Quote: Steve May "The club has said for a long time - ten years at least - that it needed to attract 10,000+ crowds. That is, presumably, a key target for the club as a business.
How’s that coming along?
Something that I’ve long pondered is how rugby union clubs have managed huge growth in crowds. I worked for a long time in Northampton and over the same period the Giants have stagnated, the Saints have grown hugely. Why?'"
Money and facilities..... and the product being devalued by the governing body.
The club said to be sustainable they needed to attract 10,000 - they tried and showed more than once they can’t do that giving tickets away for free which suggests that in this town it’s not achievable! - so the club have taken a different tack in more recent times and the corporate and sponsorship stuff is worth more money than ordinary ticket sales. That’s why the commercial decision was made to switch to Fridays- not to do with the fans but all to do with corporate.
A business club deal is worth 50 walk up ticket sales, a box 40 walk up ticket sales, an executive ticket is worth 10x what I paid for my ST.
You only have to look at the website to see how the commercial section of it has grown to see the focus has changed.