Rochdale Hornets

[Gomersall]

https://x.com/johnnyddavidson/status/1854209231689273493?s=12

Statement from Andy Mazey, Rochdale Hornets chairman:

"As a board, we are determined to increase season ticket and membership numbers for 2025, as well as the number of people supporting and engaging with the club generally. 

"We have therefore decided to take the unprecedented step of providing regular and transparent updates throughout the closed season.

"At the time of writing, I can report we have 55 platinum and regular season passes sold and allocated in total so far. This figure includes 15 Under 16s passes which are issued free of charge. 

"To put this into perspective and in very sobering terms, the income from sales to date does not cover the contractual commitment made to one of our higher-earning players, let alone an entire playing squad."

[Griff]

Tough times.

[Dullish Mood]

Jesus…..

[Just Browny]

Sobering but I'm not sure it works as a sales tactic. Maybe they could start naming and shaming ex season ticket holders who haven't bought one yet?

Anyway, hope sales turn up for the Hornets.

[Eddie]

So 40 season tickets sold? That’s terrible, I’ve always thought Rochdale could be a solid championship club with the size of the town and Spotlands to play at, hope it works out for them. 

[Tommygilf]

It's brutal out there

[RayCee]

How much would an average League One player expect to earn in a season? I assume it varies greatly but obviously most if not all clubs are paying more than ticket sales cover. With reduced central funding, it becomes an issue of remaining solvent without a generous benefactor. 

On another point, when do people start buying season tickets? I would have thought much closer to the commencement of the next season. Are the Hornets suggesting this has been a slow start for season ticket sales or merely that they intend to be more proactive in addressing the funding imbalance by reaching out to fans?

[Whippet13]

Very poor numbers obviously, but this was announcement was made 10 days after they went on sale. There has been a pay day since then and it's a long time until season start with no early bird deadline that I am aware of, so expect the numbers to pick up. In more positive current news, Hornets have re-launched their women's team for 2025.

[Anita Bath]

Yes…no reason to buy so far ahead of the season…..xmas shopping on the horizon ( well black Friday anyway) and winter bills coming up. Its not like you will miss out if you wait until February to purchase.

The way league one has been run recently you dont know for sure how many teams will make the starting line or how many home games there will be until close to the start of the season.

Also there doesnt appear to be the possibility of spreading the cost over several monthly payments. In this day and age I would think that would be an important sales strategy.

I dont expect the statement will do much for increasing pre Xmas sales.

[Toby Chopra]

Seems a very ill thought out approach.

If you want someone to part with a year's money upfront, telling them that the club can't pay its bills probably makes them even more likely to sit on their hands.

[Harry Stottle]

I know Andy well, and he has put a lot of money into the sport at Leigh, Swinton and now presently Rochdale, not mentioning his contributions to the community game.

I must say that the tone of this communication sounds like desperation which is not like Andy at all, he is not just a 'half full' person he is normally up close to the brim.

Edited November 7 by Harry Stottle

[Griff]

3 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

 

Also there doesnt appear to be the possibility of spreading the cost over several monthly payments. In this day and age I would think that would be an important sales strategy.

The idea of season tickets is to get the money up front.  How many months were you thinking of?

[langpark]

I actually like that he is done this!  As a fan it gives you a clear idea of where the club is at, with no BS or 'spin' on the story.  I am tired of these incredibly vague announcements like:  The club's ticket sales, in section C of our stadium, are up 23% based on last year's sales!!!!!  Woohoo!  I do not think he is trying to guilt trip anyone either. 

What I don't understand however, is if he is referring to 2024 tickets or 2025.  I just looked at their website now and I cannot seem to find season tickets on there.

[Eddie]

4 minutes ago, langpark said:

I actually like that he is done this!  As a fan it gives you a clear idea of where the club is at, with no BS or 'spin' on the story.  I am tired of these incredibly vague announcements like:  The club's ticket sales, in section C of our stadium, are up 23% based on last year's sales!!!!!  Woohoo!  I do not think he is trying to guilt trip anyone either. 

What I don't understand however, is if he is referring to 2024 tickets or 2025.  I just looked at their website now and I cannot seem to find season tickets on there.

They’re in the ticket section here https://www.hornetsrugbyleague.co.uk/tickets?ftredirect=1

Agreed I like his honesty too. 

