Comparing apples and oranges there.

I'd rather see 9,000 watching RL than 6,000. If any of those 3,000 extra were first-timers, then it has to be a good thing.

Well thats twice in the same week I'm agreeing with GF, if free tickets gets bums on seats, then so be it. The follow up is crucial, turning the kid who turned up for a freebie into a "FAN", also lets not forget it a) looks more appealing to advertisers and sponsors when their aren't so many empty spaces and also looks better on the tele' doing the overall image good and so it goes on, empty stadia just LOOKS bad!

I don't get the gripe with giving away free tickets. I attended my first RL game using a free ticket, and I've had a season ticket for over 20 years now.

Exactly and if you're going to do it, then a season opener that's live on Sky is a perfect time to make the ground and occasion and club look bigger and better than had they only been 6,000 there.

The fact that there weren't 12,000 there means we probably do know,

12,008 at Saints tonight, up from 11,321 in the same fixture last year. All things considered a very positive start.

Many came to see Todd Carney, and were disappointed not to see him.

I wouldn't call 8 people "many". I'm pleased you did telephone the 8 to establish their disappointment this morning.

I don't get this stigma that comes with free tickets. Sure, a club can't survive if they're giving away all the tickets to the game, but if a club like Widnes is going to have empty seats, then why not look at giving away a few free tickets? Especially if you do something like giving free kids tickets out at schools. Even if they're in free, there's a chance to make some cash off them with food and drink sales. Plus, if you give them a show, who's to say they won't come back next week and pay to get in?

If you participated in the world record attempt in the daytime at the stadium you were entitled to a free ticket. I actually know a lot of people (tight gets

) who normally go the game anyway but for this day only got a freebie.

I think the attendance without the free tickets would have been around 6500-7000. I'm glad Widnes are trying to boost attendances and General consensus from the rugby league community on this is positive. Hopefully continue to do it throughout the year again and attract the future generation of Widnes Vikings fans.

What was the attendance at Saints last night ? Obviously minimal to 0 Catalans fans. Seemed to be pretty busy to me.

Free tickets should be aimed at the kids as they're your next generation of lifelong supporters. I got a free season ticket at Salford at the age of 11 as I went to the high school up the road. I didn't even know Salford had a rugby team (cue comments that we still don't!

) as I was a big Utd fan growing up! 5 years of freebies watching (what I didn't realise at the time!) a sh*t team has had me hooked for the last 25 years! Charge the parent/accompanying adult and let the kid in free.