Are you worried about attendances?

[Ray Cashmere]

Just now, meast said:

Have you read any of this thread previously?

Lives and games have been severely disrupted due to the covid stuff over the last 2 years.

Not sure if you've noticed, but attendances have declined across all clubs, especially SL clubs due to the covid stuff.

Most of the away support is considerably lower than in any previous years, for the first 4 games, crowds were restricted due to the covid stuff, so in effect most games were over 50% of allowed capacity.

Lots of people are still seemingly reluctant to attend events due to the covid stuff, and Huddersfield, with an ageing fanbase have been hit particularly hard, hence the reason they are trying to tempt a younger audience with cheap season ticket offers.

To use this as yet another stick to try and beat Huddersfield with is a bit poor

Ken Davy isn't the Huddersfield chairman, Keith Hellawell is.

 

No disputing the effect of COVID but neither can it be disputed that stagnating/decreasing attendances has been a trend that began way before the pandemic. 

I'm not sure what the relevance of the 50% capacity restriction is when the John Smiths stadium as a capacity of 24,500.

I completely agree with your point about the ageing fanbase. However, that is more representative of the problems our sport faces than an excuse. And no, it isn't just a Huddersfield problem it is game-wide. Hull KR have shown this season what a bit of innovation can do in turning the matchday experience into an event.

Cheap season tickets for kids are great and, in fairness, I think a lot of clubs do ok in trying to get under 18s along. It's the 18-30 bracket- where young people are starting to get disposable income for the first time- that the game is absolutely shocking at tapping into. 

This isn't a stick to beat Huddersfield with. My club face exactly the same problems. However, Huddersfield's attendances were quoted above so they were the obvious point of reference. Defensiveness doesn't provide any solutions.  

[Tommygilf]

Roughly 5000 less than the last time England Knights played Jamaica (at Leeds in 2019) at Cas tonight.

Partly that is the utter folly of playing a Jamaica home game in Cas rather than Leeds, and partly the lack of promotion in the Caribbean community in West Yorkshire compared to last time, but still.

[GUBRATS]

3 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Roughly 5000 less than the last time England Knights played Jamaica (at Leeds in 2019) at Cas tonight.

Partly that is the utter folly of playing a Jamaica home game in Cas rather than Leeds, and partly the lack of promotion in the Caribbean community in West Yorkshire compared to last time, but still.

Should have played at the LSV

[Chrispmartha]

7 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Roughly 5000 less than the last time England Knights played Jamaica (at Leeds in 2019) at Cas tonight.

Partly that is the utter folly of playing a Jamaica home game in Cas rather than Leeds, and partly the lack of promotion in the Caribbean community in West Yorkshire compared to last time, but still.

I said on the game thread, we shouldn’t be playing any sort of international games at stadiums such as Cas, I don’t think we should  be playing SL games there either but that’s maybe a different argument, the place needs sorting out, probably demolishing to be fair.

The game was also under marketed, there wasn’t even a link to buy tickets on the England RL website

[Tabby]

47 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

I said on the game thread, we shouldn’t be playing any sort of international games at stadiums such as Cas, I don’t think we should  be playing SL games there either but that’s maybe a different argument, the place needs sorting out, probably demolishing to be fair.

The game was also under marketed, there wasn’t even a link to buy tickets on the England RL website

You have a lot of “I don’t think” yet lack how to change it.

[Tabby]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

Roughly 5000 less than the last time England Knights played Jamaica (at Leeds in 2019) at Cas tonight.

Partly that is the utter folly of playing a Jamaica home game in Cas rather than Leeds, and partly the lack of promotion in the Caribbean community in West Yorkshire compared to last time, but still.

2019? Thats a fair comparison. I would have thought even your dwindling memory would have seen something. Wasn’t that a home game for Jamaica?

[Tommygilf]

6 hours ago, Tabby said:

2019? Thats a fair comparison. I would have thought even your dwindling memory would have seen something. Wasn’t that a home game for Jamaica?

If you'd actually read this thread, including the OP, you'd note that the impact of Covid was at the heart of my concerns. Losing nearly 75% of your audience at a time with no restrictions and when we were due to host a World Cup is legitimately concerning.

It was officially a home game for England Knights in 2019 I believe, and there was a significant Jamaican support Including a steel drum band. Over 7000 were there.

Being kind, I think having this in Castleford rather than Leeds (which alongside London consistently provides our best international crowds) is the main factor in the decline here. But even so, planning for that seems utterly stupid.

[Tommygilf]

7 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

Should have played at the LSV

Should have played at Headingley.

[Dave T]

7 hours ago, Tabby said:

You have a lot of “I don’t think” yet lack how to change it.

