Potential new route for Salford?

[paulwalker71]

42 minutes ago, Celtic Roosters said:

There are already rumours in the City of a ground swap but I'm pretty sure a move to Moor lane for Salford Red Devils would not increase the attendances. Its more difficult to get to by public transport than the A.J Bell and parking is terrible, although its £6 at the A.J Bell. Although the ground is in Salford - if you walked up Moor lane you would be in Manchester in 5 minutes. With regard to the local community - they are predominantly Jewish, have very little, if any, interest in RL, and were mostly opposed to the ground being developed. There is not much in the way of facilities around Moor lane either, although most people won't pay the extortionate prices at the A.J Bell. The Kersal pub that was mentioned is now a block of apartments. There are no pubs/ cafes/ shops in reasonable walking distance. Coming from the M62 away fans have a few places they could go for a drink with a little bit of research, although not within walking distance of the ground. For Salford fans from the current catchment area the nearest pub/restaurant would be the Henry Boddington and that is a taxi ride away, unless you are feeling really fit. I used to watch Swinton play at Moor lane and the football club did not welcome them. I don't know if the attitude would be different with Salford, but, I go to some Salford City FC games and there are very few fans with dual interest. Moor lane is in the Kersal/ Broughton area of Salford and it is worth noting that the supporters buses do not currently operate from that area. It is also true that the RL club owe a huge debt to the council and they are not going to let Salford walk away from the A.J Bell unless there is another way of Salford paying off their debt.

If that's all true, and I don't doubt it is (I've no local knowledge at all), how would you account for the fact that Salford City's attendances have risen a hundred fold in the last 3-4 years?

You make it sound like their ground is the most inaccessible place on the planet! Yet Salford City are getting bigger and bigger crowds! 

[Manxmanc]

57 minutes ago, Celtic Roosters said:

There are already rumours in the City of a ground swap but I'm pretty sure a move to Moor lane for Salford Red Devils would not increase the attendances. Its more difficult to get to by public transport than the A.J Bell and parking is terrible, although its £6 at the A.J Bell. Although the ground is in Salford - if you walked up Moor lane you would be in Manchester in 5 minutes. With regard to the local community - they are predominantly Jewish, have very little, if any, interest in RL, and were mostly opposed to the ground being developed. There is not much in the way of facilities around Moor lane either, although most people won't pay the extortionate prices at the A.J Bell. The Kersal pub that was mentioned is now a block of apartments. There are no pubs/ cafes/ shops in reasonable walking distance. Coming from the M62 away fans have a few places they could go for a drink with a little bit of research, although not within walking distance of the ground. For Salford fans from the current catchment area the nearest pub/restaurant would be the Henry Boddington and that is a taxi ride away, unless you are feeling really fit. I used to watch Swinton play at Moor lane and the football club did not welcome them. I don't know if the attitude would be different with Salford, but, I go to some Salford City FC games and there are very few fans with dual interest. Moor lane is in the Kersal/ Broughton area of Salford and it is worth noting that the supporters buses do not currently operate from that area. It is also true that the RL club owe a huge debt to the council and they are not going to let Salford walk away from the A.J Bell unless there is another way of Salford paying off their debt.

Much of what you say is fair regarding the location. However, I'm not sure what area you are referring to as the local community. If you are including Prestwich and Whitefield, notwithstanding significant pockets, these areas are not predominantly Jewish.  Even so, I don't see that there is any inherent reason for that community not supporting RL teams.

[Hammerless Nail]

6 minutes ago, paulwalker71 said:

If that's all true, and I don't doubt it is (I've no local knowledge at all), how would you account for the fact that Salford City's attendances have risen a hundred fold in the last 3-4 years?

You make it sound like their ground is the most inaccessible place on the planet! Yet Salford City are getting bigger and bigger crowds! 

Both the A J Bell and Moor Lane are fairly inaccessible, particularly by public transport. Not inner depths of the Amazon Rainforest inaccessible, just not particularly easy to get to. So, the people that do make those journeys have to have a reason to make them. Salford City are on a meteoric rise and that (relative) success attracts the punters and makes the journey worthwhile. Salford Red Devils have won cock all for 43 years, so too many people deem the journey not quite as worthwhile.

