What can the club do to improve attendances? : Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:20 pm  

Wow, nothing like saying it how it is.

Think we need some new fans like a team needs new players . I go to all home games but donot travel to away much these days !

COYD

Re: Dons to play Keighley on Sunday.. : Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:06 pm  

Family commitments have curtailed my chances of getting to many of the longer away trips these days, I'm afraid.

The first steps to getting more away fans is to probably get more home fans. Let's hope the good result will encourage a decent turnout on Sunday. It'd be great to see 1,000+ there.

If home attendances increase, the demand for a bus to away games will grow too.

Re: Dons to play Keighley on Sunday.. : Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:04 am  

Agree lets get the numbers up at home & hopefully more will travel.

Come on you Dons fans !

Re: Dons to play Keighley on Sunday.. : Tue Feb 18, 2014 12:01 pm  

I thought at first glance that i could not remember writing a post, then spotted it was RUGBLYMAN and not my good self RUGBYMAN.

There is only one RUGBYMAN lol

Re: Dons to play Keighley on Sunday.. : Tue Feb 18, 2014 12:23 pm  

Think you would have been more diplomatic Baz.

What does everyone think to the comment of Rugblyman does the topic want a separate thread ?

[Jemmo]

Re: Dons to play Keighley on Sunday.. : Tue Feb 18, 2014 12:46 pm  

rugbyman wrote:

I thought at first glance that i could not remember writing a post, then spotted it was RUGBLYMAN and not my good self RUGBYMAN.

There is only one RUGBYMAN lol

I assumed it was you too and you'd lost your log in...thought "Rugbly" was a reference to that famous typo!

Re: Dons to play Keighley on Sunday.. : Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:46 pm  

I was at workington and support what Rugbly is saying about being embarrassing and would say his estimate of 20 about right. Some diehard away regulars were not there and I dont doubt for genuine reasons.
I am not sure how to encourage new, workington people to travel and as mentioned it might come with an increased home fan base. To be honest the team have exceeded expectation over the last two seasons and crowds havent increased so not sure that its going to happen.
The best experiences have been on away grounds - Fev, batley, halifax and sheffield so have some of the worst swinton, york, hunslet but as they say you have got to experience the lows to appreciate the highs.
I know that a bus is put on for some games, do people think an official supporters travel club would be a way forward to encourage and take more supporters, just a thought.

Re: Dons to play Keighley on Sunday.. : Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:49 pm  

'workington people' oops! dont what happened there, but they would be welcome

Re: Dons to play Keighley on Sunday.. : Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:21 pm  

My earlier comments weren't directed at any individuals, as a group of supporters we appear to be less interested in our team than other clubs, I can remember a time when we would travel in good numbers as a percentage of our overall fan base, and be very vocal, I appreciate we can't all make every single game , I will probably miss 5-6 games this season in total.

It may just be me but I believe we have the lowest away support of any club in the league, admittedly there were a few due hard fans missing for good reasons last week.

As a club we have had a successful spell in the last 2 seasons yet we still won't turn up and support the team.

I may be very lucky and have an understanding wife who as always been happy for me to attend home and away even when the kids were young, and I've been happy to spend any spare money on most live sport.

Let's hope this Sunday we will turn up in numbers to cheers the boys on for another win.

Re: Dons to play Keighley on Sunday.. : Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:50 pm  

I agree the home support is more important as a club to move forward and become financially viable, unlike football rugby league clubs rely heavily upon gate receipts and not TV money, even though Super league clubs receive in excess of £1m per year from the broadcasting deals the RFL have agreed, I believe championship clubs receive circa £130k, not sure if this figure is correct this season, which doesn't cover the wage bill of any of the clubs in our league with maybe one exception.

My issue with away support is the lift it can give the players especially in close games, in the past we have achieved this, and I remember only a few years ago we would moan about the lack of away support coming to our home games, it's now other clubs saying the same of us.

I just can't understand supporters not making more effort and at least attending a few away games, other clubs with a comparable home support surely don't have more time and money than we do, or have less family commitments than we do. What's happened to the away support we had?