Well two of the things in his post were obvious. 

Book a different stadium for Jam v Knights, and put a link for ticket sales on the website. 

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Well two of the things in his post were obvious. 

Book a different stadium for Jam v Knights, and put a link for ticket sales on the website. 

Deadpan!

[Chrispmartha]

8 hours ago, Tabby said:

You have a lot of “I don’t think” yet lack how to change it.

Erm, put the game on in a decent stadium, that is fit for purpose, preferably close to a place with a larger Jamaican community and acually market it.

And make the tickets easier to buy, by using the actual website where people would think they are available 

just for starters

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

Should have played at Headingley.

I was being sarcastic 

[Tabby]

41 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Erm, put the game on in a decent stadium, that is fit for purpose, preferably close to a place with a larger Jamaican community and acually market it.

And make the tickets easier to buy, by using the actual website where people would think they are available 

just for starters

You would have been amazing at a higher level. 

[Chrispmartha]

6 minutes ago, Tabby said:

You would have been amazing at a higher level. 

Meaning ?

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

On 21/09/2021 at 22:34, TheReaper said:

Why not? My Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) seasons tickets include playoff games, if they don't make it then it's a credit on your next years' season tickets. Or you could get the cash back if you really wanted. Don't see why anyone else couldn't do the same.

Every season ticket could include credit which can be used against play off or Grand Final tickets. Say £20 on adult season tickets and £10 on kids season tickets which can be used to either buy tickets for play off games or Grand Final tickets through the season ticket holders club.

This would have the following benefits 

1) Encourage people to buy season tickets

2) Increase attendances for play off games 

3) Get more neutrals at the Grand Final 

4) Get clubs not involved in the Grand Final to promote the event and sell tickets.

 

[GUBRATS]

2 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Every season ticket could include credit which can be used against play off or Grand Final tickets. Say £20 on adult season tickets and £10 on kids season tickets which can be used to either buy tickets for play off games or Grand Final tickets through the season ticket holders club.

This would have the following benefits 

1) Encourage people to buy season tickets

2) Increase attendances for play off games 

3) Get more neutrals at the Grand Final 

4) Get clubs not involved in the Grand Final to promote the event and sell tickets.

 

Or people could just buy a ticket and go to the games they want to see live

[idrewthehaggis]

On 21/09/2021 at 22:34, TheReaper said:

Why not? My Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) seasons tickets include playoff games, if they don't make it then it's a credit on your next years' season tickets. Or you could get the cash back if you really wanted. Don't see why anyone else couldn't do the same.

This is a good idea.

Imagine all 12 SL clubs added this to their season ticket. Say £40 extra. That money would collectively go into a SL account with a competitive interest rate.

Those clubs that did not reach the plays off would transfer the extra fees back to their supporters, either directly or by offers/deductions for next season.

All the monies in the collective amount would amass interest, which left for say ten years could give RL a core cash reserve. 

Thoughts?

Attendances.

Couple of points. It is the largest single revenue stream for clubs at all levels.

I would encourage the RFL and clubs to work together through joint action and shared good practice to try and increase attendances.

An extra 1,000 spectators per game per club would be another £3m into the game just at SL level. 

I would encourage a more collective supportive way to restore RL and one way would be a central levy of any gate incomes of crowds over 5,000. This could be used to boost attendances.

 Thoughts?

[idrewthehaggis]

3 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Every season ticket could include credit which can be used against play off or Grand Final tickets. Say £20 on adult season tickets and £10 on kids season tickets which can be used to either buy tickets for play off games or Grand Final tickets through the season ticket holders club.

3 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Every season ticket could include credit which can be used against play off or Grand Final tickets. Say £20 on adult season tickets and £10 on kids season tickets which can be used to either buy tickets for play off games or Grand Final tickets through the season ticket holders club.

This would have the following benefits 

1) Encourage people to buy season tickets

2) Increase attendances for play off games 

3) Get more neutrals at the Grand Final 

4) Get clubs not involved in the Grand Final to promote the event and sell tickets.

 

This would have the following benefits 

1) Encourage people to buy season tickets

2) Increase attendances for play off games 

3) Get more neutrals at the Grand Final 

4) Get clubs not involved in the Grand Final to promote the event and sell tickets.

 

If I knew how to add this to my previous comment, I would.

Fully endorse this. 

It would need joint agreement for all clubs and the RFL. 

I think supporters would benefit from it as well as rally to it. Plus it is more convenient. 

[Chris22]

As much as I like Jordan Turner, an international should never double up as a testimonial either.

I wonder if a weekend kick off in the half term holidays would have been far better. And obviously, internationals should never be played at Castleford.