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Post by mrg on May 2, 2017 11:20:54 GMT
I thought I'd start a new thread as the issues seem to be raised under various topics but the 2 points I wanted to raise are:
If you lived in Manchester (let's say 10miles from City Centre) and you wanted to watch rugby league then Salford is the obvious local choice. I don't see how changing the name ( if remotely true) would attract more people. Instead the club should do its marketing in the city centre of Manchester as well as the suburbs of Salford.
Secondly I've been going since I was 10 with my dad who had gone with his dad etc. My son used to come but lost interest after years of underperforming. My daughters come now and I even managed to get the wife there on Sunday. The club needs to make the match day experience a family friendly day out event. Kids in free or discount for family tickets and bags of entertainment / freebies. I've said on twitter the club needs to be as patient as the fans. We're not going to get 7-8000 every week after a successful half season.
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2017 11:40:01 GMT
It has struck me that IB and the Doc keep saying we have stay away fans, when have these fans been anything but occasional fans?
I live near a tram and train station which in reality would make getting to a game in Manchester easier than it currently is to Barton, but I wouldn't, 100% if there is a change of name and venue to Manchester my support would be lost in an instant.
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2017 11:48:33 GMT
Anyone under 14 should be free.
The East stand packed out each game with different schools from Salford and the wider area.
First should be approached to put on a one pick up one drop off service from Eccles, just use one double decker and charge everyone £3 as they did to Citys ground for the Magic weekend event.
Squad members not involved in the game need to mingle before kick off, can you imagine the kids on Sunday if Junior would have been around signing autographs.
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Post by Suedehead on May 2, 2017 12:30:07 GMT
I wonder how much income the club generates from U16's?
I agree with the original post. Get as many children there as possible. My dad signed me up as a junior devil many, many years ago and I have been a fan ever since.
Like it or not, we don't have the product yet (including stadium location) that is attractive to enough people. Changing the name matters not. BUT some success and smart marketing can work. Patience is required. We know how well we are playing but the club's profile still has a long way to go.
A trip to Wembley or O.T is the key.
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Post by dereksmalls on May 2, 2017 15:44:55 GMT
I'm an ex-Junior Devil from the mid 80's and my wife of 15 years has flirted with watching Salford. Over recent years she has barely been and when I return home with a miserable face on a Friday night or Sunday teatime she (half) jokes that she just does not know why I put myself (and now my 2 young boys) through it. However, she's finally believing me when I say something is happening this year. She came with us to Widnes, she watched us play Leigh and she now says she will probably come on Friday night at Wigan. My point is, she is a not a 'stay away' fan. She's a floating supporter. There are hundreds, nay thousands of them. People who won't spend their time and a large chunk of their weekend watching a poor, disinterested team, but who will come if the team are worth watching. They need coaxing back, not berated for having fallen away. It will take time - 9 wins from 13 games is a great start. But to think we will be posting the 'sold out' signs anytime soon is lunacy.
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Post by scoot on May 2, 2017 16:12:53 GMT
I remember the last Chairman of Swinton,( cannot remember his name) The one who sold the Station Road ground. Telling me many years ago the he had registered the name Manchester, regarding rugby league. That no one could use the name without him selling it to them.
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Post by redarrow1949 on May 2, 2017 16:18:57 GMT
IVE JUST WATCHED BBC RUGBY LEAGUE HOUR AND WE HAD TREMENDOUS COVERAGE ABOUT THE TEAM, BUT WHEN IAN BLEASE WAS INTERVIEWED, AGAIN HE WENT ON ABOUT THE ATTENDANCES.UNTIL WE CAN WIN WEEK IN WEEK OUT OUR ATTENDANCES WILL STILL BE SMALL IT WILL TAKE A WHILE BEFORE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE SEEN. SO ALWAYS GOING ON ABOUT IT WILL JUST BRING NEGATIVE RESPONSES FROM OTHER CLUB SUPPORTERS.
