I think I remember the website talking about tickets selling quickly for the Saints game last year. (In the end I think there were around 15k at the match). Nothing has been said this year though. And we have not heard anything about ST sales either. Attendance for our first two games were a little higher for the Cas game, and lower for Les Cats. It is difficult to compare like with like as numbers fluctuate according to the day, competing sporting events, TV presence etc. But the early signs are that we are not seeing a jump in attendance at the HJ this year, and the numbers may even be flat at best. Following a final appearance at Wembly and Old Trafford last year, I think there will be a few people scratching their heads.

If attendances are lower, then there are two obvious factors that could be at play, but in the absence of ST figures we will have to wait a little longer to see the emerging trend. So I think the Saints match will be quite pivotal. Supporters seem to be in two minds as to how competitive Wire are likely to be this year, particularly without Morley and Briers. And no doubt the CEO will be keeping a close eye on the attendance figure. If we can not increase numbers after such a successful year, what do you do ?

The factor of the match not really mattering in the wider scheme of things is a massive factor. People I know who have been going the match every week since they were kids are only gong to one or two regular season games now, giving most games a miss including tomorrows (our second biggest home fixture of the season). It's the RFL who need to solve the problem and make the regular season mean something.

I cant get my head around this excuse which says people dont attend because league games suddenly mean nothing. It's been the case for years now that the play offs are the end of season goal.

The only difference now perhaps is that we have a team nearly guaranteed to be there or thereabouts come the end of the year, rather than hopeful of sneaking in last minute.

Agree. FPTP or play offs, Warrington v Saints should always be a sell out. As I have said before the club needs to do far more in the way of marketing, admittedly I haven't been in Warrington much this year so please correct me if I am wrong but we don't seem to have advertised any of the games. There are over 200,000 people in Warrington, this game should have been sold out weeks ago.

Agree.
If the play offs are the be all and end all, then why are they even more poorly attended?

because season ticket holders have to pay and every game is on TV.

i was thinking the same about league games. i only got my season ticket at the last min but im glad i did

From the club website-

I'd assume most people on this board still get to regular season games when they can and still enjoy going along to see the rugby every week.

But it's not us they have to convince. The fact is people, understandably or not, see the regular season games as unimportant, more so at successful clubs who are more or less guaranteed a spot in the top 8 barring a major disaster.

It's not always been this way at our club and I think that's also a factor in this attitude. Games would either be against the big teams, your Leeds, Wigan, Saints etc. or against a side that would be close to us in the table which would be a close affair. Now most games are likely to be easy victories and even if we do slip up it doesn't really matter as our spot in the top 8, maybe even top 4, is not in jeopardy.

I think it's understandable that our fans don't feel the need to turn out for the weekly rounds especially when money isn't growing on trees at the moment.

That said I think the club could be doing a lot more to promote itself. Filling a stadium of 15,000 isn't unrealistic with a population of 200,000.

Prices more than anything for me. I can't justify paying £20+ to watch Warrington. I don't have a ST and I can't commit to one due to working most weekends, but when I do want to go, I don't want to feel like I've been fleeced, especially if I go with my girlfriend and her parents. If we want to go and sit down it's £100+ for the four of us. I'd sooner sit at home, have a nice takeaway and spend a quarter of the money watching it on TV.

Maybe if they could find away to include them on the season ticket price,and if a team gets eliminated early then offer an amended season ticket price the following season?

Why not discount playoff tickets for ST holders, same as with tickets for the Magic Weekend? Attendances last year were terrible......

As for 'meaningless' games putting supporters off regular season games - did anyone else notice how few Leeds supporters turned up at Saints, following their 'red hair, don't care' debacle? ...... Pity, as they played much better with 'normal' barnets!

In terms of attendances surely the biggest factors are.

Price inflation
Wage Suppression
Reduction in working hours
Insecurity about employment
etc


But away from politics, if they get the WCC sorted out, then suddenly top of the league becomes important again.

Only 1st and 2nd will gaurantee a spot in a serious international game, which may have some serious money following in the not too distant future.

Even finishing 3rd would not secure a definate spot in the WCC, so if they do get it sorted top 2 will once again be a big target for the top sides.

Sounds like the 'home' stands will be pretty much at capacity, be interesting to see how many Saints fans travel following a less than spectacular start to the season.

You can judge a teams fanbase by looking at what they pull in against the teams with virtually no travelling support. We pulled in over 10,000 for a freezing friday night televised game against Catalans. Not too shabby in my book. In fact, i don't believe we have dipped under a five figure attendance for a league game for the past two seasons. Like somebody posted earlier, if everyone is waiting for the play-offs why are they so poorly attended? Last seasons crowd at home to Hull was disgraceful. Forget about selling out league games, that was knock out football and possibly the most important game yet at the HJ and the ground was half full. I don't have a ST but wouldn't have missed that game for anything.