I think it's the fact they nearly didn't have a 2013 season.

I'm sure a Salford fan will confirm/clarify but from what I remember reading, season tickets either didn't go on sale or were only available towards the end of January? That can't have helped.

I don't think it's away fans or new ground wearing off really.

Good luck to the Dr for next year because it will take more than a handful of half decent players to get those lost fans back!

Going to games is habit that takes a few years to develop..........and getting back these lapsed supporters will be a real struggle for the marketing team there.

UPDATE...
SL Round 22 attendances - comparison to same fixtures last year

Excellent positive news to note SL attendances flourishing as a result of the beautiful summer rugby weather...

Leeds V Wakefield in 2013 WOW!

OH! HANG ON...

For those of an extremely insecure, "This is not a positive RL news item, you are making me feel uncomfortable, anyone highlighting negatives must really hate RL" nature or disposition, please look away NOW!!!

Bradford V Hull in 2013 = 7,914
Bradford V Hull in 2012 = 10,616
% decrease = -25.45%

Salford V Catalan in 2013 = 2,200
Salford V Catalan in 2012 = 5,841
% decrease = -62.34%

Widnes V London in 2013 = 4,870
Widnes V London in 2012 = 5,635
% decrease = -13.58%

Huddersfield V Castleford in 2013 = 5,733
Huddersfield V Castleford in 2012 = 6,928
% decrease = -17.25%

Warrington V Hull KR in 2013 = 9,838
Warrington V Hull KR in 2012 = 11,916
% decrease = -17.44%

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1 out of 6 fixtures in Round 22 have shown an increase in attendance compared to the same SL fixtures last year. 5 out of 6 fixtures in Round 22 have shown a decrease in attendance compared to the same SL fixtures last year.

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Out of 145 fixtures played thus far in 2013 (not including magic weekend fixtures), 37 out of 145 have shown an increase in attendance compared to the corresponding SL fixtures last year. 108 out of 145 fixtures have shown a decrease in attendance compared to the corresponding SL fixtures last year.

Oh exciting, what with Widnes going into negative equity this week Wakey may go top of the league next week .

That’s if them pesky Loiners make the effort to watch the mighty Leeds play back to back against whipping boy rabble.

I bet the Huddersfield board must be scratching their heads, what more do they have to do to get a decent turnout, maybe this afternoons excuse is the golf’s on.

So that's why we are relegating two teams next year, London and Salford down, big announcement in 2015 that avg attendances in SL are significantly higher and it was the right thing to reduce SL and bring back relegation!

Huddersfield at the moment and Wigan when they were c**p are just two examples which lead me to believe we actually don't have much of a clue as to what specifically attracts/drives away fans. You could, at a stretch, use the above two examples to support a 'playoffs and lack of P&R are devaluing comp' argument. ( i.e. Wigan were in genuine jeopardy, and Huddersfield fans don't care all that much about the hubcap ) ... but it's not a slamdunk argument by any means. What I really want to know is who is putting the effort to find these things out, and how are they doing it?

Lol at Eddie Hemmings on sky tonight

"Come on Huddersfield fans, get down and support your team. Its pathetic top of the superleague can only get 5k"

Even sky are trolling their support now!

SL Round 22 attendances - comparison to same fixtures last year

Bradford V Hull in 2013 Total Attendance in SL Round 22

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The SL attendances in Round 22 were bailed out by the astonishing attendance of 18,387 at Headingley on Friday night for the Leeds V Wakefield fixture. Nevertheless, SL attendances were still 11.30% down compared to the same fixtures played last season. Had it not been for the attendance at Headingley, the total SL attendances this round would have been down by over 24%, despite the beautiful weather.

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1 out of 7 fixtures in Round 22 have shown an increase in attendance compared to the same SL fixtures last year. 6 out of 7 fixtures in Round 21 have shown a decrease in attendance compared to the same SL fixtures last year.

