IMG proposals

[Oxford]

2 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

I would suggest that some clubs are not very good at marketing their home games.

I have been in pubs a mile from grounds on match days and some of the locals weren't  even aware that there is match going on. That is 100% poor marketing by the club. To not know there is a game going on even if you have no interest in the game is extremely poor

In the days of Brian Snape there would be posters all over Salford  and sometimes beyond so what would today's equivalent be?

I would ask those with marketing experience but replies are often not very positive.

Maybe we need a version of the Aussie Holiday Advert  "Where the Bl**dy Hell Are Ya?"

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, steve oates said:

 

So maybe Leeds put mobile adverts for an upcoming game on the main roads into Leeds at a cost of £5,000, and the result is they sell £3,000 worth of more tickets to the game........

It's a loss.....

This is an extremely basic way of looking at this, and tbh, shows your ignorance around what marketing is for.

The outcome you are trying to drive with marketing is not simply to drive a ticket sale. What if they bring somebody else along? What if they then attend a few more matches? What if they buy some food and drink? What about that merchandise? Maybe a season ticket the year later. Maybe they become a lifelong fan and spend thousands and thousands of pounds over the years. 

[Damien]

1 hour ago, steve oates said:

Unless the value of those extra sales doesn't cover the cost of the initiative in the first place. 

So maybe Leeds put mobile adverts for an upcoming game on the main roads into Leeds at a cost of £5,000, and the result is they sell £3,000 worth of more tickets to the game........

This is awfully simplistic. Going by your figures what about if they do indeed sell only £3,000 more in tickets for the next game but then also sell £1,000 for the next 10 games because those fans liked what they see and kept coming back? What about if some of those fans become sponsors of the clubs or even backers? Then obviously you have food, drink, merch sales etc. There is a lot more to it than just looking at the ticket sales for one game.

[gingerjon]

Your mistake here is in replying.

[steve oates]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

This is an extremely basic way of looking at this, and tbh, shows your ignorance around what marketing is for.

The outcome you are trying to drive with marketing is not simply to drive a ticket sale. What if they bring somebody else along? What if they then attend a few more matches? What if they buy some food and drink? What about that merchandise? Maybe a season ticket the year later. Maybe they become a lifelong fan and spend thousands and thousands of pounds over the years. 

Your post offers the idea marketing brings in the fans and more.

It doesn't face the reality that an optomistic marketing push can cost thousands, but may actually only generate hundreds.

I recall when Widnes could sell out a game, I was there, but Wire at the time found it hard to top 4K......

Maybe your own club had some reason in those days not to pump £thousands into Marketing??

If Widnes could sell out then then why are not selling out now?...........

[steve oates]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

This is awfully simplistic. Going by your figures what about if they do indeed sell only £3,000 more in tickets for the next game but then also sell £1,000 for the next 10 games because those fans liked what they see and kept coming back? What about if some of those fans become sponsors of the clubs or even backers? Then obviously you have food, drink, merch sales etc. 

On that basis that you set out, then why do all the SL clubs have a Budget figure for marketing that they stick to.

I think it's awfully simplistic to believe there is a whole sporting audience out there that have not thought about going to their local RL club.

Bradford Bulls had a slick marketing strategy, how come then they went on to lose 10,000 off their gates ?

[Dave T]

2 hours ago, steve oates said:

Your post offers the idea marketing brings in the fans and more.

It doesn't face the reality that an optomistic marketing push can cost thousands, but may actually only generate hundreds.

I recall when Widnes could sell out a game, I was there, but Wire at the time found it hard to top 4K......

Maybe your own club had some reason in those days not to pump £thousands into Marketing??

If Widnes could sell out then then why are not selling out now?...........

of course it faces that reality. 

I fear you want 100% certainty. Well tbh, you should probably just stay at home and lock yourself away as I suggest the outside world and risk associated with it is not for you.

There are no guarantees that buying a successful team will fill a ground. There are no guarantees that marketing will hit the mark and fill a ground.

Your wants are unrealistic. Impossible in fact.

[Oxford]

52 minutes ago, Dave T said:

There are no guarantees that buying a successful team will fill a ground.

I think there's two things at odds with each other there Dave certainly buying a side won't fill grounds but experience shows that successful sides do tend to bring people through the gates.

Now attractive sides may bring a few more in but not without the success.

I think success is sought after so much and found so wonderful that the idea that if it was shared a bit more might be great for the game  is a thing of the past.

 

[Dave T]

5 minutes ago, Oxford said:

I think there's two things at odds with each other there Dave certainly buying a side won't fill grounds but experience shows that successful sides do tend to bring people through the gates.

Now attractive sides may bring a few more in but not without the success.

I think success is sought after so much and found so wonderful that the idea that if it was shared a bit more might be great for the game  is a thing of the past.

 

There are so many variables at play. On paper, Salford should be doing much better - strong team making finals in recent years, playing from great facilities. The growth has been modest. 

There is no silver bullet. The problem with throwing everything into being great on the field is that not everyone can win. There will always be winners and losers. But everyone can have great facilities, everyone can stage events well, everyone can structure their org well, everyone can focus on youth dev etc. 

Doing the right things will deliver the right outcomes. That is what licenaibg/grading etc is all about. Taking shortcuts and looking for success to underpin everything is probably the riskiest plan around, yet it gets championed. 

[gingerjon]

Just now, Dave T said:

There are so many variables at play. On paper, Salford should be doing much better - strong team making finals in recent years, playing from great facilities. The growth has been modest. 

There is no silver bullet. The problem with throwing everything into being great on the field is that not everyone can win. There will always be winners and losers. But everyone can have great facilities, everyone can stage events well, everyone can structure their org well, everyone can focus on youth dev etc. 

