I don't really get this numbers thing, it's not about numbers it's about maximisation of what you have. Wakefield and Csa will never match Leeds for crowds because one is a huge city, one is a town pretending it's a city and the other is a suburb of that city. Despite this both clubs do ok, Cas average arounf 8k Wakefield 6k. I honestly don't see how Cas could get many more if their stadium were made of gold. Wakefield could maybe get up to 8k with them but what you have to remember is that Wakefield the city as opposed to WMDC are two seperate entities. The population ofthe city is quiet small, the MDC is large but vey diverse and has no affinity to the city in a sporting sence.

Where we do lose out due to our crao stadiums is on corporate and general usage, on that one you are correct. It is here where we could drasitcally improve oure income sources and it is here where we are being held back.

Once you take juniors, concessions and costs from ticket purchases then if your lucky an extra 2k supporters may net you an extra 25k a game (approx 300k P/A). Not to be sniffed at but corporate lounges, boxes and all year round events if done well could give you a P/A income of double that, maybe more. Added to this I think it's a lot easier to attract corporate money than it is to attract new or lost fans, that can only really happen with sustained success on the pitch which is a real catch 22. So imo it's the lack of corporate/commercial facilites rather than fans through the turnstiles that is really killing us.

Just a quick look around the SL club websites and Twitter shows they is not enough donr in promoting the first game.

I just hope that the down turn in spectator numbers is arrested, and attendances increase. Sell outs are going to be difficult to achieve.

I still think that Catalans' heightened prestige following the Challenge Cup win, plus the addition of Samuel Tomkins to the team roster, is going to strengthen Castleford's attendance for the opening match -- so much so that the wobbly old stadium will be bursting at the seams.

Spot on

Agree with most of that. Even though our corporate area is pretty decent considering the ground it's in, a bigger, better-speced hospitality would do wonders & would probably earn the club more than say a couple hundred extra fans. But I also think even in Belle Vue getting our average up to 6500/7000 is very possible and would make a difference not only to match days but the knock-on effect to merchandise and even things like Trinity TV would be a huge boost to the amount we can spend on players etc.
The point about the population, yes your right in one respect WMD is what about 340k which isn't full of people with an affinity to the City, therefore a potential fan. But if you still take away places such as Castleford, Pontefract N and S, South Elmsall, South Kikby, Ackworth, Upton, Featherstone, Hemsworth, and a few others, we're still left with just under 200k people which is a bigger potential fan base than some people think IMO.
There's a helpful website below that enables you to untick areas that you want in the Wakefield MD to give population numbers
rlhttp://www.wakefieldjsna.co.uk/resident-population/rl.

St Helens has half the population of Wakefield but nearly twice the average attendance

Could you please tell the masses what the respective populations are and perhaps provide a link to the source of your information.

I believe that St Helens actually has around 50% more than Wakefield.
It would be terible for all concerned if you have included the people of Castleford and Featherstone in your information

Bit dismissive. Though I was on the losing side as a Wire I acknowledge the Cats win as a great achievement and they have done some excellent marketing on the back of it, including setting up the game at Camp Nou.

i wanted Catalan to win and glad they did, (no offense to Warrington) but it made more national news than previous recent CC. it was good for the game, and it ed of heart lander types especially Wakey fans who are just the worse when it comes to slating Catalans and expansion of any kind.

You seem to be an authoritarian when it comes to all things Wakey, not surprising really with all the sheite you keep talking about them, maybe there's nothing worth talking about at the whinos

In reality, although reading some of the stuff on here it may not apply to Yorkshire, but, supporting your Rugby team isn't like buying a ticket for the Post Code lottery, apart from it seems in Castleford, Wakefield and Featherstone.

People can and do move about (apart from the above and Royston Vasey) and whilst population might be a good guide to compare attendances and level of support, it's by no means an absolute indicator in fact it's not great at all IMO.

For example, I'm from Warrington, support Warrington, but, live in Salford, boosting one figure diminishing the other (it's also an IQ thing Warrington's average has gone up). The population of Warrington also saw a large increase in population not from a baby boom of ex Wilderspool devotees, but, due to formation of a 'new' town and relative economic success attracting all sorts of folk to the area from Manchester Liverpool and beyond who by and large are a target market than die hard RL fans that can be counted on day one and each and every week.

I do hope that we can attract more fans and accept that we have lost many along the way for one reason or another, the players and game on balance (it's not all perfect) deserve it. My own club should be pulling in another 1,500 per game based on the current set up and level of investment. Unless you're a publican it's disappointing to see rugby fans mostly in tops 'supporting' the team on SKY through the bottom of a beer glass and I understand the maths of £12 for 4 pints and see the game in the warmth rather than £20 plus for standing on a terrace, but, if we want to up the ante on quality we need people through the gate as well as Sky subscribers.

Agree with all that, and it applies to my team, although getting another 1500 fans through the gates would need a serious overall of facilities whether at Belle Vue or elsewhere. Plus you're spot on, it's extremely disappointing to go into the pubs around Wakefield after a game, especially the last couple of years when we've had decent seasons and they're all sat in their tops having just watched the game, or even more annoying are those that obviously 'support' the team by the eagerness they want to know the score soon as you walk in to pubs, but for one reason or the other have chosen to stay in the pub all night rather than come down and watch the game. We have to develop ways to entice those guys (plus others) to either come back or start coming to games because they obviously have an interest.
I've often said that Wire is a club that Trinity could aspire to copy, with the better stadium and investment came more supporters and then, in turn, more success on the field.