Utterly worrisome statistic, that is on full alignment with what you see on match days. In the first spell of SL, there seemed to have been stands full of kids, merch was sold outside and it appeared more family oriented. In the second spell of SL, each season there appeared to be less and less kids watching.
There was a healthy number of teenagers/young adults going the away matches until 2017.
I have long-believed, that our match day experience is non-existent. Took my niece to one game and for 45 minutes prior to the game, all we had was music and she got bored. Warrington, are a prime example of a club that puts on an “event”,more families seem to go their games, accordingly to my partner (who is a Warrington fan).
What are you thoughts?
I was one of those kids in the first spell....at one point there were 4 of us going circa 02/03 between the ages of 12 and 10: now out of that group only I still go regularly.
I agree with you Spike that the club felt a lot more family orientated then, I think over the SOC years it became more corporate and more us and them. But as I said elsewhere, if you go to your first few games at a bad point, you can be put off for life.....
I think people naturally fall away, especially if they move away quite a bit. Also, if you are a kid in Widnes today, it is probably easier to follow Liverpool or City, as they win trophies, compared to Widnes who haven't won one in the lives of these Primary School kids....
I was one of those kids in the first spell….at one point there were 4 of us going circa 02/03 between the ages of 12 and 10: now out of that group only I still go regularly. I agree with you Spike that the club felt a lot more family orientated then, I think over the SOC years it became more corporate and more us and them. But as I said elsewhere, if you go to your first few games at a bad point, you can be put off for life….. I think people naturally fall away, especially if they move away quite a bit. Also, if you are a kid in Widnes today, it is probably easier to follow Liverpool or City, as they win trophies, compared to Widnes who haven’t won one in the lives of these Primary School kids….
I agree with the corporate argument. I was also a kid, who started going in that era. I always remember, the summer schools put on by the club, they would be 100 kids there, now I seen a picture from a few years ago and they was probably less than 20. In my class, a quarter of kids went the games, don’t even remember much rugby but it always seemed like the place to be as a kid, what all the other kids did.
Sadly, at one stage, I went with my brother, cousins and their friends, I am the only one left. Problem in Widnes is there a high number of rugby fans, who like and enjoy rugby, previously attended Widnes games but they still don’t go to the games. For every 1 person, I know who goes to the game, there’s 10 people o know who use to go to the games but now do not.
Bare in mind, I don’t think the two relegations helped. Lost fans in the mid 90s from relegation for 6 years, promoted for 4 years, down for 7 years, up for 6 years etc. A lost generation of fans die to the cycles of promotion and relegation.
What is worrisome ? and what season tickets ?
Bare in mind, I don’t think the two relegations helped. Lost fans in the mid 90s from relegation for 6 years, promoted for 4 years, down for 7 years, up for 6 years etc. A lost generation of fans die to the cycles of promotion and relegation.
I would think that the variability of game times was a major reason when you're talking about young school kids! Not many parents would think of taking a kid to a Thursday night game with a school day on the Friday and, in many ways that would affect older kids too. Over recent seasons games have been so spread out that a Season Ticket becomes unattractive for anyone with other activities to consider. A regular game day is a much more workable option.
I agree to a certain extent, St Helens and Leeds have really solidified their support, you know two Fridays a month there will be a rugby match played in St Helens and the whole town knows it.
However, I don’t think it comes down to the practicality or pricing, it merely comes down to whether the kids actually enjoy going to game. My hypothesis, is that they don’t.
You may well be right - they now have phones to play with!!! But it is true that dads led the way.
Looking at the old DVD's that I have there were real efforts made to get schools to the games in the O'Connor era that have now dried up. This could be started again with the schools 'health' initiative. We have players showing the kids how to get fit so it doesn't take much to push a few tickets their way.
But it does have to be at a sensibly regular time and day!
In the championship most games are on a Sunday afternoon, so fans will be able to plan ahead, and children will be able to go, and not be home late, even away games.
In the championship most games are on a Sunday afternoon, so fans will be able to plan ahead, and children will be able to go, and not be home late, even away games.
Could the club offer freebies to either participants in the health project or to schools for maybe home games wbere there will be low travelling support. Use the West stand, get the kids chanting etc, get them involved. Many kids will bring parents of course.
It will take organising but it could be a start.
Iirc didn't we have a kids training camp on Leigb Rec with players putting the kids through their paces.
Utterly worrisome statistic, that is on full alignment with what you see on match days. In the first spell of SL, there seemed to have been stands full of kids, merch was sold outside and it appeared more family oriented. In the second spell of SL, each season there appeared to be less and less kids watching. There was a healthy number of teenagers/young adults going the away matches until 2017. I have long-believed, that our match day experience is non-existent. Took my niece to one game and for 45 minutes prior to the game, all we had was music and she got bored. Warrington, are a prime example of a club that puts on an “event”,more families seem to go their games, accordingly to my partner (who is a Warrington fan). What are you thoughts?
My thought is ‘where is this statistic from’ ? Can you point me in the direction of the source please ?
Utterly worrisome statistic, that is on full alignment with what you see on match days. In the first spell of SL, there seemed to have been stands full of kids, merch was sold outside and it appeared more family oriented. In the second spell of SL, each season there appeared to be less and less kids watching. There was a healthy number of teenagers/young adults going the away matches until 2017. I have long-believed, that our match day experience is non-existent. Took my niece to one game and for 45 minutes prior to the game, all we had was music and she got bored. Warrington, are a prime example of a club that puts on an “event”,more families seem to go their games, accordingly to my partner (who is a Warrington fan). What are you thoughts?
My thought is ‘where is this statistic from’ ? Can you point me in the direction of the source please ?
No season tickets have been sold as yet, another drama queen post.
It would be from last season's ST sales. They were under investigation because of the reclaim/donate issue. Tbh it is this sort of investigation that has been needed if we are to progress. With computers you can easily scan where the support comes from, ages etc, but the 'Junior' sales will be obvious to anyone who looks.
It sounds as if PF and the Board are looking and will be trying to improve matters, so its not a 'drama queen' post Mick, its getting real info on our support base. From the PF interview the club are looking to expand their funding channels to reduce the club dependency on RFL funds which are very insecure atm. They are also looking to make contact with the kids through the schools fitness programme.
Settling on the Sunday match day answers one of my moan, and it will be interesting how the ST sales go now. It will be a hard sell this year with quite possibly a fair share of job losses after Covid. Good time for the wealthy pensioners to give ST's as birthday pressies!!!!!whether the birthday is there or not!!!
It would be from last season’s ST sales. They were under investigation because of the reclaim/donate issue. Tbh it is this sort of investigation that has been needed if we are to progress. With computers you can easily scan where the support comes from, ages etc, but the ‘Junior’ sales will be obvious to anyone who looks. It sounds as if PF and the Board are looking and will be trying to improve matters, so its not a ‘drama queen’ post Mick, its getting real info on our support base. From the PF interview the club are looking to expand their funding channels to reduce the club dependency on RFL funds which are very insecure atm. They are also looking to make contact with the kids through the schools fitness programme. Settling on the Sunday match day answers one of my moan, and it will be interesting how the ST sales go now. It will be a hard sell this year with quite possibly a fair share of job losses after Covid. Good time for the wealthy pensioners to give ST’s as birthday pressies!!!!!whether the birthday is there or not!!!
getting a young fan base is part of any clubs objectives. Someone was not doing their job last season then. Still a drama queen post Sandy last season has been and gone and as you well know this debate has been murdered in the past.