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Out of 146 fixtures played thus far in 2013 (not including magic weekend fixtures), 37 out of 146 have shown an increase in attendance compared to the corresponding SL fixtures last year. 109 out of 146 fixtures have shown a decrease in attendance compared to the corresponding SL fixtures last year.

Round 1 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 2 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 3 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 4 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 5 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 6 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 7 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 8 Fixtures (6 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 9 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 10 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 11 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 12 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 13 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 14 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 15 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 16 MAGIC WEEKEND Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 17 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 18 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 19 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 20 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 21 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Round 22 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 Rounds 1 to 22 Fixtures (153 in total)
Total attendance for 146 fixtures plus 7 MAGIC fixtures in 2013

Club... Games... 2013... 2012... %gain/loss
Leeds... 11... 167112... 165695... +0.86%
Widnes... 11... 67323... 67874... -0.81%
Wakefield... 9... 71131... 72094... -1.34%
Hull... 10... 118913... 121303... -1.97%
Catalan... 10... 82579... 86238... -4.24%
Hull KR... 11... 80807... 85413... -5.39%
Warrington... 11... 118590... 126145... -5.99%
Castleford... 10... 62549... 67127... -6.82%
Wigan... 9... 129871... 144221... -9.95%
St Helens... 11... 122842... 154142... -20.31%
Huddersfield... 11.. 68688... 86656... -20.73%
London... 11... 24385... 30905... -21.10%
Bradford... 10... 87974... 120964... -27.27%
Salford... 11... 33612... 59452... -43.46%

SUBTOTAL... 146... 1236376... 1388229... -10.94%

Magic Weekend... 7... 62042... 63716... -2.63%

TOTAL... 153... 1298418... 1451945... -10.57%

Current Average Attendances V Same Fixtures Last Year
Club... SL
Leeds... 15192... (15063)
Wigan... 14430... (16025)
Hull... 11891... (12130)
St Helens... 11167... (14013)
Warrington... 10781... (1146icon_cool.gif
Bradford... 8797... (12096)
Catalan... 8258... (8624)
Wakefield... 7903... (8010)
Hull KR... 7346... (7765)
Huddersfield... 6244... (787icon_cool.gif
Castleford... 6255... (6713)
Widnes... 6120... (6170)
Salford... 3056... (5405)
London... 2217... (2810)

During the current franchised, 14 club, top 8 play-off system SL era... the total attendances in SL to date remain the lowest we have ever witnessed. Neither the replacement of the poorly-supported Crusaders with the better-supported Widnes, nor the establishment of 2 new stadia, nor the re-establishment of heavily-discounted SL tickets have prevented 2013 SL attendances from being the worst on record so far.

SL Rounds 1 to 22 total attendances comparison (2009 to 2013)
SL 2013 - 1,298,418 from 146 fixtures plus 7 MAGIC fixtures.
SL 2012 - 1,451,945 from same 146 fixtures plus 7 MAGIC fixtures.
SL 2011 - 1,363,885 from same 146 fixtures plus 7 MAGIC fixtures **
SL 2010 - 1,325,609 from same 146 fixtures plus 7 MAGIC fixtures **
SL 2009 - 1,338,089 from same 146 fixtures plus 7 MAGIC fixtures **

SL 2013 % decrease in attendances
V SL 2012 ** except replace Widnes with Crusaders

The RFL should only be concerned about attendances after round 27. The missing (estimated at an average 30 quid per fan per game, ticket, beer, food, shop)) 4.6 million in ticketing and residual revenues thus far is only of concern to the 14 Club CEO's and Chairmen..........who it would seem in the case of the big fallers, don't seem to know what to do to address their losses.

Saints Fall from last year was entirely predictable.

2nd year syndrome. Was always going to be a big drop off. If we can hold at around 12k for 2 or 3 years then we will start to pick up again.

Obviously on field helps. Having a season of better away performances, does not encourage the home support.

In the end each club has to make it's own fan's turn up.