Quote: crashmon "But we have a squad more likely to facing WWR \ Skolars \ Cornwall \ Midlands in 2023 not Pies \ Wire \ Leeds. So I don't see how we get close to 2.4K mentioned above in 2023, in fact if we are averaging 1K by the end of this season I will be surprised. We will probably be between 1-1.5K first few games, but if the squad gets hammered more often than not (and lets be honest our squad is one of the weakest in the division), I don't see those attendances holding, they will shrink, once the novelty factor has worn off for the Dons fans.'" Yep, my suggestions for crowds over next 3 seasons was more to illustrate the size of the task. I agree, the only way to get near the needed numbers is to be promoted to SL. That reqires major investment in the squad. Instead DH has invested in the facilities (now paying to use 3 of them) which probably has marginal (and perhaps negative) impact on crowds. His argument is that there is no future playing in a 2nd or 3rd tier rugby ground but neither is there in assembling a L1 squad. As pointed out in an earlier post, Ealing may not be a 2nd tier ground for long and had already been adequate for SL. The new training facilities look fantastic, especially compared to Rosslyn Park. www.ealingtrailfinders.com/news/ ... -opened-at

Quote: crashmon "But we have a squad more likely to facing WWR \ Skolars \ Cornwall \ Midlands in 2023 not Pies \ Wire \ Leeds. So I don't see how we get close to 2.4K mentioned above in 2023, in fact if we are averaging 1K by the end of this season I will be surprised. We will probably be between 1-1.5K first few games, but if the squad gets hammered more often than not (and lets be honest our squad is one of the weakest in the division), I don't see those attendances holding, they will shrink, once the novelty factor has worn off for the Dons fans.'" Yep, my suggestions for crowds over next 3 seasons was more to illustrate the size of the task. I agree, the only way to get near the needed numbers is to be promoted to SL. That reqires major investment in the squad. Instead DH has invested in the facilities (now paying to use 3 of them) which probably has marginal (and perhaps negative) impact on crowds. His argument is that there is no future playing in a 2nd or 3rd tier rugby ground but neither is there in assembling a L1 squad. As pointed out in an earlier post, Ealing may not be a 2nd tier ground for long and had already been adequate for SL. The new training facilities look fantastic, especially compared to Rosslyn Park. www.ealingtrailfinders.com/news/ ... -opened-at

Yet again it looks as if the move to Wimbledon is a mistake.
At Ealing the Academy, Women’s and Men’s team able to play on the same site on an all weather surface, no 5 back to back games on the road in the Summer.
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And a new facility that we could no doubt use.

We seem to have a knack for parting company with clubs on the up, Quins, Brentford and Ealing.

The 5000 target is very tough if not almost impossible but in the medium term we don’t know about a reorganisation and what it will look like. Playing bottom end SL/top end Champ type clubs in a SL2 will surely result in higher crowds than Sheffield and Whitehaven. Not 5000 but decent.

As for 2022, I expect a significant boost to crowds due to the Plough Lane factor, ie superior location & facilities that Ealing simply cannot match. A winning/competitive side will help keep them but there’s no way on earth that squad is going up when Leigh & Featherstone are signing NRL players.

That said, I’m not sure the squad is as uncompetitive as it’s being made out to be. Yes it’s part-time but this is a part-time comp in the main. Besides, this year’s squad was full-time and it finished seventh. FT is not a guarantee of success and PT is not a guarantee of failure.

We've had poor side for the past few years but fitness has at times won us games. That edge that we had has just disappeared.

This season's side is considerably weaker still.

While some of the players we have signed may be promising not many have much in the way of Championship experience.
The coach is also untried at this level.

At least he's done well at a lower level.....oh hold on !!

I'm sorry but I honestly do not see how this obsession Dons fans have with PL will magically make thousands of broncos fans return. Looking as PL yes its better than Ealing and Barnet, but is it superior to the Stoop, I think not, and its much smaller than when we played at the Valley.

You might get up to 2000 for the widnes game (as widnes might bring 1K, and the Novelty factor for the Dons fans as its the first game),but that would be a one-off attendance, and I suspect you will be back around 1K for the Haven game. What brings in fans is a winning successful team, challenging top half of the table in the playoffs, aiming for SuperLeague in three years. I also expect more widnes fans than home fans in that first game.

Nobody has said PL will magically do anything. It will take time and effort - as David Hughes himself notes.

IF Widnes, and that is a very BIF IF 1,000, it will be a First for Widnes for a long, long, long time!!!!

And do you think, based on the previous, Broncos will do what is needed or what it takes to get the fans in?? Will we see a well planned and thought out marketing strategy?? Or is it Hughes email...."please bring a mate".

You'll forgive me for having zero faith in the club getting this right

Widnes won’t bring 100. They’re another club on the downward spiral.

I share the majority’s legitimate concerns about the volume of L1 players we have brought in and, in particular, the volume from bottom end L1. In an ideal(ish) world Id have liked to see more experienced Championship players or top end L1 but we are where we are. Playing Devil’s advocate, a positive is that they are Coleman’s choices not any previous managers. They will know this and hopefully play for him and he can build the team and culture he wants.

The 1st three home games are important because in previous seasons they would have been (most likely) wins. We will see fairly quickly what the direction of travel is. I’m looking forward to those games. Fev Rovers less so! I think I’m washing my hair on that say.

I'd be inclined to say that the first three home games are more important this season than for a number of years.
If we struggle in those games then I fear a lot of our home games later in the season will end up like the one at home to Toulouse in 2021.