I was going to type something similar but backtracked because, again, it's not that simple. Yes, members do pay £12 for league games, but they've paid £50 up front for that, so it's not actually £12 a game, it's pretty much £17 if they go to all league games (assuming a single person membership).

Either way - as a club, are we pricing people out (I'm not just talking about cup games)? I know that it will be said that our prices are on a par with other teams in the league, but we simply don't command the same attention in our local area as most of the other clubs do, therefore have a lower demand. Prices will surely increase at Barton, so we are going to have to attract a new, wealthier, support if prices are an issue at their current level?

Not disputing the point (because it's perfectly correct) but Cas/Wakey was £15 on the gate today so we can't even defend our prices by saying they're on par with others.

I think it is clear from the debate on here that we got prices badly wrong! in today's present economical uncertainties £20 (£17.50 bought prior to the game) was asking too much

I didn't go on Friday. The price was a factor, however if I'd thought for a moment that Salford were capable of producing a committed entertaining performance, I'd have quite happily gone along.

Result, a predictable 0-25 loss. Felt completely justified in staying away and now wondering where the motivation to attend the next game is going to come from. I can understand why we are waiting to appoint a new coach for next year, but the net result is that the remainder of this season just seems like a waste of time. Who in their right mind is going to fork out £20 per person to witness games with no meaning?

Barton is a chance for a new start, but believe me the Club will have to make a massive impression on the field in the first season to attract both old and new support. If this opportunity is missed, I fear we'll never recover.

£20 would be fair if you were watching a top 8 side. Unfortunately we are far from it. £20 is a lot to spend on what is basically a massive gamble with regards to Salford. You wont get great odds on us actually winning, and as it stands are paying the entrance fee to watch every score come from the opposition. To be fair, if we were sitting pretty at the top end of the table this thread would not exist so in effect, answers its own question.

I think Salford were right not to reduce the price. After all, the game was as important as a Super League fixture. That said, I think £20 is too high for any non-marquee rugby league match.

It'd be interesting to see what SL clubs' overheads are for staging a match and to what effect they have on the admission fee.

True, I know it was shown on another thread that we were the most expensive game of the weekend, but I'm looking wider than one round of the cup - more at prices in general. The question is, if we lower our prices, will we get enough extra fans in to cover the loss in revenue? Have the club decided that it's easier to get more money out of the existing fans than to get new ones in?

It seems like years of bad investments and no end product has finally caught up with the fans!! I can only go off what has happened during my time supporting the reds, but after the '97 season the club invested in new players. Only for half the team to get injured or just not put any effort in. The club invested heavily the following season and ended up signing another load of duds. At a time when Andy Gregory should have been managing his health issues rather than an SL side. Again we invested after the 2006 season, what happened? Half the team got injured again or couldn't be bothered, and we ended up relegated. We've always had decent players at the club, maybe not aa full squad, but enough to do better than way have been doing.

So, it's back to the case of, 'what is going wrong'? Years of good players coming in and playing considerably worse for us than they did for their previous teams. The only time this hasn't been the case was during Karl Harrison's and, initially, Andy Gregory's time. McRae has left the club in absolute disarray! No fans, no pride and too frequently no effort. How many times are we going to see the club give up half way through a season. It happened last year and it appears to be happening again. Although. I think it would be extremely unfair on any new coach to expect them to sort out this seasons mess. I think the best thing the club could do, is to ask Brian Noble if he wouldn't coming in and steadying the ship, too much?

People criticise Steve Simms, never met the guy and don't know what he's like as a person, but he should be building the foundations of the club. In a way, he should be the Alex Ferguson of Salford City Reds!! Making all the decisions, from who the head coach should be, signing the players wanted by the coach, ensuring the players are training properly and eating the right foods, all the way down to who the tea lady is. Can a more informed person tell me if he is doing any of this?

Harrison proved there can be life in the Salford City Reds, but McRae took it all away. I don't see anybody going out on the field to get beat week in week out, but there is certainly something wrong with the players mentally. We know they can play rugby, but they need to improve their efforts in intensity. We can't win all the time, what we the players need to do is play with a heck of a lot more urgency! This alone will ensure we win more games and entertain fans at the same time.

After two and a half seasons back in super league, we still haven't got our defence sorted. I like Wilky's idea of seeing the old girl out in style, but what the team needed was an quantum improvement in the defence department. Maybe, Wilky should be taking the blame this time. He should have told McRae under no uncertain terms, that his mission was to improve the defence. Having watched the recent ANZAC test, Australia were pretty poor going forward, but in defence they made every tackle count and scored several times of the mistakes caused by those big hits. I'm heading slightly towards the Peter Gentle issue.

Anyway, I've waffled on enough, but years off constant bad decisions are driving the fans away. I certainly believe the team, most weeks, is performing better this season, than it did under McRae (2 x SL seasons), John Harvey or Steve McCormack. It's just our previous legacy holding us back.

Iain, surely taking more from the existing fans can only work if you have the product to sell, this maybe why so many season ticket holders voted with there feet on Friday night?

The idea of a hardcore of 3000 was blown out of the water in 2003 and 2008 when we were struggling to get 1500 through the door.



Would disagree. Psychologically the cost of attending a Super League game for a season ticket holder must be close to zero, because you've already paid for it months previously and so don't associate the cost with the product as closely. When you have to pay out on the gate, there's a much clearer link between what you're paying for and what you're getting and so people think twice.

Struggling to see why the price rises for a cup game. Think the freebies need to be knocked on the head for any match you're asking season ticket holders to pay on the gate for also.

I think the club needs to look at its pricing policy to me it seems like we have signed a lot of good players on top wages. When you look at the team on paper its a very good team and this is why I believe gates have gone up. The off field problems create a lot of issues and the new coach coming in as a lit of work to do. As for free tickets it as gone petty I emailed club last month complaining of memberships to away fans for free tickets which as been planted. I also feel for club there seeing poor results on the field so it turns the new members who got a free ticket away as there ain't been much to talk about. So I feel club is saying to these fans don't stop coming keep watching so it gives free tickets and we need to offer tickets to attract new fans. I just feel its poorly managed. So in a way I see it from both sides of fence how else do you attract fans if not performing. You are moaning at free tickets what then would you do to make club attractive.

I'd agree there is an element of that to it. There is perhaps more going on sociologically regarding the contemporary view of cup competitions, particularly in the early rounds. This affect is noticeable in football too.



There's probably more to it than that.



It's a tough ask. However, devaluing stuff isn't the answer.

£20 entry plus £20 getting the train across, then another £20-40 for refreshments (and only warm cooking lager available inside the ground) only to end up ed off?

£20-40 on refreshments? Have you never thought of bringing a picnic with you and shelving the beer

On a serious note it makes it sound like you wouldn't bother to much if we were winning regularly?

What do you bring with you meat for a barbecue or do you eat a lot of burgers