Support : Thu Jul 02, 2009 4:24 pm  

Once again in time of crisis efforts are being made to keep this club afloat. I welcome moves to put a business consortium together as well as a supporters' cooperative.

However as with previous initiatives (John Wright, Craig Harrison, Dave Marshall/Karen Bailey) unless we can get larger numbers turning up at matches they are unlikely to succeed over the longer term.

With a population of 300,000 it seems to me to be not unreasonable to aim for home attendances of at least 1% of that (ie 3,000). The product over recent seasons has been good, facilities at the stadium are excellent and playing on a Sunday afternoon when weather conditions are generally good should be attractive to more people than we have usually seen at home matches.

Last season I suggested to Craig Harrison that he get the College to undertake research to find out what is stopping more people attending matches. I don't know if he took up that suggestion but I find it difficult to believethat there are only a few hundred people in Doncaster and the surrounding areas who support rugby league in the town and are prepared to attend matches at the Keepmoat.

: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:49 pm  

The club have started the last few seasons poorly (On the field mainly due to having very young sides) Once we seem to start to turn the corner on the field the lack of finance has always raised it's ugly head.

Its a case of breaking the cycle before it breaks the Dons.

How do Sheffield afford to buy new players ! I suggest you look at the way they run their lottery.

: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:17 pm  

i thort our lottery was doing well?

: Fri Jul 03, 2009 11:16 pm  

Obviously things like successful lotteries are important as revenue sources but even they depend on a solid fan base. The fan base is also an important element in any application for Super League status.

There has been some suggestion that some potential fans have been put off by the moves to Belle Vue and now the Keepmoat. If that is the case they are missing out on the excellent facilities now on offer.

There are thriving rugby league communities in areas such as Toll Bar, Thorne, Bentley and Rossington. No doubt there are others in other outlying parts of the Borough such as Edlington, Stainforth, Dunscroft, Hatfield, Mexbrough etc. These pockets of support must be tapped if the club is not just to survive but thrive and grow.

Many people will simply shrug their shoulders and say simply that Doncaster is not a rugby town. I don't accept that. However, as the Rovers have often discovered, attending matches is a habit which is easily lost. And once these potential supporters have found something else to do with their time it is not easy to persuade them to rediscover their appetite for the game.

: Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:55 am  

insidemen wrote:

i thort our lottery was doing well?

Sheffield Eagles have used their heads and marketing skills very well, the Dons lottery (With no disrespect) is run like a amateur clubs and only sold by a few people in certain areas, in comparison the Eagles came up or copied the system of paying out excellent commission and by doing so recruited upteen amateur sports (Not just Rugby League) clubs to become agents.

We (Moorends) declined the offer a few years ago on principle that they are in direct competition with the Dons, I’m not exactly sure the amount of commission the Eagles pay but it’s obviously enough for them to make it worthwhile for the agent/Sports Club and make a small profit, I suppose they have based their marketing on getting loads of little amounts into the club than trying to gain a few or one large amount.

I suggest someone from the interested parties take a look at their system and then ask about the pro’s and con’s.

: Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:25 pm  

Marshland wrote:

We (Moorends) declined the offer a few years ago on principle that they are in direct competition with the Dons, I’m not exactly sure the amount of commission the Eagles pay but it’s obviously enough for them to make it worthwhile for the agent/Sports Club and make a small profit.

Could be 40 or 50% - depends on the size of your sales.

[Wanderer]

: Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:15 am  

insidemen wrote:

i thort our lottery was doing well?

Those running our lottery committed to raise a particular figure per month for the Club. My understanding is that they achieve that. How we compare with others is an interesting question?