Barrow Raiders increasing crowds

[Tommygilf]

27 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

Went twice last season and enjoyed both visits,nice fans and plenty to eat and drink. First time we went you got a £5 voucher towards food and or drink,worth a visit.

This is probably the best sort of investment a club like Barrow can make. Lets be real, their chances of winning the Championship, let alone Super League, are small, so it has to be about more than that.

[dixiedean]

Maybe not this season.

But if they continue to improve on and off the field at the rate they have, then there isn't any reason they couldn't win the Championship in the next few years.

Edited December 31, 2022 by dixiedean

[LeeF]

3 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

Chatting with some other Leythers last night , planning on sorting out a coach trip to Batley at some point during the summer , a day out at the Mount for about 20 quid ticket and coach , what's not to like ? 

leopards on tour

And no problems parking. Another win

[RSN]

2 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

What Barrow have done is absolutely excellent and a really good example for others.

They have made themselves one of the best places to be in Barrow between 12 and 6 on a weeken afternoon. The result on the pitch is a minor factor in this, it can't be relied on to draw people in on its own; partly also because League 1 and Championship Rugby League isn't that big of a draw either, which is true of SL too. But naturally, as the initiatives have worked and more people have come and more money has been brought in, the team has improved too. 

This should be encouraged by all clubs.

Pretty much hit the nail on the head here. 

If all you're offering is rugby, your crowds will fluctuate based on how much the team wins and the team can't win forever. We got to 2500 average in 2009 when we won the league but it fell off a cliff when we started losing again. 

A community program for to engage with kids at schools then free entry is a great way to get people through the door but this needs backing up with lots of available bars, mini rugby at half time or before the game, players signing autographs and posing for photos, food and merchandise outlets plus something to do after the game has finished (post match presentation/entertainment). 

I appreciate some clubs are tied as they don't own the ground, but surely there is a common interest to get people through the door as it benefits both parties. 

[Eddie]

I know it’s not RL, but in the early 2000s Norwich did kids for a quid most games and our crowds quickly grew from around 14k to around 20k within a few seasons. Then (while admittedly the football bubble expanded) we started selling out every week and that has carried on from around 2004 to now, despite various relegations, even to league one. As a context other teams our sort of size like Charlton, Ipswich etc have seen big drop offs when they’ve gone down.  I know it’s football not RL but kids for a quid does work, we’re one of the places where you don’t see a load of Man City, Chelsea etc shirts and I’m fairly sure if it wasn’t for the kids for a quid 20 years ago it wouldn’t be like this. A financial hit now can pay big dividends in future if kids can be persuaded to buy into a club now, like Barrow are clearly doing. 

[Number 16]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

I know it’s not RL, but in the early 2000s Norwich did kids for a quid most games and our crowds quickly grew from around 14k to around 20k within a few seasons. Then (while admittedly the football bubble expanded) we started selling out every week and that has carried on from around 2004 to now, despite various relegations, even to league one. As a context other teams our sort of size like Charlton, Ipswich etc have seen big drop offs when they’ve gone down.  I know it’s football not RL but kids for a quid does work, we’re one of the places where you don’t see a load of Man City, Chelsea etc shirts and I’m fairly sure if it wasn’t for the kids for a quid 20 years ago it wouldn’t be like this. A financial hit now can pay big dividends in future if kids can be persuaded to buy into a club now, like Barrow are clearly doing. 

Given RL's current problems and the decreasing support across most clubs, it's bizarre and self-defeating to not introduce a 'quid a kid' across the whole competition. 

[GUBRATS]

Just now, Number 16 said:

Given RL's current problems and the decreasing support across most clubs, it's bizarre and self-defeating to not introduce a 'quid a kid' across the whole competition. 

Again , not always as simple as it sounds when you don't control your stadium 

[Derwent]

22 minutes ago, Number 16 said:

Given RL's current problems and the decreasing support across most clubs, it's bizarre and self-defeating to not introduce a 'quid a kid' across the whole competition. 

A few years ago there was an initiative where kids could get a season ticket for £20. It entitled them to go watch any and every game at Champ/L1 level. I think it was subsidised by Northern Rail or some other sponsor. It lasted a couple of years then just stopped. It should be brought back if they can find a sponsor.

[GUBRATS]

12 minutes ago, Derwent said:

A few years ago there was an initiative where kids could get a season ticket for £20. It entitled them to go watch any and every game at Champ/L1 level. I think it was subsidised by Northern Rail or some other sponsor. It lasted a couple of years then just stopped. It should be brought back if they can find a sponsor.

Again , not that simple with some stadiums 

[fighting irish]

19 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

Again , not that simple with some stadiums 

Please explain why it's a problem? 

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, fighting irish said:

Please explain why it's a problem? 

Would the LSV let the club give out free tickets not knowing how many will turn up without charging for them ? 

