Sorry about the way I expressed myself - my apologies.
But as I understand it VIQI subscribers number well under two thousand. Many are now pensioners and have been subscribing since its inception, before they were pensioners.
Perhaps you have better information? It would be good to have it up front!
If we are to grow and sign better players we are certainly going to need as many subscribers as we can muster. Even the price of a pint per week would help.
In the hard times that are hitting us inevitably some will not be able to afford anything and they have my genuine sympathy.
What information do you have on what the make up of VIQI subscribers is? I think the lack of good information is probably one of the main issues!
@farnworth-viking I do but I never said it here .I came up with an interesting poser on another thread as Betty was spotted at the ground. Do you think he would be a good CEO for us ?
Let me answer that question MG … not in a million years!!
If there is someone who could make our dreadful situation any worse it would be Denis Betts.
Whatever his merits, he would be an unpopular appointment with the majority of fans which is never a good starting point.
Had a look at the VIQI 2021 update and they stated then that the numbers had slumped to 'about 1000' which is cause for concern. This is maybe one of the reasons why the VIQI Board decided to close the fund. They have managed it well imo and leave with a payday ready for the club next season so that they are not skint.
We will not go forward or even stay as we are without a backing fund of some sort though with the cost of living fiasco hitting everyone it will be very hard. Other clubs will no doubt feel the same hit but that doesn't really help us tbh.
There was a comment on the NRL game the other day quoting the Storm 'membership' scheme as having 35,000 Members. We are not Melbourne Storm but that probably is about their usual home attendance. Just thought that looking at our potential gates is probably a good way to set a target for any scheme.
Even £1 a week from 3000 fans could raise over £150k. But it needs 'selling', collecting and probably a list of discounting outlets in the Borough to attract members. Times generally are going to hurt all households so we are starting at the worst possible time.
The Widnes lottery scheme is still going (not won anything yet!) but I don't know how much that raises or how many are still having a flutter!
1000 members yes - but nothing about how old any of them are, which is what you were previously implying.
The whole debating about numbers is relatively futile - the club might need £1 a week from 3000 members to generate £150k; but it's just lost an income source of around £120k in VIQI.
I don't think there's any doubt that there is a relatively decent number of Widnes fans who would contribute if given the correct vehicle to do so.
The main, as yet unaddressed, issue at the moment appears to be ensuring that these fans aren't alienated by what's going on - things like not having a coach for more than a month; only winning 1 game in 9; poor communication; unclear vision etc.