Re: Squad for Featherstone : Fri Apr 01, 2016 10:04 pm  

We've had 3 for £33 offer pretty much all season. Could they do something similar?

Re: Squad for Featherstone : Fri Apr 08, 2016 11:33 am  

I'm a Rugby League player and fan of over 30 years. I have no dependents and a fairly decent disposable income.

My issues are that I've had a deteriorating experience at London RL throughout its different guises in the 9 years I've resided here. In that time prices have remained static while the product has in my eyes deteriorated. A result of that is I now find myself attending and participating in different events/activities that I feel provide better value or enjoyment.

I'm sure I'll get to a game or two this season, however for me I need to see some sort of improvement from the club (not necessarily on field) to return more often and perhaps returning to being a ST Holder.

These are the reasons for my lack of patronage, not being a tightwad. If you cant convince someone like myself to turn up, what hope do you have on finding new fans?

Re: Squad for Featherstone : Fri Apr 08, 2016 1:22 pm  

hindyscrack wrote:

I'm a Rugby League player and fan of over 30 years. I have no dependents and a fairly decent disposable income.

My issues are that I've had a deteriorating experience at London RL throughout its different guises in the 9 years I've resided here. In that time prices have remained static while the product has in my eyes deteriorated. A result of that is I now find myself attending and participating in different events/activities that I feel provide better value or enjoyment.

I'm sure I'll get to a game or two this season, however for me I need to see some sort of improvement from the club (not necessarily on field) to return more often and perhaps returning to being a ST Holder.

These are the reasons for my lack of patronage, not being a tightwad. If you cant convince someone like myself to turn up, what hope do you have on finding new fans?

I think this is more the problem than the actual ticket price. I've been a Broncos fan since second time around at the Valley, and while the team is doing pretty well on the pitch the actual match day experience at Ealing is pretty awful to be honest. I'm also a former ST holder, but the club's much diminished circumstances, and yet another move further away across town hardly entices me to be anything other than an occasional fan - and I did used to make the effort to get to many games at Griffin Park and I didn't miss too many at the Stoop.
Cost isn't the big issue, the current home venue and match day experience is. And when I can get a ST to watch the Hammers at the Olympic Stadium for not much more than a Broncos 2nd tier RL at a West London park ....

Re: Squad for Featherstone : Fri Apr 08, 2016 1:42 pm  

Agreed RFE. I didn't mis many games from Stoop, Valley, Griffin Park, Stoop days but Barnet then this has killed it for me.

I can watch less than top tier rugby locally. I used to enjoy watching the stars in the opposition teams and also see how we could cope with the better teams, but what they are serving up now...... no way

Re: Squad for Featherstone : Fri Apr 08, 2016 7:57 pm  

Can't really dispute the sentiment of the last three offerings. I think if the Broncos hadnt moved to the Hive (closer to my home), my interest would have fizzled. But it didnt and I am so glad as I am really enjoying the here and now.

I am not entirely sure how Hindy, Rob or WQ could be pursuaded back which is a shame. On the field, this is the best TEAM I can remember, not the best individuals, but lets be under no illusions WQ we have some very very good players, and we play teams with very very good players. The games are competitive and the skills levels of a decent level.

Off the field we shouldnt be comparing apples and oranges. The halcyon Stoop days, great pre match and post match in a rugby stadium, Brentford great atmosphere. The worst Stoop days, depressing, rattling round in the ground, same as the Valley. The Hive, well its was painful. Now we are in a basic facility which pre match offers a decent pint, good conviviality and atmosphere, hospitality is very good, everything you need is there in a simple form, merchandise not bad at all; I love standing at games on the fence so perfect and the support and atmosphere is building nicely, post match again decent, players very approachable, presentations professional, coach honest appraisals.

I know its baby steps but post match music, and soon pre match junior games and kids zone, community club engagement. £10/£15 ticket in advance I find it hard to believe that is not very good value.

