This.

When you have a season ticket you are captive and make the effort to go. If you don't have a season ticket and it's £24 on the gate it is easy to not be bothered cos of the weather, make other plans, watch on Sky, save a bit of cash, etc.

Pricing isn't the only issue for bringing in new fans though, when the Huddersfield students union has cheap tickets for home games ( £7.50 :p ) there still are very few takers from students, probably 10 i would guess...and they do try to advertise the tickets all over the building and on the internet too!!
I think there's an element of luck in getting new fans to stay really, an offer to bring in the punters has to somehow coincide with an exciting game that shows of the sport, and more importantly the team, in the best possible light. As a new fan myself this year the two games that have kept me coming back were St helens away and the wigan win at home.

Ok so crowd numbers are a big problem for us. Not only from the fact of supporting the team as they deserve more getting behind them but also financial.
So its not like the club will fold or have to drop to championship in the next few years but simple facts are to keep competing we need more brass coming in ie more fans coming to the ground.
So as the majority on here if not all are fanatical giants fans who do there utmost to get home and away and buy the gear is there anything else we can do? Not a rhetorical question generally what can we on this forum do to try get our support up?

just 10 takers at £7.50 a ticket

says it all really.

just not interested in rugby league

adam - the only thing left is winning something - nothing else the club has done over the years has made a lasting difference, if that doesn't pull them in nothing will.

Personally i think we should be targetting other local areas like the Bulls and Leeds did - fair enough they had trophies to entice people with but lets all be honest unless your a fan does anyone in Huddersfield/Mirfield/Kirklees etc know the Giants have a game on ? we should be trying to get to people who dont know about us rather than just the ones who do.
We need a huge marketing push from somewhere.......something to say to people 'COME AND WATCH THE GIANTS, THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD' !

plus, i think if crowds dont go up during the better weather the club should look at reducing on the day prices - £24 is a hell of a lot for a game of rugby. It was only 5 years ago we were one of the cheapest in the league to watch ..not anymore.

5 years ago it cost £16, so an £8 increase in that time, thats a hell of a hike in my eyes.

main problem for me personally is financial,i couldn't afford a season ticket and can't afford £24 for each game,i now pick and choose games mainly.i know of others who can't afford either or aren't prepared to pay £24 each for a game.if i could afford i would put more money into the clubs coffers to help take some of the burden off ken,but i can't and im sure there are many others like me.combine that with the poor form last year and perceived lack of respect and passion from some players and the seemingly lack of positivity from the club has taken it's toll on the crowds this year.

as for ken,i feel for the guy,and he will always have my respect for what he has done for this club, but it must hurt him,seeing other clubs(warrington,hull,hull kr,even wakefield) and other sports(town mainly) pulling in crowds and yet the people of huddersfield desert the best team either code have had for 40 years! i too believe the only hope we have of ever improving our crowds is to win something THIS SEASON!.

l think you can spread the cost of ST over the season

The damage for this seasons crowds was done last season. The massive price hike on season tickets at a time when the team on the pitch was under performing big style means many didn't renew and few newbies came along. Now with money tight people are not likely to roll up regularly at £24 a game plus extras even though the team is generally playing well. If your a family with children over 12 years old, you are looking at parting with a sizeable chunk of money to attend. Perhaps if they aren't keen on reducing the walk up price they could do deals for multi buys, maybe buy one get one free etc...

Indeed so. £24 now to watch I think has put it out of reach of most walk ups. Its where the casuals will cut back first I'm afraid when times are hard.

If I'm honest though (no disrespect to Kens magnificent support of the club meant) last years 2nd half of the season has had the biggest effect of all. This season more than any other needed the marketing team working over time because of that (finances deepening obviously. I think its perhaps been a little naive of the club to think a lot of NEW supporters were going to renew after what happened. People lose enthusiasm for lots of reasons but the season promised so much but, delivered so little.

It was a kick in the guts for me (akin to the wooden spoon days in SL) and I've been coming for nearly 30 years and watched some right s@£t. But I will keep coming, from Manchester, to every home game. My folks only come because l still go and my dads been coming nigh on 50 years, so I won't stop. I am expecting a son in June too (I have ordered a scrum half) and he will get a season ticket when old enough too, whether he likes it or not.

Two things are at work here:
Firstly Frustration at times for the loyal fan whose knows this is the best side they've watched in the last 30yrs like me. and secondly Disillusionment for the those that only know more recent times, perhaps the last 5-6 yrs and expected so much.

It calls for a little patience, thats all. Nobody should feel disheartened, we've come a long way, there is not much further to go. Provided the effort remains from club and loyal supporters then the rewards will come very soon and whether its 10 or 10,000 there in the stands I will make damn sure I'm amongst them.

That is the key point and there is no getting away from it. Money is tight. I did not get a season ticket not because of the price but the petrol costs of getting there. I had to make cuts and the easiest way is the things that seem obvious. The fact that last season was so bad killed the fan base of people who were getting into the Giants but were not fully hooked. Last season wasted all the good work from the previous five years.

No, you can arrange a monthly direct debit over the preseason, as long as the ST is paid off prior to the start of the season but you get charged a 10% "admin" fee (£20 this time) for the privilege.