I used to have a season ticket, both at Wilderspool as well as the HJ, but found myself unable to make certain matches.

So this year I started by buying tickets online & collecting them pre-match, but I quickly realised that I could just walk up and pay on the day. Also, for the first time in many years, I find myself not too bothered when we get beat, not overly excited when we win, and a large part of me was hoping that we didn't get to the CC Final coz of the hassle of getting there!

Why?

Personally, I'm just not enjoying the weekly rounds like I used to. Maybe I'm stuck in my ways, but I love my Sunday rugby and find it hard to get enthusiastic about Monday and Thursday night games. I never drink before/at/after the match, I just have a natter with my mate, shout at the linesmen, curse our ineptitude when passes go to ground, clap the team off the pitch and drive home to my family.

Am I unusual?

I totally agree with you. You might as well have 13 robots out there.



DM is (nearly) always right. If lots of people have issues with an aspect of the game then it is of no consequence of anything going on in another sport.

I'm still debating over getting a season ticket next year. I think I've missed three home games this season and I got my season ticket at the two free home games point.

Like WazzaWire says, if you're going to miss two or three games a season then there really is no point in getting one, especially since Nando's cancelled their ST offer), and with Sky constantly shifting kick off times and dates, more and more people are going to be missing out two or three times a season.

The game being coached to death is a big problem. Willie Mason may not be the best person to use to illustrate my point but recently he spoke of his boredom when PLAYING never mind watching. He stated it was all 'stand here, stand there, make sure x is here before y goes there' ad infinitum. This along with lack of star players is making my interest wane, I don't have much money but i think i might find the money for a ticket if i thought the product was worth it. People would claim i'm being picky as RL is still a great game and good value for money against football but IMO that's the way to tempt me back full time and I know i'm far from alone.

Over the course of this thread, we've suggested many reasons for why attendances are falling, some probably valid, but the Wigan Huddersfield "event" ( I refuse to call it a match as that suggests a contest ) tonight is as good a case study as you could produce.

The 3rd best team in the elite competition turned up totally devioid of passion, integrity, desire and effort and made a mockery of the system that is designed to showcase the best of the sport. This was compounded by the fact that when it became apparent after 20 minutes that the contest (such as it ever was) was over, the ideals that would normally continue to spur a team onto respectability also deserted them. No need to end the season on a high, no need for damage limitation, no need to keep the score down .......... because you get a second chance. You get rewarded for utter, abject failure. It doesn't matter if you lose by one or one hundred, so why continue to bend your back when the game is up? The poor paying punter, however, is down in the mouth, down in the pocket and expected to turn up again as if it was all a practice run.

I've never before watched a game as a neutral and been left with such feelings of despondency.

Have you never seen Huddersfield play in the play offs before ? This is business as usual for them

Yes, of course I have, and I've commented several times about their soft underbelly which is still apparent despite a change in coach, modest success and different players. What I'm concerned about, and what you and anyone else who genuinely loves the game should be concerned about, is when you see Huddersfield players laughing on screen when they are in the midst of a 40-odd point hammering.

I don't care if Huddersfield ship 50 points every week. I don't care if they qualify for the play-offs for the next 100 years and fail to register another win. What I care about is a system that rewards failure, absolves responsibility and then wrings it's hands wondering where the lifeblood of the game is on match day.

You're right about the system being all wrong and rewarding failure - I've always been massively opposed to "second chances" in the play offs, but to be fair that is changing next season. I think the merging of two divisions into a three way split after 23 games is a bit too gimmicky, but it will at least increase competitiveness, as teams battle to make it to a straightforward top four semi final stage.

The top eight play off format of the last few years has been truly awful.

ticket = £20
Beers in ground - 5 at £4 each = £20
Food - £5

Thats roughly £45 for me while the game is on

if i went to the pub i would drink 5 pints MAX at, say £2.50 each... thats £12.50

that makes a saving of £32.50.. thats how it pans out for me anyway

Agree with this, I like a drink but tend to do mine before and/or after, then maybe one in each half at the game. Anyone spending £30 on the sauce in the ground (unless you're getting a round in) isn't likely to see or remember much of the game. I only ever did this once

Last night ,during one of the pub's infamous lock ins ,a game came on sky ,Bradford v Saints at Old Trafford . Fast ,free flowing rugby ,no more than two in the tackle & frequently only one & what a joy it was to watch these highlights.

Contrast that to the slow ,laborious dross that followed in the form of a Wigan & Huddersfield wrestling match.I was glad when mine host wanted to watch the Scottish referendum.

Optimistic note............. Saturday afternoon (chance of drinks before and after the game), local debry, first time in play-offs for Widnes. Could we see our highest play-off attendance in some years and possibly a top 5 , 2014 attendance.