85% Disappointing?
 
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85% Disappointing?

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 DLM
(@dlm)
Trusted Member

Widnes made a very positive statement regarding 85% of season ticket holders indicating they don't want a refund of their 2020 season tickets. But is that actually a disappointing number?

We all like to think we are the best fans around, but maybe we aren't?

I know there are many people who will need the money and there are various reasons why people may want the refund. Not having a go at anyone who has took that option.

I was just wondering if maybe the club hoped for a bit better, or even if the player announcements so far will increase the 85%. Also the 85% was of the 75% who had responded. If the 25% who hadnt responded (me included) dont want a refund then that figure would go in to the 90%+ for sure.

A quick look at other teams shows the following:

Hull KR 97%
Halifax 86%
Rochdale 88%
York 93%
Wakefield 96%
London 90%
Sheffield 93%
Salford 96%

Regards

DLM

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Topic starter Posted : 24/08/2020 11:14 pm
(@blue-viking)
Estimable Member

Some of them teams from the above will have sold probably a lot less season tickets than ourselves which will mean it is easier to get a higher percentage of people not wanting a refund. The one that stands out though is hull kr that’s a huge percentage and they have a lot of season ticket holders!

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Posted : 24/08/2020 11:36 pm
(@viking25)
Prominent Member

Widnes made a very positive statement regarding 85% of season ticket holders indicating they don’t want a refund of their 2020 season tickets. But is that actually a disappointing number? We all like to think we are the best fans around, but maybe we aren’t? I know there are many people who will need the money and there are various reasons why people may want the refund. Not having a go at anyone who has took that option. I was just wondering if maybe the club hoped for a bit better, or even if the player announcements so far will increase the 85%. Also the 85% was of the 75% who had responded. If the 25% who hadnt responded (me included) dont want a refund then that figure would go in to the 90%+ for sure. A quick look at other teams shows the following: Hull KR 97% Halifax 86% Rochdale 88% York 93% Wakefield 96% London 90% Sheffield 93% Salford 96% Regards DLM

Do we? I couldn’t care less if we are or we aren’t.

For me it’s just cringey marketing spin, just like the hashtag the club uses, which is nauseous.

Think 85% is a disappointing figure, but haven’t the fans put in over £500,000 over the last 18 months? Not bad for a town this size.

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Posted : 25/08/2020 12:06 am
 CJ91
(@cj91)
Noble Member

Do we? I couldn’t care less if we are or we aren’t. For me it’s just cringey marketing spin, just like the hashtag the club uses, which is nauseous. Think 85% is a disappointing figure, but haven’t the fans put in over £500,000 over the last 18 months? Not bad for a town this size.

Think this is the key point: ST 2019, plus crowdfunder, plus VIQI potentially, plus 2020 ST. Not to mention Wembley last year, away games or shirts.

I think 85% is ok, not as good as other clubs as the stats clearly show.

I feel that for some people, the club needs the money line has worn thin now hence the lower number and also employment circumstances with Covid has played a part.

Also, maybe the only way some people could get a ST next year is to use the refunded money this year...

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Posted : 25/08/2020 12:23 am
(@frankg)
Noble Member

Why is it disappointing? This is a great gesture by all those fans who have agreed to waive any refund to which they were entitled. You cannot criticise anyone who is seeking a refund for their own personal reasons. It doesn't mean that they support the club any less than they  did when they bought their season ticket and will probably buy a season ticket for 2021.

Trying to make comparisons between clubs based on percentage figures can be misleading. As someone once said to me "100% of bugger all is still bugger all".

I'll bet the fans at every club think they are the best, but at least at Widnes fans have shown their support by sticking with the club through all its disappointments and problems in recent years, getting behind the club to keep it afloat and continuing to have support that other clubs would envy - and long may it continue.

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Posted : 25/08/2020 8:02 am
(@glynn)
Honorable Member

you cant go by those figures tho. if you just take the ones in our league, we probably have more season ticket holders than those teams get in a full attendance of both tickets and paying on match days. maybe (halifax get a larger crowd than the others, but the others average what? maybe a 1000 people at most per game)

Halifax 86%
Rochdale 88%
York 93%
London 90%
Sheffield 93%

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Posted : 25/08/2020 9:09 am
(@sandgroper)
Noble Member

If we take our average crowd at say 3000, judging by the stats probably half of them contribute to VIQI, for no immediate material gain. I don't know if other clubs have any similar contribution system and if they do how well it is supported.