It's no different to the situation at any other club and in any other sport: an awful lot of people are attracted to the idea of supporting a winning team, fewer people to the idea of supporting their team through thick and thin (mostly thin, in Salford's case). For some inexplicable reason, entirely internet-based self-trained marketing experts think the situation wouldn't apply at their club, but it would. Instead, they think Salford's small crowds are because they're not called Manchester, or because they play in a stadium that's too big, or because Marwan had a big gob or whatever. They're not. Salford's low crowds are because they're a relatively unsuccessful team playing it a not particularly accessible stadium. Win something, and that stadium suddenly becomes easier to get to, as Salford City can attest.

[WSRD]

11 minutes ago, paulwalker71 said:

If that's all true, and I don't doubt it is (I've no local knowledge at all), how would you account for the fact that Salford City's attendances have risen a hundred fold in the last 3-4 years?

You make it sound like their ground is the most inaccessible place on the planet! Yet Salford City are getting bigger and bigger crowds! 

What Celtic Rooster has said is perfectly correct and believe me the Salford City ground is less accessible for the majority of fans that I know than the AJBell is.

The Salford City attendances have risen due to the Class of 92 factor coupled with huge amount of publicity in all the media, that has been generated on the back of the Class of 92 and I say good luck to them I just wish that the Red Devil’s could get equal publicity.

With regards to the AJ Bell, I still have people who have never set foot in the place who say that the ground is difficult to get to, it has no atmosphere, parking is difficult, the stewards are not very good etc.etc.

In my view I feel that it is easier to get there now than it was, the atmosphere this season has been excellent, especially if we win, the parking has improved for access and for leaving the ground and the stewards are now excellent.

Our seats in the West Stand are excellent with first class views of all the pitch, a playing surface equal to any in Superleague with the seats for visiting fans on a par with any other club and all the facilities that any fans require.

 

[Oxford]

6 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

So if crowds would increase by a move to Moor Lane, how can that be a bad thing?

It would be a bad thing in two ways the SL would bring back requirements and SRD would be in trouble again and  it would increase the number of what do Salford bring to SL posts on here.

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, Oxford said:

It would be a bad thing in two ways the SL would bring back requirements and SRD would be in trouble again and  it would increase the number of what do Salford bring to SL posts on here.

I don't see what requirements Moor Lane in its current state wouldn't meet? Its a brand new entirely covered stadium with both standing and seating capacity and some hospitality features. 

Instead of an away trip to the AJ Bell being the fairly lifeless affair it currently is (which isn't a criticism to Salford fans its just a fact of life when anywhere between 3/4s and 2/3s of a big grey stadium are empty), Salford could take advantage of the smaller capacity to create a real atmosphere at their games in the same way Cas do in their much less modern but equally "boutique" ground.

[Oxford]

5 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I don't see what requirements Moor Lane in its current state wouldn't meet?

I don't know Moor Lane that well but I do know SL & that's enough for mine.

[yipyee]

2 hours ago, LR23 said:

Kappa make the kit and will do so next year as well. The shirt sponsorship deal has just ended and we are looking for a new one - so what? Next season is a long way off. People don't half talk some nonsense when it comes to Salford.

On the ground - by all accounts those running the club are happy with the current arrangements at the AJ Bell as financially it makes sense and we meet the minimum requirements. Location isn't ideal but people are just getting used to it and I'm unconvinced another move would make any difference.

Shirt sponsor mitsubishi dropped you.

Kappa have dropped you and that's the fourth kit manufacturer in 7 years to do so.

As reported by loverugbyleague.com

No nonesense talked just upto date info

I agree you should stay put. It's not the ground it's the clubs engagement with the community that appears to be the issue.

[LR23]

17 minutes ago, yipyee said:

Shirt sponsor mitsubishi dropped you.

Kappa have dropped you and that's the fourth kit manufacturer in 7 years to do so.

