Re: Stadium saga solution by Wednesday? : Mon Sep 25, 2017 4:07 pm  

bren2k wrote:

I'd say that's an overly pessimistic assessment; there is no doubt in my mind that a redeveloped stadium, with proper facilities that mean taking kids is easier, will attract more people in and of itself. Add to that some serious marketing and promotion by the club, and I can see no reason we can't add to our attendance quite significantly - especially if the next couple of seasons are as entertaining and successful as this one.

Agree.
All you have to do is look at Cas, under Millward when they strugged they were averaging just over 6k. Soon as Powell started to gradually make them a better side, fan numbers went up to 7.5k & now this year they're at 8.5k. We've got far more potential fans because of the larger population that consider themselves from/living in Wakefield and it's up to us to attract them.
A new stadium with a new development attatched would do wonders in all sorts of ways, from fans being more likely to turn up, both home and away, to a better corporate side of things and sponsorship etc.

I'd say atm we've got around 4k hardcore fans. We've averaged 500 more than last year, so hopefully even more new fans will come after a much better season than last.
But as we've seen before, it's gonna take a few years of playing good rugby, at the right end of the table to make decent amounts of people want to come and watch us, instead of doing something else.

Re: Stadium saga solution by Wednesday? : Mon Sep 25, 2017 4:13 pm  

I disagree with your views belly. I think the stadium being at Belle Vue is much better than Newmarket. It is more central to the city and more accessible for those using public transport as well as parking. With regard to access to the M62 in my opinion this is a mute point. I travel 50 miles one way on the M62 to get to home games. I honestly don't think the drive from the M62 getting off at Rothwell / near Cas is a big deal for long distance drivers (away fans) to get to the ground. An improvement on the ground and viewing positions will be a big plus and attract people.

As for attracting fans I think a stadium and success will bring that. Just look at how many unfamiliar faces jumped on the bandwagon for the semi-final last year. I go to many away games and there were a heck of a lot of unfamiliar faces at last year's semi-final.

Re: Stadium saga solution by Wednesday? : Mon Sep 25, 2017 4:17 pm  

Plus there is the link road now so no need to drive through town

Re: Stadium saga solution by Wednesday? : Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:08 pm  

bellycouldtackle wrote:

I personally would prefer Newmarket, but if we get a new stadium then who am I to bleat. I just think that we have about 2000 to 2500 Wakefield fans who attend home games, this season we have won 16 games and played a great style of Rugby and still the Wakefield public cant be bothered to attend. The fact that BV is a dump may have something to do with it, but is it putting off say 1500 `fans` from attending, I think not. Agbrigg is a hole and that may prevent some home fans from attending, nobody likes to leave their cars in Agbrigg. There a very very few fans in Agbrigg, the local population has no interest in the club or RL so we do not get the benefit of walk ups. The biggest problem is that its a pain for away fans, a stadium next to the M62 would have been ideal and you could see the attendances increasing as a result. I do not believe in the term stay away fans that I often hear quoted, they do not exist. Apparently these supposed stay away fans were just waiting for a winning team and then they would come flooding back, they didn`t in 1979 / 80 they didn`t in the Topliss coaching era, they didn`t when Andy Kelly took us into the SL and that season we won most of our games. They haven`t this season which has been fantastic. They are a myth. What there is in Wakefield is a large number of people who will come if its free or ridiculously cheap, the Golver era went down this route and in reality about 1000 + people got in for free, as soon as this was stopped they didn`t attend. We need to somehow find new fans who are going to pay fair market value, I think that the new stadium, where ever it is, needs to have serious corporate facilities as it seems to me that the Benidorm flats are always full and the spend per head in their is massive compared to the fan in the stand or on the terraces.

Where on earth have you got 2,000 to 2,500 from - bit silly Belly, why ruin an otherwise fair point with your typical hyperbole

Re: Stadium saga solution by Wednesday? : Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:11 pm  

Shifty Cat wrote:

Agree.
All you have to do is look at Cas, under Millward when they strugged they were averaging just over 6k. Soon as Powell started to gradually make them a better side, fan numbers went up to 7.5k & now this year they're at 8.5k. We've got far more potential fans because of the larger population that consider themselves from/living in Wakefield and it's up to us to attract them.
A new stadium with a new development attatched would do wonders in all sorts of ways, from fans being more likely to turn up, both home and away, to a better corporate side of things and sponsorship etc.