These same supporters also buy their season tickets and travel to away games in reasonable numbers.

To compare that travelling support to other clubs in our position you only have to look at the terraces on game day, we fit them into a corner of the South Stand.

We have to accept that at the moment our support is small compared to where it once was but its passion is still strong. I, and I guess many others, would love to give more, and if we had it we would!

Overall I would say our support is strong in quality. More numbers are needed!!!

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Posted : 25/08/2020 9:17 am
(@mick-george)
Prominent Member

Bet the club get the biggest wedge out of teams in the championship.

85% of 1800 is 1530 fans

93% of 250 is 237.5 fans

Hardly disappointing well done to everyone.

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Posted : 25/08/2020 12:03 pm
(@farnworth-viking)
Noble Member

Out of the championship teams you’ve put down Dave, Widnes have easily the biggest average attendance, with an average of 4325 for 2019, the second best out of the championship, just 14 less than Bradford. (Ignoring Toronto), and 1,066 more than Leigh.
So as others have said, our 85% is a lot more people giving the club their money, than all the other Championship clubs you’ve mentioned.

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Posted : 25/08/2020 12:58 pm
(@carpet-crawler)
Trusted Member

DLM have you been living under a stone for the past 6 months son ? Many people have lost jobs, are worried about how they will pay the rent or mortgage or perhaps had their hours massively reduced and hit huge financial hardship. For many they have far bigger priorities to consider rather than concerning themselves with the fact that somebody might think they are not a proper fan. Unbelievable.

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Posted : 25/08/2020 2:33 pm
(@viking-man)
Reputable Member

Imagine querying if we're the best fans around and not bothering replying to the clubs survey, which they requested a number of times and helped them plan finances for further signings.

I think the results are fantastic, and wouldn't have queried a thing if it had been 50% let alone 85%.

Just because people have requested refunds doesn't make them a 'bad' fan.  To suggest this is extremely poor taste in this current climate - they are season ticket holders for starters so pretty good in my opinion.

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Posted : 25/08/2020 3:09 pm
(@jdgsport)
Prominent Member Admin

I suppose really it depends on whether if you don't respond, you get a refund or not.

Because as you point out, if the 25% who haven't responded (maybe because they don't want a refund) don't get or want a refund, then the figure increases relatively significantly

To be honest, I think the number could be 10% and it wouldn't matter. People have to look after themselves first and foremost.

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Posted : 25/08/2020 3:38 pm
Steve
(@steve)
Honorable Member

Well done to those who have donated ST money to the club.
Its a shame that some feel the need to turn this into a dick measuring competition between clubs, but fail to consider just how much the fans, and non-matchgoing townsfolk have supported the club over the last couple of years and continue to do so through ongoing schemes.

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Posted : 26/08/2020 7:56 am
(@sandgroper)
Noble Member

Taking a wider view I reckon that simply our survival from the Rule era is a demonstration of the support that the club has. Many in similar circumstances would wait for a sugar daddy to dig them out of the pit.

With a group of 'not wealthy' new Board members prepared to risk what is for them a considerable sum, supported by supporters digging deep on several fronts, working for nothing, the club was saved.

We cannot, and probably should not, try to imagine how Leigh, for instance, would manage without Degsy but their attendance figures suggest that they would struggle.

Any Vikings supporter should feel proud to be a part of it, even if it is a small part!

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Posted : 26/08/2020 8:33 am
Steve
(@steve)
Honorable Member

To be fair to them, I think Leigh would be ok as the town would get behind the team if they hit the skids!

The point is though that if fans bail a club out and are asked to dig deep again, there will always be a reduced rate of support as people only have so much cash and, to be fair so much sympathy and tolerance! Bradford fans saw this as year after year the same fans were asked to cough up and eventually they stop throwing money down the same hole!

What would be interesting to see though, would be how many of the season ticket holders for whom the club honoured their 2019 ST’s agreed to donate the balance of their 2020 ST? Now I would be disappointed if that was not significantly higher than 85%!

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Posted : 26/08/2020 11:04 am
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