Welcome to some of the problems faced by QRL in attracting support in regards to cost for many of the supporters who are spread over the South East of England. It won't be long before we are on equal terms, look at the figures from Cas, Cats game.

BINGO.

Playing the long game. A purpose built stadium in a town centre location with all mod cons awaits. Cue improved attendances (a la Halliwell Jones, KC Stadium) and improved club revenues from gates, hospitality, merchandise etc.

It's going to be painful for a while, but worth it in the long run.

Boo f****** hoo. What where you expecting to pay 7/6d and a few whippets for tickets??

Have a word with Eamonn McManus and his fellow directors. Their pursuit of the holy grail of a Superleague title whilst taking their eye off the ball regarding superleague stadium criteria is the reason you now squatting at Widnes.

Why swear? Because your previous post has been proved to have no point? That's mature, well done.

Try reading the rest of the thread, where most people have made good points as to why attendances are down this season.

Sorry. Remind us. You are....fulham (failed)........broncos (failed again)....... Quins (owned by RU).
oh yeah, thats a lot of work on a new stadium isn't it.

Soooooooooooooo predictable.

As Quin RL we have always played in a SL criteria stadium and not a toilet. sorry historic RL Venue.

As for being "owned" by a RU club now not's let the truth get in the way of a good story. eh??

Now run along and get your crayons out so you can write to league express about expansion not working/Boo Hoo players are leaving for Union./it's the Quins RL fault for the crowd being 30% ish down on last years corresponding fixture at KR/ The RFL are ruining the game and don't respect it's heritage/Why aren't Cumbria in SL, that's easier to get to than that London

Indeed. That's because you've only been in existence five minutes compared to Saints, who were one of the founding members of the rugby league. In fact, without the likes of Saints, Quins RL wouldn't exist at all because there would be no RL. So actually you should be thanking us profusely for your current success instead of making childish comments about something out of our control: namely, a stadium that at the outset of Superleague was considered one of the best in the league but due to changing expectations fast became one of the worst. However, it was also the stage for a quality of rugby league you may never see at any home ground of Quins RL.

Widnes home games are:

£12 (£6), £15 (£icon_cool.gif, £20 (£12) for pre-match purchase

£15 (£10), £20 (£12), £25 (£16) for purchase on the day.

I assume that Halton Council charge the same to St Helens as they do to Widnes - after all, the game is still the same length, yet St Helens are charging

£17 (£11) and £22 (£16) for advance purchases.

Factor in the additional travel costs and its little wonder their crowds have dropped.

To me, it seems the St helens board are being greedy in asking their fans to travel every week and then charge them more for the priviledge. They have no ground maintenance costs this year (only rent), so every penny above the rent can either go in salary or in the coffers for next year.

Is there any chance you could make a post without swearing or is that beyond you?

Show me a club that doesn't factor in certain "away" attendances in their financial planning? And why should any away sides support make a "financial contribution" to any SL club. It's for the home side to get the crowds through the gate not for the away side to provide a "financial contribution.

And poor home attendances is an issue that many Quins RL fans have been vocal about for sometime. RL has an "image" problem. When the football season ends and I try to encourage some of my football loving mates to the Stoop to watch RL the response more than often is the "No thanks, RL is for northerners". They are of course incorrect but that's the reality Quins RL face, a sceptic public both north and south.



I and most Quins RL fans wouldn't disagree with you on that one. Perhaps you didn't read Simon Fitzjohn & Jo Rooney's rlexcellent crtiquerl of the double header fiasco of last season. I hope the only double headers we get at The Stoop this season include 2 RL matches on a match day..




Yes it would be good for Quins RL in particular and RL in general if an "unfancied" side got to the grand final but I doubt it would happen and no doubt in the unlikely scenario it did happen that a few saints shirts will be seen whether Saints make the grand final or not.



And there in lies the rub. Saints have a wage bill to pay. That makes them no different than any other SL club. I suspect admission prices have also factored in what would be lost in a) reduced numbers of fans through the gate because of the year's squat in Widnes b) lose of other match day revenue streams (eg matchday refreshments).

??

Being isolated down London, I don't think Quins understand the sociality of Rugby League. League is very much a community sport and not a commodity support as in Union. So the importance of away support is crucial and often forgotton by the some of the heads of the RFL.

Take the saints 2 losses recently against Warrington and the Harlequins, both matches similar pattern and outcome. In the Warrington game there were around 3000 wire fans gloating and putting one over the saints and deserverdely so, the saints fans took the defeat but want revenge in the next match - this is rugby league in community.
Harlequins have a great win over saints at the weekend, cheered on by 12 quin fans, saints fans can't respond in the same way and is a negative for rugby league.

Every superleague clubs attendance bottoms out when Harlequins come to town, so I don't want Quins fans having an opinion on other clubs attendances when there away support is only in small multiples of 10 to 20 fans, and there home attendances are less than some championship clubs.

This is a RFL problem in playing the expansion card, when in reality it is a concept of trying to survive in total isolation, London would have been better having 2 or 3 championship clubs to provide a stimulus for derby matches and a rugby league community resulting in the birth of a superleague club, something the other london clubs could aspire to.
Instead all we have is a London Club isolated for the last 25 years and no doubt the RFL will allow for the next 25 years.