As reported by loverugbyleague.com

No nonesense talked just upto date info

I agree you should stay put. It's not the ground it's the clubs engagement with the community that appears to be the issue.

As ‘reported’ in the rumours section. Kappa rumour already rebuffed. The Mitsubishi deal expired- nothing was ‘dropped’. Spin it however you want but Salford will be running out in Kappa shirts with a sponsor on next season.

Also it isn’t as simple as community engagement- wish it was.

[fearnowt]

5 hours ago, WakefieldCityLoyal said:

Good little stadium at Salford FC the company they used to build it use a pre pack design quick to construct at cost effective, sure I read it cost around 4m which isn’t bad considering price of some new build small stadia. 

Stadium Solutions, well worth a look at their website.

https://www.stadiumsolutions.co.uk/

The new 156 seat stand at Rushden and Diamonds FC cost £30k, so about £200 per seat. I phoned them a couple of years ago to ask about the cost of a turnstile building, (I was thinking at the time about suggesting we put one up at Queensway), I was told they cost about £7k fully installed, with two turnstiles.

Also worth a look on twitter. I think these people could do a good job for any Championship/League 1 club looking to improve their facilities.

https://twitter.com/stad_solutions?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

[The 4 of Us]

No chance of playing at Moor Lane. The artificial pitch isn’t RL ready. 

[Tommygilf]

2 minutes ago, The 4 of Us said:

No chance of playing at Moor Lane. The artificial pitch isn’t RL ready. 

What sort of surface is it?

[The 4 of Us]

11 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

What sort of surface is it?

My understanding from a very recent conversation was that it was a soccer only 4G but the only thing I can find is reference to grass!!! May have to retract.

 

[Tommygilf]

Just now, The 4 of Us said:

My understanding from a very recent conversation was that it was a soccer only 4G but the only thing I can find is reference to grass!!! May have to retract.

 

To be fair it looked a stunning surface last night! The sky commentators did ask Gary Neville for permission to walk on the pitch too so I'm not sure.

[WSRD]

42 minutes ago, yipyee said:

Shirt sponsor mitsubishi dropped you.

Kappa have dropped you and that's the fourth kit manufacturer in 7 years to do so.

As reported by loverugbyleague.com

No nonesense talked just upto date info

I agree you should stay put. It's not the ground it's the clubs engagement with the community that appears to be the issue.

I doubt that you know anything about what the clubs community engagement is at present or if you actually have any local knowledge either.

The clubs community engagement over recent years has improved and this includes the Red Devil’s Foundation, the playing staff, and it includes improving links with amateur rugby league clubs, countless schools at all age groups and various other organisations are also contacted and assisted.

To have had a sponsor such as Mitsubishi for three years is in my opinion should be applauded and they are quite entitled to re assess their sponsorships as they wish to.

 

The people who are running the club at present are all working very hard and have the full support of all the fans that I know and are looking at new sponsorships in many areas.

 

.

 

[Hammerless Nail]

2 hours ago, RugbyLeagueMan said:

In your dreams Jean.

Remember, it takes two people to make a troll: one to post a deliberately provocative but unintentionally stupid comment, and one to respond to it. You may not have control over one of those, but you do have control over the other.

[Celtic Roosters]

3 hours ago, paulwalker71 said:

If that's all true, and I don't doubt it is (I've no local knowledge at all), how would you account for the fact that Salford City's attendances have risen a hundred fold in the last 3-4 years?

You make it sound like their ground is the most inaccessible place on the planet! Yet Salford City are getting bigger and bigger crowds! 

I don't actually think I did make Moor lane sound like the most inaccessible place on the planet. I think you might be exaggerating a little bit there. I said the parking is terrible, which it is, and the public transport system from other parts of Salford, by the way, is almost non existent. Easier to get a bus or tram into Manchester and get a bus from there. I know because I go and watch the football team occasionally. I went on a bank holiday last season (Think it was boxing day) and I wanted a beer so I paid £20 each way in a taxi from Eccles. Salford City FC are getting bigger crowds because they are having some success and more people watch successful clubs. I thought that didn't need a lot of working out? It's actually a very neat little ground and the facilities in the stadium are good. There is nothing around there in walking distance. I played against Salford Amateurs (as they were originally known) in the 1970's when they played on the pitch on the Island at the Crescent in the Manchester League and got crowds of 40 if they were lucky. I know a handful of RL fans who have season tickets for football as well but there is not much interest the other way around.

