Sale Sharks don't seem to have the same problem attracting good attendances. What are Sale doing that Salford cannot ?

14 less people than turned up last year!
Disappointing crowd but respect to the ones that did turn up for the emotional tribute to Ronan Costello.

What else have union fans to watch in the NW? For them no Warrington, Wigan, Saints, Leigh, Widnes etc. on the doorstep.

No, but do you really think people from Salford go to Wigan or St Helens or the other clubs to see games in any significant quantity?

The question, why have the Sharks (relatively) succeeded where the Reds have failed is a good one. As they've sold their star player for next season, I wonder if that'll have any effect on gates.

That isn't what he's suggesting , but Sale draw RU supporters from the whole of the North West from Liverpool to Oldham and Lancaster to Stoke

As for what can Salford do to increase fans ?

I suppose win trophys and market themselves heavily , both would cost probably tens of millions with no guarantee of success

If anyone can afford it MK can.

Manchester has an abundance of amateur rugby union clubs: Kersal, Bowdon, Sale, Ashton upon Mersey, Trafford Metrovics, Didsbury, Auldwinians, De La Salle, Sedgely Park, Broughton Park, North Manchester, Burnage, Old Bedians, Eccles, Manchester and maybe more I just can't remember. The amount of rugby league clubs in comparison is pitiful.

I also think Sale engage with the wider Manchester conurbation. Salford don't even though we are one conurbation. You can walk from Higher Broughton into Cheetham Hill or from Odsall into Castlefield and there's no way you'd think you'd walked from one city into a different city because you haven't really we are one bigger city really. I think Salford miss out on so many potential fans because they do not engage with that wider population they are too parochial. Sale don't just aim to have their supporter base from Sale.

They seems to have LOST fans, since they left the Willows, and are now based in Trafford.

Sale get decent crowds doesn't seem to bother them were the stadium is and everyone used to slag London off for there poor crowds but some of there fans had a couple of hours travel for home games

They aren't in Trafford. They're still in the Borough of Salford.
Traffors is on the other side of the Ship Canal

Salford have had a crap crowd against a team that are likely to bring fewer fans. Salford clearly didn't manage the transition from old to new. Tons of sports clubs have moved to new grounds and increased their crowds. By the looks of it they didn't engage the core fan base in the move, didn't work out how to ensure the change in travel was managed so that the doubters just continued to go because they didn't have an excuse not to. And the perceived extra distance what is it a mile isn't an issue? (Maybe someone can clarify). Once habits are changed they'll hopefully continue to attend. Though the product on the pitch (winning more) also helps.

The good Doctor has unfortunately arrived after the event, the struggle is always uphill.

What's the problem? The game sold its soul for a bag of beans guaranteed with other monies as a bonus.
It's a TV game now, spectators at the ground incidental to the real job of eyes on the box.

The game sold its soul well before Sky TV appeared. Sky just paid off the credit card bill we'd racked up.

The AJ Bell Stadium is still in Salford, Eccles in fact albeit at the furthest point towards & bordering Irlam.
The stadium is much further from Pendleton Precinct *the unofficial but universally accepted epicentre of Salford* than the Willows was.

It still doesn't make the attendances any more palatable but goes some way towards highlighting the differences from pre move.

As an outsider it appears that MarwanK & his team have simply not done enough or at least not successfully engaged the club's fan base.
They must now try to rectify the situation & collectively take steps to make supporting Salford a more attractive proposition even at financial cost to the Club/MarwanK ....

Subsidise or even lay on free travel to & from the ground from recognised Salford District satellite Centres such as Pendlebury, Swinton, Little Hulton & Walkden, Eccles & Pendleton etc.

Get back onto the local radio advertising, bus advertising, get 200 + school kids in free every home game etc.

My BIL took up an offer from St Helens when they were about to move to Langtree Park, buy a 3 year season ticket in advance at a discounted rate, now I don't know what the uptake on this was but if it were offered to me now for Leigh I would snatch their arms off.

I don't pretend to have the definitive answers to the problems of falling attendances at Salford or any RL Club, but I do get the feeling that currently in RL Land apathy is King.

Agree with this. Engage with the schools and local clubs. Actively encourage participation by both kids and adults to increase the number of people involved in the sport. Engage the local businesses. Set up business liaisons who work on commission to get more businesses sponsoring/attending/using the club etc etc.

Unfortunately too many RL clubs think community engagement means sending a couple of players to the most popular local amateur once a year and that marketing means sending out a couple of emails and sticking a sign outside the ground.