Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:10 am Posts: 14882 Member for 16 years
Egg Chasing wrote:
The demise of Bradford has obviously attributed to their lack of following nowadays, but our following has dropped massively also which is a concern when we are still in the hunt for trophies.
The problem with Bradford was that they really only did turn out to watch a good team.
Been following Wigan since the mid-60s, and I don't remember Northern having much more than a average crowd, if that, until the mid/late 90s, when they suddenly got a very decent team on the park. That whole Bullmania thing was a total load of twaddle. That crowd didn't turn out to watch toy racing cars driving up and down the pitch or Robbie and Henry dancing in their kits before each match and singing crapulously into the same microphone. They turned out to watch a team of superstars. And then, when things went bad, how quickly they all disappeared.
We've all gone up and down in terms of our support, but that Bradford thing was a massive flash-in-the-pan, related to the only time in living memory when they've had a good team.
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 12:49 pm Posts: 442 Member for 16 years
Egg Chasing wrote:
All true, but I don't think any of that will translate into Bob who watches down the local bothering to go the game in person. He'll still watch in the local, he might just have 2 or 3 more people to watch with.
How do you propose we get more people attending live games then?
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2005 8:19 pm Posts: 394 Location: Wigan Member for 17 years
hengirl wrote:
I fear with the cost of living crisis that season tickets are going to be further down the shopping list this year quite how they address it I'm not sure,it could be an argument is made for putting prices up and hope people swallow the higher price or could it be they drop prices and hope that fans stay when pricing returns to normal.
I agree that at present a season ticket is good value but as I say looking g at those energy prices even we will be getting the abacus out come renewal time
I genuinely think that will be the biggest challenge for the next season for all clubs. Can they keep their ST prices frozen to this years price, given their non-playing staff costs will have rocketed as they arent exempt from utilities increases etc, and retain the same number of sales. If they can manage that then fair play to them, but i have a feeling across the board that even if they can hold prices, that sales will be down
i'm fortunate, in that i'm not having to choose between heating the house or feeding my kids, but at the same time i am still having to look at what i am spending as my utilities bill went up by over 120%, so made a big hole in my finances. However, if prices increase again as planned i am certainly going to have to have a think about dropping my gym membership / ST renewal or a good drains up of my finances to balance the books
Specifically in regards to Wigan, i hope they can freeze prices and our fans stick with them, as all work and no social pleasures cant be good for anyone especially coming off the back of 2 crappy years with the pandemic
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:14 pm Posts: 3618 Location: Watching Rugby League Member for 9 years
nathan_rugby wrote:
How do you propose we get more people attending live games then?
That is literally the million dollar question.
The club have tried plenty of things but they have only really worked to bring people out for one game. Personally I think the issues are with the sport rather than the individual clubs.
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:14 pm Posts: 3618 Location: Watching Rugby League Member for 9 years
Cruncher wrote:
The problem with Bradford was that they really only did turn out to watch a good team.
Been following Wigan since the mid-60s, and I don't remember Northern having much more than a average crowd, if that, until the mid/late 90s, when they suddenly got a very decent team on the park. That whole Bullmania thing was a total load of twaddle. That crowd didn't turn out to watch toy racing cars driving up and down the pitch or Robbie and Henry dancing in their kits before each match and singing crapulously into the same microphone. They turned out to watch a team of superstars. And then, when things went bad, how quickly they all disappeared.
We've all gone up and down in terms of our support, but that Bradford thing was a massive flash-in-the-pan, related to the only time in living memory when they've had a good team.
Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2002 7:35 pm Posts: 38358 Member for 20 years
Cruncher wrote:
The problem with Bradford was that they really only did turn out to watch a good team.
Been following Wigan since the mid-60s, and I don't remember Northern having much more than a average crowd, if that, until the mid/late 90s, when they suddenly got a very decent team on the park. That whole Bullmania thing was a total load of twaddle. That crowd didn't turn out to watch toy racing cars driving up and down the pitch or Robbie and Henry dancing in their kits before each match and singing crapulously into the same microphone. They turned out to watch a team of superstars. And then, when things went bad, how quickly they all disappeared.
We've all gone up and down in terms of our support, but that Bradford thing was a massive flash-in-the-pan, related to the only time in living memory when they've had a good team.
And poop load of free tickets.
Opening night 1997 warrington played them( we won, handsomely, no need to check that out its true) we spoke to a bunch of people that night, all got in on kids freebie tickets handed out in schools, they were just letting anyone in, these were all adults.
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:11 pm Posts: 1532 Member for 15 years
nathan_rugby wrote:
How do you propose we get more people attending live games then?
For me more Sunday/Saturday games and less Thursday/Friday games would help, it certainly would from a personal standpoint and I think the crowds have dropped ever since we’ve gone to playing predominantly on a Friday night (could be coincidental)
We will have a few players retained no doubt (Farrell, Powell... Etc).
However its looking like for the first time in a few years we aren't having players leaving in droves leaving us quite settled which is good news hopefully.
Last edited by MattyB on Fri May 27, 2022 11:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
WIGAN RLFC - SL ERA
WORLD CLUB CHAMPIONS 2017
SUPER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 1998, 2010, 2013, 2016 & 2018
CHALLENGE CUP FINAL WINNERS 2002, 2011, 2013 & 2022
LEAGUE LEADERS CHAMPIONS 2010, 2012 & 2020
ACADEMY GRAND FINAL WINNERS 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 & 2019
16 years
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