Oh I dunno.... weren't Wire averaging something like 4000 at Wilderspool before they moved to the shiny new HJ? It's amazing how winning multiple Grand Finals can add another 5-6000 to your fanbase.
i appreciate your need to defend your club, like a third rate vastman, but defending them blindly isn't correct.
however, i'll deal with your rebuttles in my next post. cos i think this deserves its own.
*clears throat*
WHAT GRAND FINALS?????
i get reminded on a daily basis on here, on facebook, on twitter that we've never won a (sl) grand final, so bit of a weird flex.
Oh I dunno.... weren't Wire averaging something like 4000 at Wilderspool before they moved to the shiny new HJ? It's amazing how winning multiple Grand Finals can add another 5-6000 to your fanbase.
So, taking this at face value, in the final season at Wilderspool,2003 we averaged 6904,the year before was probably about 4k, if not less due to the state we were in, we didn't get to and win the challenge cup until 2009. 5 years later. our first play off win was in 2006, so you it had nothing to do with success.
In 2004, the first year at the halliwell jones, the average was 9880, and halfway through that year is when simon moran became majority shareholder. He Pays for the nice things, the extras but the stadium is self sufficient with plenty of non matchday income, that was crucial to the design of it, it had to pay for itself.
Why did that attendance increase? a combination of reasons, mainly the location of the stadium was within walking distance of about 60% of our season ticket holders (and lapsed members at that point) with good motorway links and close to a trains station, to make it easier for away fans, and we went down the family angle. Since the stadium plans went to planning enquiry we ramped up our community projects and were in schools all over warrington practically every day, building a new fan base, kids and their parents, we won the SL community club of the year award something like 4 times in a row over those 4/5 years, we put a lot of effort in.
We didn't just build a stadium and expect people to turn up.
Salford moved away from their walk up/hardcore supporter base, to a location thats a ballache to get to.
SaleSlim wrote:
And?
It's fine for "massive" clubs like Wire to mock Salford but let's be honest, without Mr Moneybags backing you you'd be in as much doo doo as clubs like Salford & Wakey are (sorry Wakey fans, not a dig!).
The fact you're dragging out news articles from the Salford Star pretty much sums you up..... it's a poxy rag with about as much credibility as the Sun or the Star.
The location of the article is neither here nor there, the picture, the artist impression, was released by Salford City reds, this was there grand design, its a fantastic design, almost iconic, and at the time that's admirable, you couldn't possibly tell me with a straight face that you weren't disappointed with what you ended up with.
But hey, it's easier to hit out, then admit faults of our loved ones.
Whilst it was a grim night in February 2012, Salford only managed to attract 5424 to their first game at the new stadium, almost half the 10146 that attended their last game at The Willows - so never a good starting point.
It's fine for "massive" clubs like Wire to mock Salford but let's be honest, without Mr Moneybags backing you you'd be in as much doo doo as clubs like Salford & Wakey are (sorry Wakey fans, not a dig!).
The fact you're dragging out news articles from the Salford Star pretty much sums you up..... it's a poxy rag with about as much credibility as the Sun or the Star.
Also, didn't you have a moneybags person as well? how did that end up?
Looking back a bit, Salford's average attendances upto 2012, at The Willows were nearer to 4000, so an assumption of doubling that purely down to a new location seemed wildly optimistic.
Looking back a bit, Salford's average attendances upto 2012, at The Willows were nearer to 4000, so an assumption of doubling that purely down to a new location seemed wildly optimistic.
i seem to recall thinking at the time, being disappointed that they didn't get teh last season influx, lapsed fans coming back for one last look,
Warrington were lucky with their stadium. The luxury of political help - is he now Lord Hoyle,the former Labour politician,plus the Tesco link. Salford were unlucky,2008/9 the banking crash. Some councils want stadia - some don't.
Perhaps Super League will reject clubs,like Wigan who have to share stadia owned by an outside sport. Or clubs like Leigh,who don't own the Sports Village. Newcastle won't get into Super League,nor York,as their stadia owned by Union and soccer clubs,respectively.
Oh I dunno.... weren't Wire averaging something like 4000 at Wilderspool before they moved to the shiny new HJ? It's amazing how winning multiple Grand Finals can add another 5-6000 to your fanbase.
Hull's average went from 7k in the final season at the Boulevard to 11.5k in the first season at the KC. But a big factor is we had a lot of fans who had drifted away during our dreary 90s where we played on division2, struggled financially and became the Sharks etc we also improved on the field around that time and winning the Cup in 2005 and then reaching a Grand Final in 2006 probably converted those 'new' fans into lifetime ones.
Salford have been in the doldrums for years and sadly due to Covid the boost from their afinals appearances has been muted, and a lot of the team have moved on rather than containing to build.
So, taking this at face value, in the final season at Wilderspool,2003 we averaged 6904,the year before was probably about 4k, if not less due to the state we were in, we didn't get to and win the challenge cup until 2009. 5 years later. our first play off win was in 2006, so you it had nothing to do with success.
In 2004, the first year at the halliwell jones, the average was 9880, and halfway through that year is when simon moran became majority shareholder. He Pays for the nice things, the extras but the stadium is self sufficient with plenty of non matchday income, that was crucial to the design of it, it had to pay for itself.
Why did that attendance increase? a combination of reasons, mainly the location of the stadium was within walking distance of about 60% of our season ticket holders (and lapsed members at that point) with good motorway links and close to a trains station, to make it easier for away fans, and we went down the family angle. Since the stadium plans went to planning enquiry we ramped up our community projects and were in schools all over warrington practically every day, building a new fan base, kids and their parents, we won the SL community club of the year award something like 4 times in a row over those 4/5 years, we put a lot of effort in.
We didn't just build a stadium and expect people to turn up.
Salford moved away from their walk up/hardcore supporter base, to a location thats a ballache to get to. The location of the article is neither here nor there, the picture, the artist impression, was released by Salford City reds, this was there grand design, its a fantastic design, almost iconic, and at the time that's admirable, you couldn't possibly tell me with a straight face that you weren't disappointed with what you ended up with.
But hey, it's easier to hit out, then admit faults of our loved ones.
You are right that location is a big factor, luckily in Hull we moved to pretty much a centre spot between The Boulevard and Boothferry Park to suit both fanbases with good train and bus links. Moving to an out of town retail park hasn't been good for many teams in Football. Fans are hard to win back when they have got out of a habit, and for some being able to wander from the Pub, or meet their mate at a bus stop etc is part of the day out.