I'd say atm we've got around 4k hardcore fans. We've averaged 500 more than last year, so hopefully even more new fans will come after a much better season than last.
But as we've seen before, it's gonna take a few years of playing good rugby, at the right end of the table to make decent amounts of people want to come and watch us, instead of doing something else.

I'll tell you what will help. The fact that we finished off the season in front of a bigger than average home crowd with a brilliant performance. One that was also broadcast on TV to a wider audience,

How many times in the pst have the Wakefield public been let down after all the hype by turning up to watch a load of rubbish - not this time - that alone is a monumental change.

Re: Stadium saga solution by Wednesday? : Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:21 pm  

IMO price is the major contributing factor. £250 is a lot to entice casual support into season ticket holders regardless of stadium quality. There has been 10k inside BV in the last 5 years.

Re: Stadium saga solution by Wednesday? : Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:33 pm  

3 to 4000 diehards and 30,000 with an opinion on Wakefield Trinity who can't be bothered. We've to win these people over with hopefully continued success on the field.

Re: Stadium saga solution by Wednesday? : Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:41 pm  

bellycouldtackle wrote:

I personally would prefer Newmarket, but if we get a new stadium then who am I to bleat. I just think that we have about 2000 to 2500 Wakefield fans who attend home games, this season we have won 16 games and played a great style of Rugby and still the Wakefield public cant be bothered to attend. The fact that BV is a dump may have something to do with it, but is it putting off say 1500 `fans` from attending, I think not. Agbrigg is a hole and that may prevent some home fans from attending, nobody likes to leave their cars in Agbrigg. There a very very few fans in Agbrigg, the local population has no interest in the club or RL so we do not get the benefit of walk ups. The biggest problem is that its a pain for away fans, a stadium next to the M62 would have been ideal and you could see the attendances increasing as a result. I do not believe in the term stay away fans that I often hear quoted, they do not exist. Apparently these supposed stay away fans were just waiting for a winning team and then they would come flooding back, they didn`t in 1979 / 80 they didn`t in the Topliss coaching era, they didn`t when Andy Kelly took us into the SL and that season we won most of our games. They haven`t this season which has been fantastic. They are a myth. What there is in Wakefield is a large number of people who will come if its free or ridiculously cheap, the Golver era went down this route and in reality about 1000 + people got in for free, as soon as this was stopped they didn`t attend. We need to somehow find new fans who are going to pay fair market value, I think that the new stadium, where ever it is, needs to have serious corporate facilities as it seems to me that the Benidorm flats are always full and the spend per head in their is massive compared to the fan in the stand or on the terraces.

Just for the record, I have been parking on the streets of Agbrigg for Trinity games since the late 70s and never have I had so much as a bent arial (remember those?)

Re: Stadium saga solution by Wednesday? : Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:51 pm  

poplar cats alive wrote:

3 to 4000 diehards and 30,000 with an opinion on Wakefield Trinity who can't be bothered. We've to win these people over with hopefully continued success on the field.

That's exactly the attitude. Being eye rolly and critical of these people is not the way - people have chosen, over the years, to follow from a distance and not spend money with the club; the job is to understand why, and try to reverse it. There are people who specialise in this kind of work - it is fixable.

Re: Stadium saga solution by Wednesday? : Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:43 pm  

Shifty Cat wrote:

Agree.
All you have to do is look at Cas, under Millward when they strugged they were averaging just over 6k. Soon as Powell started to gradually make them a better side, fan numbers went up to 7.5k & now this year they're at 8.5k. We've got far more potential fans because of the larger population that consider themselves from/living in Wakefield and it's up to us to attract them.
A new stadium with a new development attatched would do wonders in all sorts of ways, from fans being more likely to turn up, both home and away, to a better corporate side of things and sponsorship etc.

I'd say atm we've got around 4k hardcore fans. We've averaged 500 more than last year, so hopefully even more new fans will come after a much better season than last.
But as we've seen before, it's gonna take a few years of playing good rugby, at the right end of the table to make decent amounts of people want to come and watch us, instead of doing something else.

Cas was down to 3222 in Millwards last home game quite a remarkable turn around to be fair.