It would be so good to see some more 'old' faces back to join us other old stagers, and then add to this the newbies which hopefully can be attracted.

Re: Squad for Featherstone : Fri Apr 08, 2016 9:03 pm  

PC Plum wrote:

Can't really dispute the sentiment of the last three offerings. I think if the Broncos hadnt moved to the Hive (closer to my home), my interest would have fizzled. But it didnt and I am so glad as I am really enjoying the here and now.

I am not entirely sure how Hindy, Rob or WQ could be pursuaded back which is a shame. On the field, this is the best TEAM I can remember, not the best individuals, but lets be under no illusions WQ we have some very very good players, and we play teams with very very good players. The games are competitive and the skills levels of a decent level.

Off the field we shouldnt be comparing apples and oranges. The halcyon Stoop days, great pre match and post match in a rugby stadium, Brentford great atmosphere. The worst Stoop days, depressing, rattling round in the ground, same as the Valley. The Hive, well its was painful. Now we are in a basic facility which pre match offers a decent pint, good conviviality and atmosphere, hospitality is very good, everything you need is there in a simple form, merchandise not bad at all; I love standing at games on the fence so perfect and the support and atmosphere is building nicely, post match again decent, players very approachable, presentations professional, coach honest appraisals.

I know its baby steps but post match music, and soon pre match junior games and kids zone, community club engagement. £10/£15 ticket in advance I find it hard to believe that is not very good value.

It would be so good to see some more 'old' faces back to join us other old stagers, and then add to this the newbies which hopefully can be attracted.

Better weather to come, end of the football season coming up ( with West Ham in their final season before moving to Stratford) will help as far as I'm concerned. For example i had the choice of a 40 minute each way trip to the Boleyn or anything up to 2 and a half hours each way to watch the Broncos on Easter Monday. I actually liked the days at Barnet ( first year's results aside!) less hassle to get to than either GP or the Stoop ( sorry I can never refer to the pastel coloured days as 'halcyon ' - 2 playoff appearances from GP with the team containing players like Moran, Sykes, Marty, Tommy, Purdo , Rusty etc were more halcyon days for me) and a decent, developing stadium.
A few hundred of us ( and a few Northern travellers) in a ground that screams 'Amateur ' may seem better with the sun shining and a top four finish. The one thing that does nag at me is what happens should we win the million pound game? Will DH pay for the new stands that'll be needed? Will we be on the move again? And what will happen if even promotion fails to attract old fans back / new ones in?

Re: Squad for Featherstone : Sat Apr 09, 2016 8:23 am  

I sympathise with those less than enthused about the state of the club.

That said, PCP is right to say that the on-field stuff is very good - we have a team challenging at the top of the table and playing decent opposition. I think it's a shame that promises to show the Championship on Sky never materialised as it is a good standard of rugby. I am enjoying the on-field stuff more than at any time since the mid-2000s at Brentford.

Trailfinders Sports Club. It is not up to the level of a professional ground. Here, I am with the doubters as unless some investment is made to turn the ground into a small stadium - terracing behind the goals like at Dewsbury would be money well spent - this looks like the place where the club will slowly die before dwindling crowds. We need the former regulars back and I agree with them that some tangible signal from the club about its ambitions would help. As others say, sunshine may help too.

Re: Squad for Featherstone : Sat Apr 09, 2016 10:02 am  

I too like Colly 2 am enjoying it now more at Trailfinders than I have for a long time.

Trailfinders short comings are obvious for all to see, however for where we are as a club, it suits. At The Hive we were treated as a cash cow, we were tolerated and that was about it.

Ealing offers a relaxed atmosphere, a decent pint and decent food, we drive up so transport is not a problem for us. but I do understand how difficult getting to the ground is by public transport on a Sunday

Where we go from here is my concern, Ealing is never going to meet Super League standards and that is the level we must aspire to. David Hughes is not getting any younger , for all his faults he is still bank rolling the club but for how long ?

I would like to think that we have plans in place for the future, but I bet we do not..