Talk Sport anyone ?

GF is talking sense and is not running down QRL but suggesting constructive ways to increase the fan base. ORL marketing is very poor, witness the current season chaos when I wanted to renew my ST + 3 others, but was told I can' have seats I picked out since they are reserved for away fans. Hope the away fans turn up, for the first time in many years I am not renewing and will now pick and choose games. Some will have a go at me for this but that is the right of the customer and I have been watching RL for over 40 YEARS (note I did not make every game while a ST holder - but I supported the team). Maybe the corporate box will take my place.

."....but was told I can't have seats I picked out since they are reserved for away fans."

I wonder if you'd claimed you were an 'away' fan who wanted to watch Quins home matches you'd have been sold a season ticket in the seats reserved for away fans? With the next nearest club how many miles away, why shouldn't RL supporters of other clubs, who live in London, go to watch RL at Quins, as neutrals or even temporary supporters of the away team? Perhaps the Club could be more aware of that potential source of spectators?

I don't think this argument holds true in many cases. I lived in Sheffield for three years, and I can count the amount of time I went to watch Sheffield United and Wednesday on the fingers of one hand. Ditto (to my shame) Sheffield Eagles.

We should be working on developing entirely new supporters IMO. We went down the route of expats before and it didn't work.

Im not, but constantly trying to undermine the work of the internal departments of the club is not helping, especially when we dont have anything like all the facts at our disposal. Im sure they want what is best for the club as we do. If we're so passionate about improving from mediocrity we should do something more than just criticising the club.

Having read GF's many posts on this subject and after discussing this thorny issue with him privately, I feel it's worth me giving my views on it.

The club took up seventeen years of my life, both as a fan and later as a member of staff. The only period during that time that the club had any sense of purpose and resources regarding building a bigger fanbase was during the Virgin ownership. Various 'marketing gurus' came and went before, during and after espousing variations on the "we've huge potential", "most important rugby (sic) club in the world", "ten thousand within five years" schticks only to be faced with a reality: professional RL in London struggles with any kind of consistant profile and its ability to attract regular support.

The club are continually hamstrung by a lack of finance when it comes to projecting themselves to the eight million or so in the capital. Without a good deal more investment in terms of actual budget as well as bodies to do the jobs, it will continue to struggle. Contrast Quins RU's marketing department with the RL one. Contrast the amount of full-time admin staff working for QRL with their RU counterparts. The club remains under-resourced. It's one of the reasons I left.

The club deserves to do well but I feel it has always tried to fight its battles with one hand tied behind it...

Fans action doesnt need to be organised by the club. (i sort of skim read your post so hope I didnt miss anything important )

Couldnt we havea 'crowdbuilder' instead of a 'squadbuilder' thing going organised by the fans?

I used to be a season ticket holder and did a few things for the club over a number of years and yesterday the club contacted me via e-mail asking if I'd be interested in coming back and offering a free shirt for getting a season ticket.

I thought it was a very good peice of marketing and one that I would accept apart from the fact that my life has changed a lot of late and Quins are no longer the big draw they once were.

If I were the club, I'd offer all the local schools free tickets for students accompanied by an adult. Do this for a couple of weeks, then offer the local kids a discounted ticket with a full payinmg adult.

If this doesn't work, nothing will.