www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... on-leaders good crowd sunday by the look of this photo used

www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... on-leaders good crowd sunday by the look of this photo used

Seeing as the west stand didn't have anyone in it, it looks very good, actual attendance was just ove 1400

They've cocked that one up by using the photo from the August 2010 Batley match

It must be very frustrating for our stalwards like Malcolm, Mike etc to see the response they are getting, not to mention our sponsors,yes it was cold, we've had much worse, yes it was Mothers day, but that hasn't stopped us in the past, so what's the answer.
To be honest I think people have fallen out of love with Rugby League and I don't think it's the fault of the clubs.
Take the letter to the RFL regarding dual registration, have they answered? have they suggested a meeting?
Or have they merely disregarded it.
It seems to a lot of people that they do not care about the Championship.
Sky certainly don't, so what's the answer?
Would promotion and relegation have increased the crowd?
Is it because we thought Swinton would have been a walkover, or that they are not "glamorous" enough?
Is it because of the lack of atmosphere low crowds give?
I do know that our usual 10 a few years ago is down to usually just four of us and on Sunday just two of us.
I thought it was a good game, For me Saturday and Sunday will ALWAYS be Rugby League day, so as I say, how do we convince the others.

Cue Starbug?

Lots of people who I have known go to games for over 20 or 30 years moaning about how dire the rugby is and even more so after Sunday.

Its hard to encourage people to go when you cant even motivate yourself. I mean apart from the games against about 3 other teams its really hard to get excited about watching games that deep down you know we should win 99/100. The last few seasons every game you knew would be tough and you had the potential to lose but this season with the RFL extending the league its just not the case and despite us under peforming in my eyes we have won all are games bar one relatively easier than the score line suggests and even the one we drew we should have won at a canter.

Agree I was really dissapointed on Sunday to see so few there.
Using that one game as a benchmark it looks like we are down to a core of 1400 to 1500 home supporters.
Thing is if we stop going it only contributes to our own downfall but times are hard.
Lets hope Sunday see's some improvement.

You may be right. But, Fev have increased there crowds in the past few years. There seems to
be a "buzz" about there club. What have they done that Fax hasn't?

The game is on it's generally. I'm disappointed to see such low crowds, various things are causing this reaction from paying spectators at the gate & as I've stated on here this season & actually discussed it with a couple of our b.o.d's, i nowadays choose to follow other interests away from supporting the Halifax RLFC matches. I've just attended one of the best weekend's of my life watching my favourite rock band play 3 blinding gigs in a foreign country with great mates, far too much beer & far too expensive and i wouldn't have swapped that for a Halifax v Swinton league fixture, it's not my fault they clashed on the same weekend but that's how life goes. The trip took 2 years in the planning/organising and sacrificing things to be able to afford it. The top & bottom of the matter is I'll hopefully never lose my love of Halifax RLFC and i am so proud that my son is currently on the books as a player, am ever so grateful of his sponsor, Pete McNamara, the kit staff, the directors for having the foresight to go with a reserves & refusing to be part of the dual-reg charade, I really admire & agree with their stance,and also, the coaching staff Gonzo in particular for sticking with my lad after he was dumped at 16 years old by a SL club and encouraging him to keep going at his dream & convincing him to return to Halifax, to Greeny who is his college tutor & coach there, he selected him for his open-age debut in the national conference at just 16 years old. People like those are what the game is all about, giving the town's youth a great opportunity but the game & it's governing body are letting all of those mentioned above down, BADLY.
My old man is still involved with the match commissioning side of things working with the match officials regularly at games & son No.1 still loving his time playing for my old amateur club Greetland All-Rounders which also makes me very proud, so rugby league is still a massive part of my life but i feel it won't be forever if the clowns keep destroying it.

I can only speak of myself and I am unique as I dont attend any games though I do put money behind the club sponsoring a player etc. I used to watch religeously every Friday SL in a Pub in Munich. I would watch 2 or 3 games of the NRL on my Computer. I used to be fanatical.
Right now I dont really care except for watching my other team Melbourne Storm who I have followed for many years. Keep a look out for Fax updates, but not determined to listen to updates via Twitter or Radio Leeds like before. When I see how both Championship clubs and the amateur game is treated then I feel why bother anymore as I cant see a future for our game. I admire the efforts of the Board and others like Linda Kitson, Chris Smith. And I do try and support them in my little way. But my interest in the Championship is not there anymore. Is it an A league or a comp for clubs that simply are dieing off slowly and look for anyway to stay competitive? What is Hunslet? For me its just a Leeds A team that has no pride. Swinton are no better. The Championship used to be a tough comp- now its just a lottery with the RFL not caring. I have had enough of the game to be honest thanks to the RFL as well as its associate the RLEF who I have sadly had dealings with. These people only care what they want not what is best for the game. I am not sure there is much the club can do as my problems are more with the pillocks at the RFL who are killing mine andf others intrest in the game off with their disgraceful acts and decisions

2012 average league crowds, looks to me as everyone is struggling this year

Super League

Bulls 11,761
Cas 6,633
Cats 9,383
Huddersfield 7,709
Hull 11,885
Hull KR 7,786
Leeds 14,948
London 2,808
Salford 5,492
Saints 14,088
Wakefield 8,172
Warrington 11,430
Widnes 5,942
Wigan 16,043

Championship

Fev 2283
Fax 2222
Leigh 1772
Sheff 1178
Dewsbury 1134
Keighley 1064
Batley 1013
York 812
Swinton 760
Hunslet 536


Championship 1

Barrow 1396
Workington 897
Crusaders 893
Whitehaven 846
Doncaster 731
Oldham 606
Skolars 547
Rochdale 502
Scorpions 363
Gateshead 287

Awful weather, mothers day, plenty on tv, Premier League, FA Cup, stagnant leagues and £15 to watch Semi Pro sport, its not quite a shocker that crowds aren't booming for us or anyone.

Apart from the £15 im not sure Halifax can do much about the endemic issues surrounding the sport. And i dont think a reduction to £10 would do much more than bring a few extra people in and reduce the overall income so I guess its cutting cloth time for RL.

I cannot believe we're even asking ourselves "why are the crowds so low?"
I've followed Fax for 35 years (surprised me too when I thought about it) so I've seen just about everything there is to see.
We are in a horrendous recession, the game is being run by clowns, there is no prospect of promotion, the opposition teams (with just a few exceptions) fail to excite me and unfortunately our brand of rugby (whilst I agree is succesful) just doesn't have us on the edge of our seats anymore. At best we've one "gamechanger" in our squad, the rest of the team being made up of big hearted, hard working, slightly above average (given the current league position) blokes. I admire Rhino and what he's done for us. But for him to develop as a coach he's got to bring in another dimension to show he's not just a one-trick pony. Exciting rugby brings people to the terraces.
Brian Barwick has drawn his salary long enough now to have seen where the issues are. He needs to grow some, fire the guys at the top and bring in Barry Hearn. If he can turn around a game of fat blokes throwing spears at a cardboard circle and drag in massive crowds, (not to mention what he's done to snooker and -to a certain extent- boxing)what could he do for Professional Rugby League? Instead we have the likes of Wood who's only success is clearing his plate after every meal.
I'm going to keep coming to the Shay and the odd away game as finances allow, but I'm finding it really hard to convince my Wendyball watching pals that Rugby league has something extra to offer. If I'd taken a "first-timer" to Sunday's game I'd have died of embarassement given that it was such a dour affair.

gee, its turned into a right conflab about the crowds. i only asked in first place due to the photo used on story which harks back to SL days.