Probably ( definitely) not 

I know the club would like to organise a bar outside the stadium similar to the one at Salford , but I also know the LSV won't allow it , this despite having an outside bar for the women's Euro games this summer 

[Adelaide Tiger]

Around 20 or so years ago I read an article that I think was about Nottingham Forest.  It went along something like this ‘We need to attract kids to games ….. kids form allegiances around the age of twelve …. we will present every child within a defined area a free first team shirt at school assembly on their twelfth birthday’.  I Don’t follow Forest so I have no idea how the proposal went.

Anyway shortly after reading the article I sent an email Cas about it.  I pointed out that each year there would be around 1,000 children celebrating their twelfth birthday in local schools.  If in those days, around the year 2000, a child’s replica shirt cost the club £10 then an investment of £10k each year would be required and may pay dividends in future years if just a small fraction became regular attendees.  IMHO £10k a year out of SL money was a drop in the ocean.  But I heard nothing about it.  

[GUBRATS]

21 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

Around 20 or so years ago I read an article that I think was about Nottingham Forest.  It went along something like this ‘We need to attract kids to games ….. kids form allegiances around the age of twelve …. we will present every child within a defined area a free first team shirt at school assembly on their twelfth birthday’.  I Don’t follow Forest so I have no idea how the proposal went.

Anyway shortly after reading the article I sent an email Cas about it.  I pointed out that each year there would be around 1,000 children celebrating their twelfth birthday in local schools.  If in those days, around the year 2000, a child’s replica shirt cost the club £10 then an investment of £10k each year would be required and may pay dividends in future years if just a small fraction became regular attendees.  IMHO £10k a year out of SL money was a drop in the ocean.  But I heard nothing about it.  

Other clubs have had the same suggested , same result , as a club director I argued for a dedicated marketing budget to be the first thing ' set ' each year before even your player salary budget , the verbal response was " why " and " are you crazy " , the visual response was one of shaking heads and a confused look 

[Butch]

Barrow have just put on Facebook asking for ideas to put on free events right through spring and summer weekends for south Cumbria families. Very good idea let them in free sell them food and drink and merchandise shop open. 

[GUBRATS]

4 minutes ago, Butch said:

Barrow have just put on Facebook asking for ideas to put on free events right through spring and summer weekends for south Cumbria families. Very good idea let them in free sell them food and drink and merchandise shop open. 

Rugby League matches ?

[Butch]

22 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Rugby League matches ?

And that’s the reason why so many clubs are dying. Relying on game day only. 

[gingerjon]

24 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Rugby League matches ?

Can't think why your fellow directors looked at your marketing ideas funny.

[GUBRATS]

Some miserable bstrds on here 

It was a joke guys , just a joke 

Feel free to give us your non funny suggestions ? , I await with bated finger 

[GUBRATS]

Finger still bated 

[Hopie]

On 01/01/2023 at 20:03, GUBRATS said:

Would the LSV let the club give out free tickets not knowing how many will turn up without charging for them ? 

Probably ( definitely) not 

I know the club would like to organise a bar outside the stadium similar to the one at Salford , but I also know the LSV won't allow it , this despite having an outside bar for the women's Euro games this summer 

When I had a junior season ticket it let you into every away game for free, but you had to collect a voucher from your club before going to some away games, so they would know how many were coming, it would allow clubs to limit numbers, although in rugby league I don't think it was ever required.

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, Hopie said:

When I had a junior season ticket it let you into every away game for free, but you had to collect a voucher from your club before going to some away games, so they would know how many were coming, it would allow clubs to limit numbers, although in rugby league I don't think it was ever required.

Away fans don't count 

Didn't you know ? 

We don't get any away fans at Leigh because we don't have a train station at the LSV 

[Dirkgee]

On 02/01/2023 at 23:06, Adelaide Tiger said:

Around 20 or so years ago I read an article that I think was about Nottingham Forest.  It went along something like this ‘We need to attract kids to games ….. kids form allegiances around the age of twelve …. we will present every child within a defined area a free first team shirt at school assembly on their twelfth birthday’.  I Don’t follow Forest so I have no idea how the proposal went.

Anyway shortly after reading the article I sent an email Cas about it.  I pointed out that each year there would be around 1,000 children celebrating their twelfth birthday in local schools.  If in those days, around the year 2000, a child’s replica shirt cost the club £10 then an investment of £10k each year would be required and may pay dividends in future years if just a small fraction became regular attendees.  IMHO £10k a year out of SL money was a drop in the ocean.  But I heard nothing about it.  

Atalanta, an Italian Football club does this but it's when the kids a born. If a child is born in Bergamo the parents receive a gift bag from Atalanta which has merchandise for the little kid that they can keep until they are older. It works very well for them.

Though it should definetly be a thing you get around 10 in school in England if it was done 

[Gomersall]

 

[Man of Kent]

On 04/01/2023 at 06:28, Dirkgee said:

Atalanta, an Italian Football club does this but it's when the kids a born. If a child is born in Bergamo the parents receive a gift bag from Atalanta which has merchandise for the little kid that they can keep until they are older. It works very well for them.

Hang on, Atalanta hands out goodie bags to new borns in Bergamo? Do they have someone on hand in the hospitals or do they come in the post?

[Man of Kent]

47 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

 

Clever plan. Presumably the kids will drag Dad along.