: Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:55 pm  

The crowd today was pathetic for a side in 4th spot that could have gone 2nd. Whats the problem - the Ground certainly is not inviting, particularly for families with young children and a new stadium will undoubtably help - but what do we need to do now to increase attendances.

I get the impression that we think the fans will just come along and that they should but we are in the entertainment business, we have to attract them to come down in the first place. How do we do that ? I don't have the answer as I'm not a marketeer but we must go out and market the club.

A while back I recall Castleford gates were not brilliant and they brought in I believe a married couple from Cronulla, they may have been called McDonald and they shook up the way the club was marketed and improved attendances dramatically. Peter Deakin (now sadly departed) shook up Bradford, Warrington and a rugby union club, it may have been Saracens. OK Huddersfield's announcement regarding season tickets was OTT but the principle was spot on and they are averaging over 9,000 from gates that were no better than ours.

As I have said I'm not a marketing man but it can be done. Come on Trinity look at what can be done, incentives, entertainment, giving free tickets to schools. We appear to have an improving team but falling gates, you have to speculate to accumulate, please get it sorted.

: Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:00 pm  

I cant believe there was only 5500 today - i mean i actually dont believe it... Putting it like this, was there half the crowd there was for the relegation battle between Castleford a couple of seasons back ?? I dont think so - you cant tell me that we could have doubled the crowd today ?? - there looked to me more than against Bradford the week before... Are we just counting the turnstyle paying tickets and not advanced tickets ?? A lot of ppl go throught the bar area now with there matchday ticket bought in advance plus there is the matchday and junior teams who come along also... I just think the announced attendances are embarrising when clearly there is more... Ive been to that ground years and you get a good feel of the crowd attendance - the numbers dont add up apart from the figures to the tax man !!

: Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:13 pm  

As I have stated before, at the Doncaster Road entrance the 'security' open then large gate to admit people and I assume that these are not included in the ' figures. I also feel that this is open to abuse.

: Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:16 pm  

PHe wrote:

As I have stated before, at the Doncaster Road entrance the 'security' open then large gate to admit people and I assume that these are not included in the ' figures. I also feel that this is open to abuse.

I saw that today, loads of people just piled in through the gate

: Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:23 pm  

Im no acountant,but i thought you only paid tax if you make a profit.

Therefore unless we are making profits - which i doubt - therefore would be little to gain from fiddling the gates.

: Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:53 pm  

Plenty of gaps along the sides today...

: Sun Apr 26, 2009 11:02 pm  

Gaps - Some of barmy army did not turn up today! So atmosphere not as good as normaly but was still ok ish.

Thought it looked ok from pic though. Any of the other side?

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:24 am  

Jose Mourinho wrote:

I cant believe there was only 5500 today - i mean i actually dont believe it... Putting it like this, was there half the crowd there was for the relegation battle between Castleford a couple of seasons back ?? I dont think so - you cant tell me that we could have doubled the crowd today ?? - there looked to me more than against Bradford the week before... Are we just counting the turnstyle paying tickets and not advanced tickets ?? A lot of ppl go throught the bar area now with there matchday ticket bought in advance plus there is the matchday and junior teams who come along also... I just think the announced attendances are embarrising when clearly there is more... Ive been to that ground years and you get a good feel of the crowd attendance - the numbers dont add up apart from the figures to the tax man !!

back to the bad old days in our marketing dept
what bloody marketing

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:34 am  

I went to the 1st game of last season, i think it was Bradford and you couldnt move inside we had to stand on the stairs near the burger bar as it was that crammed. Then they annouced the crowd as something like 7000.

Also last season against Oldham in the challenge cup it announced the attendance as somewhere about 5000 then there was an annoucement saying it was a mistake and there eas only something like 2000

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:55 am  

Hate to think this but have we lost any potential fans to Huddersfield they had a fantastic season ticket offer and their gates are well up

Our offer was very poor it did not give much incentive to any new season ticket holders

I always had the feeling that £18 into Belle Vue would bite us on the backside and looking at our gates this season it could be one of the main reasons for the drop off