5000 new supporters

[highland convert]

Fact or fantasy.
Withe expansion of RL it is possible to reach new audiences. It will however take more than passive support. I am not referring to armchair supporters. I am speaking about the 10k season ticket holders. To increase this by 50% is a big ask. It will take planning and implimentation. It will not happen if the 10k remain passive. It will not happen if the club waits for you to do it. It will require an orchistrated attack. How
One way would be the PAC system.
(People already connected.
Friends, family, workmates, neighbours. People each of the 10k are in contact with. (PAC). Would the club consider giving the season tgicket holders a PAC ticket each. A ticket that could be given to a neighbour, friend who does not normally or has never attended a match. The season ticket holder then has the opertunity ensure the newcomer has a great day out. Maybe line up another member to offer his/her PAC ticket for the next home game or try to get them on the away bus to the next fixture. It may amount to 10,000 tickets but if they are used by people who would not otherwise have attended the club loses nothing. If the season ticket holder is responsible for the value of the ticket if the system is abused the club can't lose. Each ticket should have a seriel number matching it to the season ticket. Prise draw for every PAC ticket used with a prise for ST and user at the end of the season.

There is a suggestion.
Would be interesting to see how others see a 50% increase. Over to you. HC

[warrior till i die]

I read somewhere that IL was planning to use more marketing schemes in nearby places like Manchester, Liverpool and Bolton. This is a good idea, but really our support has been on the rise for a long time and I think it will continue to rise.

[GeoffN]

highland convert posted:
Fact or fantasy.
Withe expansion of RL it is possible to reach new audiences. It will however take more than passive support. I am not referring to armchair supporters. I am speaking about the 10k season ticket holders. To increase this by 50% is a big ask. It will take planning and implimentation. It will not happen if the 10k remain passive. It will not happen if the club waits for you to do it. It will require an orchistrated attack. How
One way would be the PAC system.
(People already connected.
Friends, family, workmates, neighbours. People each of the 10k are in contact with. (PAC). Would the club consider giving the season tgicket holders a PAC ticket each. A ticket that could be given to a neighbour, friend who does not normally or has never attended a match. The season ticket holder then has the opertunity ensure the newcomer has a great day out. Maybe line up another member to offer his/her PAC ticket for the next home game or try to get them on the away bus to the next fixture. It may amount to 10,000 tickets but if they are used by people who would not otherwise have attended the club loses nothing. If the season ticket holder is responsible for the value of the ticket if the system is abused the club can't lose. Each ticket should have a seriel number matching it to the season ticket. Prise draw for every PAC ticket used with a prise for ST and user at the end of the season.

There is a suggestion.
Would be interesting to see how others see a 50% increase. Over to you. HC

Excellent idea - pass it on to the club!

The only drawback I see to that idea is that the PAC recipient, in most cases, wouldn't be able to sit with the season ticket holder (except in the South).

[cpwigan]

When I taught at Fisher I organised tag rugby tournaments. In a single year group that meant 100 students were playing RL. Far better than just a school team IMO. I then got Sean O'Loughlin / Gaz Hock (Injured at the time) to come in and present prizes at a whole year presentation lasting 1 hour. I bought the winners a shield named it the Mike Gregory Victory Shield and gave out certificates / trophies. Hocky and Lockers did a Q and A. At the end we had to free them from the children who mobbed them. You go in the South Stand and plenty of kids from that event are regulars.

We have to make RL socially trendy to kids. Heaven knows the alternative is they group in parks, street corners and the police get inundated with complaints.

Some people may think this is terrible but it must be cheaper for the council to give some kids a free season ticket than leave them to their own devices in/around Wigan.

[highland convert]

Nobby`s Girl posted:

send it to Joe Lydon, he was asking at the meeting for any ideas in how to get more "new" supporters. He will be greatful if you sent him your idea.

The thread is what could be called a brainstorming session. It is where everybody is invited to post their ideas. Out of it (if we were the management team) would set a policy document to outline the way we will fill those 5k seats.
Send the club an email telling them of the thread. Other ideas will be as relivent as mine and they are written by people there to impliment them. Jim. HC

[cpwigan]

Not sure how or why BUT I think it was deemed more sensible to target primary school children. This would have either been a decision taken by the community development manager based on his own view OR that this was where funding was available. You will see a lot more girls development in the last year or so? Why? funding from the Sports Council / Govt has been pushhed topwards girls sport.

Does that make it right NO

You will notice now that on the web site community side. An organisation is only entitled to 1 visit per year, 1 hour max, no physical activity

I will tell you whate is worrying. How few PE teachers are Rugby League specialists. Fisher does not even have one Byrchall, your guys are big soccer guys aren't they? Wigan LEA should be insisting that every PE dept in Wigan should have 1 male PE teacher whose specialism is RL. Forget all this nonsense about giving children the option to play every sport. The reality is they tinker at all and end up with nothing.

[cpwigan]

Come summer there is no reason why Wigan LEA could not organise Tag Tournaments too. Special events at say Robin Park.

[ancientnloyal]

One thing I have mentioned last season is the possibility of giving amateur kids clubs free tickets to go to matches and fill the sides of the East stand. Im sure the Wigan club have now started a system whereby these sort of clubs can purchase season tickets with £15 discounts. This is a great idea and what we should be doing. If you think we could potentially have only 3 or 4 clubs attend each matchday - that is 10 kids each? upto 50 more people attending matches... doesnt seem a lot but this can only grow.

Normal supporters shouldn't feel they're missing out because they are only children and can get in for peanuts anyway. The system will get young children alrady playing rugby more interested - more matchplay at half-time and growth.

I think the only area that Wigan RL can attract other fans is in Bolton. With Leigh getting their new stadium and a potential takeover imminent I presume their fanbase will grow slightly - so not much potential to 'win fans' from East Wigan. The probem is - how to get people form bolton interested in pieland.

[cpwigan]

Bolton/Horwich/Adlington/Chorley/Leyland/Parbold+surrounding hamlets/Skelmersdale

I like your idea of amateur clubs. I think the clubs amateur clubs season ticket earner is superb too. Each home match should have an allocated amateur club, week leading up to the match, Wigan RLFC work with that club, let them do collections pre match, free entry etc etc. I would even do the same for a selected school every match.

[CherryandWhiteandProud]

I don't think it's about making Rugby "fashionable". From experience, the main problems in (high) schools are:

1) Football has a firm foothold.

2) We get about 6-8 lessons of rugby per year.

3) Whenever we can't do what we are supposed to be doing, we do football.

4) We can't play rugby at break except for the summer so we play football.

5) When talking about rugby, not everyone can join in, but everyone has a fair knowledge of football so we talk about football.

6) Football is made like this due to the media.

7) The media only care about money, so we get football on T.V 24/7.

8) If you can't talk well about football and you don't watch the main games, some people think your a bit weird.

You sort of just learn to like it. Altought I don't mind football, and like to watch sometimes, it gets forced on me so much...

IT DOES MY HEAD IN!!!