Doing the right things will deliver the right outcomes. That is what licenaibg/grading etc is all about. Taking shortcuts and looking for success to underpin everything is probably the riskiest plan around, yet it gets championed. 

Basically, it's why Leigh should be applauded for how they are putting on their opening match. Unless it's a really heavy defeat, you have to assume that most people will leave having had a really good time because of everything that's going on as well as the game.

[GUBRATS]

15 hours ago, The Future is League said:

What i would like IMG to do among other things is contact the person or persons at every club who's in charge of marketing and ask them to contact every every business within 5 miles of the ground and let them know when they are playing their next home game, against who and the KO time and admission prices. Its not rocket science, and only good can come out of it.  Yes it might be time consuming to start with, but their will be benefits for the club. Also as was well some clubs need to do a lot better better on social media than they do now

As Steve has pointed out , the clubs already do this ,but ultimately Leeds will get better corporate than Leigh , I can't really think of a local company owned by a local with more than 25 employees other than the local bakery Waterfields , a town like Leigh just doesn't have the corporate of a Leeds Hull or Warrington 

[GUBRATS]

6 hours ago, The Future is League said:

I would suggest that some clubs are not very good at marketing their home games.

I have been in pubs a mile from grounds on match days and some of the locals weren't  even aware that there is match going on. That is 100% poor marketing by the club. To not know there is a game going on even if you have no interest in the game is extremely poor

You can lead a horse 

[GUBRATS]

5 hours ago, Dave T said:

This is an extremely basic way of looking at this, and tbh, shows your ignorance around what marketing is for.

The outcome you are trying to drive with marketing is not simply to drive a ticket sale. What if they bring somebody else along? What if they then attend a few more matches? What if they buy some food and drink? What about that merchandise? Maybe a season ticket the year later. Maybe they become a lifelong fan and spend thousands and thousands of pounds over the years. 

Unfortunately that is how many owners/directors have/do look at it , one fans for life will spend tens of thousands 

Way back my merchandise idea received similar short sightedness 

[GUBRATS]

3 hours ago, steve oates said:

On that basis that you set out, then why do all the SL clubs have a Budget figure for marketing that they stick to.

I think it's awfully simplistic to believe there is a whole sporting audience out there that have not thought about going to their local RL club.

Bradford Bulls had a slick marketing strategy, how come then they went on to lose 10,000 off their gates ?

Steve , the very first budget set should be the marketing , unfortunately it's usually the last 

[Oxford]

4 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

You can lead a horse 

That's because horses don't use T'interweb! And their typing has to be seen to be believed though their posts do sound alot nicer than some.

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

of course it faces that reality. 

I fear you want 100% certainty. Well tbh, you should probably just stay at home and lock yourself away as I suggest the outside world and risk associated with it is not for you.

There are no guarantees that buying a successful team will fill a ground. There are no guarantees that marketing will hit the mark and fill a ground.

Your wants are unrealistic. Impossible in fact.

Very true Dave , but let's not forget our resident marketing experts have never got it wrong , that's why they're all millionaires 

[Dave T]

Just now, GUBRATS said:

Very true Dave , but let's not forget our resident marketing experts have never got it wrong , that's why they're all millionaires 

That's a poor read though isn't it. I don't know a single person who feels that yiu can just invest in marketing and fans will flock. Sure some use it as a lazy catch-all for off-field effort, but in reality, most people are expecting as much effort off the field as on it. I don't think that's a controversial belief. 

[steve oates]

41 minutes ago, Dave T said:

On paper, Salford should be doing much better - strong team making finals in recent years, playing from great facilities. The growth has been modest. 

 The problem with throwing everything into being great on the field is that not everyone can win. There will always be winners and losers. But everyone can have great facilities......,

Salford got great facilities, Salford started getting success on the pitch, but their problem is Manchester United and Manchester City which you entirely miss. Shows your ignorance........

[Dave T]

10 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Unfortunately that is how many owners/directors have/do look at it , one fans for life will spend tens of thousands 

Way back my merchandise idea received similar short sightedness 

I've made the point before about it not being a case of you acquire a customer once and that's them done, you have to continue to invest in them as customers. Loyalty markets are huge. 

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, steve oates said:

Salford got great facilities, Salford started getting success on the pitch, but their problem is Manchester United and Manchester City which you entirely miss. Shows your ignorance........

You're right. No other towns have football fans. 

[Oxford]

5 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

but let's not forget our resident marketing experts

I think we should try to forget them though

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

20 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Very true Dave , but let's not forget our resident marketing experts have never got it wrong , that's why they're all millionaires 

Well, far be it from me to...

[Lowdesert]

4 hours ago, steve oates said:

On that basis that you set out, then why do all the SL clubs have a Budget figure for marketing that they stick to.

I think it's awfully simplistic to believe there is a whole sporting audience out there that have not thought about going to their local RL club.

Bradford Bulls had a slick marketing strategy, how come then they went on to lose 10,000 off their gates ?

And giving the game away once more Parky.

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

15 minutes ago, Oxford said:

I think we should try to forget them though

 

17 minutes ago, Oxford said:

Oh dear, still alot of personal unnecessaries on here sadly.

I know some people can't help themselves but it's hardly Earth shaking stuff we're discussing folks.

 

Switzerland seems to have re-armed again, make your mind up...

 

[Hemi4561]

On 24/01/2023 at 23:21, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

IMG will be looking in to the A-ness of each club

Why don't they just look in a mirror, or at a photo of our resident marketing putative millionaire.

Product has a value of £5, a salesman sells it for £5. A "marketing" expert talks a load of cobblers trying to convince you to pay £ 15 for it, snake oil peddlers.