: Tue Jun 02, 2009 11:04 pm  

behind the stick wrote:

Only in the minds of fans. In reality, when people have to pay above and beyond their season ticket the figures don't hold out.

Semi finals and finals attract alot more than just season ticket holders. Wolfette herself said she knew 6 people who would have gone with her, but due to space and the demand for tickets there is no chance of getting together or pleasing everyone. These will not come and the clubs are missing out. In reality, those at the helm of Warrington Wolves when they were a mid/bottom table side did not know how many people they would need to accommodate at the new ground. Season ticket numbers wouldn't help. Good job the fact they got far less than was promised capacity wise or we would be embarrassing to be seen on tv.

Which is twice as much capacity as required.

Hardly, there is plenty of people complaining that they wont be able to get tickets with friends/family. Those that do will be apart from those they may know. I guarantee, reserved seating promotes and attains a lower level of noise and 'atmosphere' than unreserved.



Back to, lets drop the price and hope more people come. The ticket prices are cheaper for kids and concessions than they were 5 years back. The semi final has a value, I don't hear anyone complaining about ticket prices.

And those Children and concessions have got older and brought others with them. While many have left due to other commitments or seeing the same team underachieve again and again. What a way to get them back in, a renaissance of the club which is in no doubt helped by this semi final game. There is a place for 'special offers', no matter what the game. Unless you're saying the 'penny tickets' for children at the All Golds game, the £10 tickets at Wembley, and the "buy a group game ticket, get £10 off the final this four nations", are funny gimmicks.

Now you're just being silly and illogical.

Not at all, a crowd grows to fill the space. You'll laugh and point at the simplicity of what I'm going to say next but, a Cup final between Warrington and Wigan would have more people there than a league game.
With the right marketing and the right 'magic' we can generate a feeling in Warrington and the whole of the Rugby League community that the cup is indeed not dead. If the game was in a ground that was just ten thousand capacity more than what they have now. It would give many people the chance to bring friends/family/ partners (maybe for first time?) and with a special cup price, what better time to sample a glamour tie in a glamourous stadium.

Setting the Semi Final in a venue which has a lower capacity than a average attendance between the two sends out the completely wrong message*

Now...I'm sure I've missed something out. But there are my thoughts.

Ah, most likely the match may sell out or be very close to capacity within a matter of weeks. Groups of 4/5/6 will not be able to get tickets as seats will only be available in ones and twos. Fans and non fans will read about the game happening at short notice in newspapers, see on television in adverts and news features. If people decide late they want to go we should be able to accommodate them, instead they will not be able to go and will turn away.

Maybe something else I've missed but it's late and i hope you find my arguments reasonable and thought out, even if you don't agree with them.


*not 10000% a accurate figure

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 11:04 pm  

behind the stick wrote:

So why not another big game? Saints, Wigan and Leeds at the Haliiwell Jones offer similar for a first timer.

Main reason tbh is due to me moving my ticket into the East Stand for this season, so it is more difficult to get tickets together. There is also less of a sense of occasion to getting a new fan in. I'll keep working on them, but this type of game is perfect to attract new fans.

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 11:07 pm  

I think the fact that they would have the opportunity to watch a Cup Semi Final is the lure here though rather than a normal league game.

League games and cup games have different atmospheres and to a certain extent are played differently due to the prize on offer.

I left Wife and kids at parents on Saturday before I went to Hull, my parents watched their first ever game of rugby league because the daughter wanted to watch it and where apparently enthralled and actually talked about going to the semi, little chance of that now.

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 11:08 pm  

Dave T wrote: I work in Chester, and know a few people who would be interested in watching a game, this is a perfect one to get them involved. I can't do that under these rules.

So why not another big game? Saints, Wigan and Leeds at the Haliiwell Jones offer similar for a first timer.

I actually disagree 100% i know many people who said they would go, only for them not to, a cup semi final is totally different to a 'regular' league game. After all, we have a perfect example, when other would so many Warrington fans attend a Wigan v Catalan game. And it wasn't just because it was in Warrington.

: Tue Jun 02, 2009 11:12 pm  

Sorry for butting in on another discussion between you two but according to this you would agree that a bigger stadium would mean more people. Which is what you called silly!

Dave T wrote: Like I said earlier, if Saints had their new 18k stadium available, I have no doubts that would have been used, and the crowd would be higher than we will get at Widnes, as there could have been some relaxation of the rules.

It's nice to think that would be the case.

If it wasn't up for you to pay the man, where would you want the Semi finals held?

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:25 am  

Geordie wrote:

I think the fact that they would have the opportunity to watch a Cup Semi Final is the lure here though rather than a normal league game.

League games and cup games have different atmospheres and to a certain extent are played differently due to the prize on offer.

I left Wife and kids at parents on Saturday before I went to Hull, my parents watched their first ever game of rugby league because the daughter wanted to watch it and where apparently enthralled and actually talked about going to the semi, little chance of that now.

Get them to the Bradford game Geordie & let them see you in action!

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:39 am  

Interesting debate this.

If demand outsrips demand then the RFL can be criticised for their choice of venue. We had these exact same posts in 2004 and the ground was well, well under capacity. Both club's crowds may have grown since then but I suspect the 'core' support is relatively stable.

There may be season ticket holders who would ordinarily pick up a few extra tickets for mates/colleagues/friends but the reality is those people will be able to go to the game in all liklihood. I suppose it might be frustrating that they can't sit together but this game may well not sell out. I very much doubt walk up fans will be put off by the capacity issue.

As an aside, in the unlikely event that the ground is too small for this game, maybe it will be a blessing in disguise. If Che Smith continues in this vein, we'll hopefully be playing more and more big games - it would be fantastic if one of the reasons people bought season tickets is because they wanted to 'guarantee' entry to big matches.

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 7:20 am  

Paul Youane wrote:

If you buy a ticket for the Bradford game you can buy a ticket for the semi on Monday 8th June (take your Bradford match ticket with you if you've already purchased it).

THANKS PAUL

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 7:38 am  

As far as i can see the Stobart Stadium holds 13,500, I imagine that the RFL are holding back 2,500 until demand outstrips the supply.
5,500 tickets for each club is enough to cover the amount of regular match attendees, by this i mean Season Tickets holders and those who pay on the door every week.
Not every Season ticket holder will attend the Semi-Final, let's say we have 6,000 Season Tickets i can bet 2,500 of those wont show up maybe due to holidays, financial climate etc etc plus people don't go to away games full stop unless it's a final (i know plenty) so the other 2,000 tickets will cover those people who pay on the door.

The game may not be a sell out but it could get close but at least the people who deserve tickets have got them, the only negative point to playing at Widnes is that people can't sit together due to it being reserved and due to the Warrington club new ticket scheme people cant take friends who also have auntie's and uncle's who don't know the shape of the ball. I have no problem in borrowing out season tickets if there not being used but why should these people who probably haven't been to a game this year have a god given right to get a ticket.

If we were to go to Huddersfield i believe more people would fall by the wayside because of the further travel distance, petrol cost etc etc plus the stadium would look half empty on television.

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:01 am  

I wonder what the queue is like at the moment, with an hour to go till the tickets go on sale?