Benny Profane wrote:
Blimey Mr Orange, humility isn't really your thing, is it? You were far from the only person to predict thias
It has little to do with my humility and more to do with the close to 2 decades of me trying to get Hughes to comprehend what was important. I may not have been the only one, or even the first but I would hazzard a guess that I have been the most prolific voice when it came to the need for the club to focus on attracting fans and attention to itself. I've met with them and the RFL and offered viable cost effective ways to organically grow gates but even though encouraged to listen to me by the RFL, Hughes ignored me. Oyster card holders in Canary wharf and stickers on black cabs is about the long and the short of it. Lazy above the line tube advertising. I've often pointed out that the only ground we left with more fans than when we arrived was Brentford and AFAIK that is the only ground where fans would meet on a Thursday night to leaflet drop the neighbours. Even then, Chris Warren didn't help other than to print the leaflets....volunteers did the work.
Interestingly, since moving to NZ I've set up a company that has helped 2 professional sports teams grow their crowds. One of these now regularly sell out their games, so no, I don't do humility. I do however get results!
Here's a thought for you. We were at trailfinders for a few years. When I'm back in London, I stay at a mates flat a 5 minute walk away and a great number of our friends live in West Ealing and Hanwell, but none of them have ever had a letter, leaflet, seen an advert for the Broncos. That's criminal in my opinion. Hughes prattles on about corporate income and it "not being fair" but the reality is he just doesn't understand why fans don't flock to the game HE likes.....like most RL fans he's myopic in his passion and prejudice against anyone or anything that doesn't "get it".
Don't get me wrong. £30,000,000 is a hell of an investment, but in truth, if he'd spent 10% of that.on marketing we'd probably be bolted on for a SL spot in 2025.