[Billy King's Boots]

This whole season ticket thing needs more context.

How many did the club sell last season - and where (if anywere) was the spike in purchases? If, for example, they only sold 150, then having shifted 30% of last season's total a month after the previous season ended isn't that bad.

What is the proportion of season ticket holders against walk-ups/individual tickets bought online ahead of games? And how do those proportions stack-up against attendances? If, for arguments' sake the average attendance is 500 and the club sells 100 season tickets in total, then we know that 80% of fans buy 'at the gate' - so how do you make that easier and attract more walk-ups?

How many season tickets have other clubs in League 1 sold a month after the previous season ended? What proportion of their average attendance do they account for? And how does Rochdale Hornets compare against them?

What proportion of attendances do hospitality box-holders account for? Ten boxes with ten people in them = 100 people paying to watch for a season. Are they counted separately to season ticket holders? When do box holders pay for their tickets?

Overall, you'd have to look at season ticket sale patterns across the whole of League 1. The average attendance in League 1 (according to Rugby League Project) was around the 800 mark (boosted, I think, by sizeable attendances at Oldham), so how would season ticket sales at other clubs in League 1 stack up against that? How many do clubs under - and over - the average sell? And what's the collective 'sweet spot' on the calendar for sales looking across the competition? (i.e. is it possible to understand/change season ticket buyers' established behaviour?)

You'd have to know how the League 1 season ticket 'market' behaves to really judge how good or bad 55 sales just one month after the previous season ended is. But what all of this does show, is that League 1 a tough environment in which to run a club/shift tickets.

And Andy Mazey's announcement has sparked a conversation on that,

Edited November 7 by Billy King's Boots

[Anita Bath]

3 hours ago, Griff said:

The idea of season tickets is to get the money up front.  How many months were you thinking of?

No the idea is you get a full season commitment before the season starts.

four payments….november, december, january and february. All money in before the season starts.

Believe it or not thousands of organisations around the world manage to do this.

[Hopping Mad]

I went to a game at Rochdale Hornets last season. Shocked to discover only half of one of the stadium's four stands was open. The crowd was 448 (including a coach of away fans). In that context, fifty-odd season tickets sold sounds about right.

Edited November 7 by Hopping Mad

[Eddie]

The attached has a graph showing RH’s average attendances since 2010, must admit in my mind they’d been a fair bit higher in the last decade but clearly not

 

[sheddingswasus]

If hornets averaged 800 last season then this is around 6%. Given the season starts in February ( ?) then there 3/4 months yet before the ticket can be used. Also there seems to be no early birds so no incentive to buy early. 

Edited November 7 by sheddingswasus

[LeytherRob]

oops wrong thread

Edited November 7 by LeytherRob

[Fevrover]

25 minutes ago, LeytherRob said:

leigh over 4k memberships sold in the first week, including 250 people taking the new gold plus membership which will ring fence an additional £2.5k a month for the academy 

Great for Leigh but how dose this help Rochdale? Can't even compare them.

[Phil W]

League One is a tough gig. I admire the honesty here. As an owner at this level you aren't in it for the money, just the love of the game. 

Hopefully as the season approaches their sales will pick up.

[Yorks Tim]

Goole are spamimng social media like mad to sell season tickets but not seen much activity from other League 1 clubs. 

Midlands not announced yet but it's usually timed so as to be a suggested Christmas present for a loyal fan / loved one.

 

[Billy King's Boots]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

The attached has a graph showing RH’s average attendances since 2010, must admit in my mind they’d been a fair bit higher in the last decade but clearly not

 

Hunslet were promoted this year - on an average attrendance of 521 (Source: Rugby League Project)
That's the reality of life in League 1 - it's where attendances go to die...

[Phil W]

5 minutes ago, Yorks Tim said:

Goole are spamimng social media like mad to sell season tickets but not seen much activity from other League 1 clubs. 

Midlands not announced yet but it's usually timed so as to be a suggested Christmas present for a loyal fan / loved one.

 

At Thunder preparations are underway for the new season, no announcements on anything yet but talk of a fans meeting towards the end of November.

I expect the squad to not be too dissimilar from last season with a couple moving on. We'll be a season better off after this group experienced League One last season.