I'd ask Wigan fans if it is 'Normal' to drop to 4 figure attendances during a trophy drought. From 2005, the first year that they didn't make the playoffs, they have consistently posted 10,000+ crowds (give or take a couple of games). Or Leeds for that matter. Not very often that Leeds posted a 4 figure crowd in the 2000s prior to winning it in 04. So is it 'normal' for the big teams to suffer that much of a fall?

And thanks for putting me in my place on the Bullman comment, it shall teach me not to use sarcasm on this board again...

Problem there is there we are (You mainly) not comparing like with like. Wigan and Leeds have historically always had high crowd figures, we did not. Before superleague we would regualry get 4000 - 5000 home gates during bad seasons. We had a boom, attracted new fans and that was great, but I dont think we were ever going to keep all the new fans long term, and certainly not through the events that have occured at Odsal over the last 3 years, best you can hope for from such booms is that you have incresed your core support for the long term and I think yesterdays crowd showed just that. the same set of circumstances in 1990 might have seen a 3000 crowd turn up at Odsal.

I'm not saying we'll return to 4500 against Workington anytime soon (I hope ), but its also unrealistic to suggest that the club and Odsal as a venue can sustain 14000 home fans just for the week in week out love of watching rugby League in Bradford no matter the result or weather or form or lack of success. We need to keep attracting new fans to replace fans that have drifted away and try to steadily increase/bring back fans in a more sustainable way rather than merely fans attracted by finals and trophies. (and no, I dont have the answer to that, if I did I would be doing it for the club I love and not just throwing my useless views out into the tinterweb as an act of unburdening myself of worry)

I also think that with a more positive turn of events, some entertaining winning rugby coming back or even more hopefully the OSV coming to fruition that we can easily get back to 10,000+ gates.... it just might take a bit of time and plenty of hard work - but whats new?

Is that a deliberate reference to Leeds' attendance nadir of the first season of Super League?

OSV is key, if only to change the narrative.

You might think that, I could not possibly comment..

rlwarning this link contains rhinosrl





Its becoming more and more crucial after every home game in my view. This needs to happen, more so than any of the other countless failed schemes.

The sad thing is though, that we all know that its not going to. What has happened in the last year? What positive sounds have come out of the council?
Its tragic.

Retospective stadium naming rights?

The problem is we have no clue what you're talking about. I am presuming that your "argument" does not take yesterday's gate as THE benchmark Bradford gate from now on, for all time; I am presuming you know we've never played Celtic at home before. So what "much of a fall" is it that you want to know is "normal"?

Or are you just making it up as you troll along?

Nail meets head

I'd compare a Celtic gate to a Catalans or Harlequins gate - the ones where you generally get a sense of what your base home support is. I can never recall Bradford having such a low figure in these games in recent years (feel free to correct me on that, not that you'll need the invitation...)

I thought 7,600 was very poor, and although I accept that weather, form, economic climate etc. probably played a part, I would have thought that a side that has consistently been placed in the top 5 since God knows when would still draw more.

We all keep going on about the great OSV will be a huge benefit to the fans of the Bulls. But in real terms what does it bring to your everyday fan.

Modern facilities, covered viewing.

No need to spend vast amounts on crumbling ground, increased cash for marketing, PR, player recruitment etc etc.