out by which time it was either too late/too expensive to book transport or accommodation or people just had other plans.

[deluded pom?]

Surely, as a properly pessimistic RL fan, you would have been 100% certain that England wouldn't be there.

Yeah but that's a given.

[deluded pom?]

I bought tickets for Coventry, London and Liverpool. Huddersfield didn't interest me even though England were involved. I've been to Huddersfield plenty of times before and whilst a decent stadium it doesn't shout special to me. I've never been to the Ricoh and it was a new venue for me. If ticked a box for me as does Anfield. I went to the London stadium last year and was happy to return. It actually didn't seem as bad from a viewing perspective as I thought it was. Rugby league fans don't get much chance to see their nation play in varied locations like their counterparts in other sports do and going to other parts of this country is the nearest some of us get.

[DoubleD]

I'm sure this has been discussed many times before but yes of course the big event attracts more fans, particularly casual sports fans. Union tapped into this ages ago and successfully milk it even for club rugby and the barbarians (what even is that?) at Wembley. Sadly the RFL are clueless and still stick with sending the top teams to ###### stadiums in Hull and Cumbria with predictable results, yet they deem it a success

[Yakstorm]

As more and more entertainment options are made available to people and as people's lives continue to get busier and busier, it's no surprise that there is a growing segment of sports fans who are becoming 'event' goers.

For them, they don't have the time or interest in going to a Huddersfield or Craven Park for any game. They want to go to iconic venues for what they perceive as 'big' events. The Four Nations final, just like the World Cup final qualify as that. The SL GF is turning into that and arguably the Magic Weekend and even Tests at London Stadium could be turned into more of an event.

It's this shift by the consumer that RL needs to better address and find a way of creating more events in its calendar to capitalise on this segment, whilst the number of diehard regulars start to drop off for club games.

Using Australia as an example, all sports crowds here are down, however the NRL has limited this by creating more event games in the calendar. Good Friday, Easter Monday, ANZAC Day are all club events which can draw 30K+ and minimise the impact of some of the poorer drawing games throughout the year.

[yipyee]

The RFL failed to realise that Eng vs NZ is a bigger draw to the non-RL expert.

Everybody who has an inkling of rugby would instantly recognise the all blacks AND the haka.

Lets face it NZ are number 1 in both codes!

Not playing NZ in London was a big mistake! RFL blind to thinking Aussies are the biggest draw!

[Bleep1673]

Since I was born, I have seen England/GB play at every Home ground that they have played at (Except Blackburn, and Coventry, because I couldn't afford it), and Boothferry Park, because I was on-call (evening), and playing for Irlam in the Afternoon.

 

(I think)