[superten]

On ‎14‎/‎08‎/‎2019 at 10:27, Tommygilf said:

I was watching the League cup game between Leeds United and Salford City last night and thought instantly how the Moor Lane ground is almost perfect for Salford RL. Just over 5000 capacity, 2 standing terraced ends and recently refurbished. Looks like it has capacity to expand too if the RL club wanted to put some money in.

I don't know about the pitch dimensions or whether the location of the ground is suitable for Reds fans, but I couldn't help but feel that it would be better than the soulless cavern that is the AJ Bell at times. Its compact nature would help a team like Salford (and Huddersfield for example) create a better atmosphere on matchdays in an appropriately sized stadium. There is constant references throughout the club that it is based in its community, with the food and drink being supplied locally for example. This community connection is exactly what Salford RL should be aspiring to imo.

Equally I don't know what Salford's deal is with the AJ Bell. What I do know is every time I've been it certainly hasn't felt like Salford's 'home'. The Badge on the ground is two revamps out of date, Sale Sharks logos and sponsorship seem to be up everywhere, and the atmosphere on gameday can just feel a bit lacking. In my mind, a move to Moor Lane, with an aim of part ownership of the Ground rather than mere tenancy, could make it a proper home for Salford RL.

What do Salford fans and others think? I'm not a Salford fan so don't go to the AJ Bell regularly, perhaps you love it? I don't live in Salford so wouldn't know if Moor Lane was in a bad location etc. I'm just interested having seen it on TV last night.

I can remember when Swinton played there

[Tommygilf]

7 minutes ago, superten said:

I can remember when Swinton played there

Was this the new Stadium or the pre-class of '92 field? What was your experience?

[Celtic Roosters]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

Was this the new Stadium or the pre-class of '92 field? What was your experience?

Swinton played 2 or 3 seasons in the old stadium. Many, many years ago Langworthy played there. The new stadium has only been up, completed, for 2 years.

[johnh1]

23 hours ago, The 4 of Us said:

My understanding from a very recent conversation was that it was a soccer only 4G but the only thing I can find is reference to grass!!! May have to retract.

 

It’s definitely grass. I went to a Salford City match there last year, so unless they have changed it over the off season, it is still grass. My thought when I was there was how good it would be for SRD. Small, compact stadium, with a good atmosphere. Parking a nightmare though.

[Red Willow]

no advantage of moving, the ground is no more accessible than AJ Bell.

 

[tonyXIII]

Right! The "experts" have spoken and solved Salford RLFC's problems. All we have to do is abandon our 'home' and move in with a football club. Brilliant!

Show me one, ONE! example where that has proved successful for a rugby league club. Rochdale - No! London in any incarnation - No! Even Wigan have problems with reseeding the pitch. Don't get any of our friends from Hull FC started - they'll regale you for hours about trouble with Hull City's owners.

It doesn't work. The rugby league club invariably gets the sh!t end of the stick.

NO! Just no!

 

[yipyee]

Do Sale experience the same problems as Salford and has their attendances increased?

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Do Salford need to move anywhere? Unless they’ve been kicked out or rent has been hiked up beyond a reasonable level, I don’t see the need for them to move, especially to a stadium most people on here wouldn’t have ever seen before television coverage this week. 

In the seven seasons Salford have been at the AJ Bell, their average attendance has been below 4,000 in three of seven years, with 4,480 in 2017, their second highest average since moving in. 

In the same period that Sale have been there, their average attendance hasn’t dropped below 6,000 with a high of 6,660 in 14/15. 

That to me does not suggest that people cannot get to the stadium (a daft excuse anyway). It probably says a lot about the money in the two respective codes and the level of investment into marketing and advertising between the two organisations.