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Post by scoot on May 2, 2017 16:27:40 GMT
IVE JUST WATCHED BBC RUGBY LEAGUE HOUR AND WE HAD TREMENDOUS COVERAGE ABOUT THE TEAM, BUT WHEN IAN BLEASE WAS INTERVIEWED, AGAIN HE WENT ON ABOUT THE ATTENDANCES.UNTIL WE CAN WIN WEEK IN WEEK OUT OUR ATTENDANCES WILL STILL BE SMALL IT WILL TAKE A WHILE BEFORE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE SEEN. SO ALWAYS GOING ON ABOUT IT WILL JUST BRING NEGATIVE RESPONSES FROM OTHER CLUB SUPPORTERS. Yeah he needs to remember 2006 when we finished 5th. Then the following seasons we were back down at the the bottom.It's going to take a few seasons of continued success to gradually build up the attendances |
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Post by osrd on May 2, 2017 16:39:33 GMT
I remember the last Chairman of Swinton,( cannot remember his name) The one who sold the Station Road ground. Telling me many years ago the he had registered the name Manchester, regarding rugby league. That no one could use the name without him selling it to them. It was Malcolm White and not many people would believe a word that he said. |
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Post by osrd on May 2, 2017 16:57:43 GMT
IVE JUST WATCHED BBC RUGBY LEAGUE HOUR AND WE HAD TREMENDOUS COVERAGE ABOUT THE TEAM, BUT WHEN IAN BLEASE WAS INTERVIEWED, AGAIN HE WENT ON ABOUT THE ATTENDANCES.UNTIL WE CAN WIN WEEK IN WEEK OUT OUR ATTENDANCES WILL STILL BE SMALL IT WILL TAKE A WHILE BEFORE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE SEEN. SO ALWAYS GOING ON ABOUT IT WILL JUST BRING NEGATIVE RESPONSES FROM OTHER CLUB SUPPORTERS. I also watched the Superleague Show and as you say we had some very good coverage on the BBC for once and I thought that all the people interviewed came across very well. With regards to Ian Blease I thought that came across very well he was asked questions and as he himself said he answered them unlike politicians and I feel that the fans have to be patient for a while yet just as Ian and Marwan need to be. Most people that I know who have rarely/never been to see a match either at the Willows or the AJ Bell stadium are now realising that we are playing well,the results don't lie, and they also ask why we aren't getting better crowds and I don't feel that club officials saying the the rugby we are playing deserve better crowds is negative in any way at all. From what I understand from the various statements that the CEO and Owner have been saying is that all avenues are being looked at with a view to improving the income of the club,this obviously is the reason that Robbie Hunter Paul has been recruited to look at and increase the revenue from business and corporate income streams. Finally in my opinion the crowds will not double overnight, but if we continue to play as we have this season and the club carries on promoting itself and engages in the schools and colleges and amateur clubs they,the crowds will increase. |
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Post by rednotdead on May 2, 2017 17:25:58 GMT
Malcolm White registered the name Manchester Knights with the plan of a merger with Salford that Wilky would not entertain
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Post by Redrum on May 2, 2017 18:40:19 GMT
I remember the last Chairman of Swinton,( cannot remember his name) The one who sold the Station Road ground. Telling me many years ago the he had registered the name Manchester, regarding rugby league. That no one could use the name without him selling it to them. Was it Malcolm per chance? |
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Post by SalfordSlim on May 2, 2017 20:14:48 GMT
IVE JUST WATCHED BBC RUGBY LEAGUE HOUR AND WE HAD TREMENDOUS COVERAGE ABOUT THE TEAM, BUT WHEN IAN BLEASE WAS INTERVIEWED, AGAIN HE WENT ON ABOUT THE ATTENDANCES.UNTIL WE CAN WIN WEEK IN WEEK OUT OUR ATTENDANCES WILL STILL BE SMALL IT WILL TAKE A WHILE BEFORE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE SEEN. SO ALWAYS GOING ON ABOUT IT WILL JUST BRING NEGATIVE RESPONSES FROM OTHER CLUB SUPPORTERS. I also watched the Superleague Show and as you say we had some very good coverage on the BBC for once and I thought that all the people interviewed came across very well. With regards to Ian Blease I thought that came across very well he was asked questions and as he himself said he answered them unlike politicians and I feel that the fans have to be patient for a while yet just as Ian and Marwan need to be. Most people that I know who have rarely/never been to see a match either at the Willows or the AJ Bell stadium are now realising that we are playing well,the results don't lie, and they also ask why we aren't getting better crowds and I don't feel that club officials saying the the rugby we are playing deserve better crowds is negative in any way at all. From what I understand from the various statements that the CEO and Owner have been saying is that all avenues are being looked at with a view to improving the income of the club,this obviously is the reason that Robbie Hunter Paul has been recruited to look at and increase the revenue from business and corporate income streams. Finally in my opinion the crowds will not double overnight, but if we continue to play as we have this season and the club carries on promoting itself and engages in the schools and colleges and amateur clubs they,the crowds will increase. I'm gonna be 100% honest about my thoughts on the SL show. Watto came across great again, every time I see him being interviewed he jumps up massively in my estimation. Smart, insightful, no knee jerk reactions after bad results etc and he's a credit to himself and the club. As a Salfordian I love seeing "one of our own" in charge and potentially being the one that will bring the good times back (apparently they did exist once!😊). Now as for Arnold, Nobby (head) and Blease... maybe I'm a little sensitive but I thought they were doing everything they can to add fuel to the flames about a move to Manchester. Why is it that we (as long suffering fans) are smart enough to see that it will take a few years of consistently decent performances, no off-field drama and potentially a GF or CC Final appearance to get crowds anywhere near where we want them to be, yet the people in power think it can be done overnight? If we get the above in place & the link road, improved match day experience etc and the crowds don't come then do the people of Salford deserve the club? Probably not and we can't make excuses forever. It will break my heart if we moved but at least Marwan would be doing so as a last resort and not through dummy spitting after 3 months of good results on the pitch! |
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Post by stouffer on May 2, 2017 20:36:35 GMT
To be fair, Gateshead's attendances skyrocketed when they renamed to Hull so maybe there is something in it?
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Post by mrg on May 3, 2017 20:20:40 GMT
Just to add to my original post, does anyone remember when and why we changed to Salford City Reds early to mid 2000's I think. I'm sure the reason gave was that by adding City to to the club name we'd attract / appeal to Manchester City fans that wouldn't want to be associated with a Red club ? as we all know the Willows was suddenly flooded with thousands of MCFC fans that had previously stayed away. My point being we've tried name changes to try and attract new fans. For me, we / the club needs to look beyond the City boundary of Salford and get in the Trafford Centre or Manchester City Centre and sell itself there.
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