Love VB, brought in tonnes of the stuff for my wedding

You can tell you don't have a child. Homer is spot on. My daughter (age 5) gets dragged along so I and my wife can go to games. My daughter holds her attention of the game quiet well - she loves to see the cheerleaders & enjoys a dance after a try. However she does start to get bored - kids do (you must still be a bored kid judging by the drivel you come out with some times). If there were some dancers / creche type space under the stand we could put her in there for a bit it would be a blaessing. I suspect many past and present supporters are faceed with the same choice when kids come in to their lives.

Give the parents a choice, put things on that appeal to the kids - meanwhile the rest of you can get some beers in and watch the game. Everyones a winner baby - in the words of Hot Chocolate!

... and in STOCKS - I am first in the queue with the tomatoes!

Spot on. It was my grandad that introduced me. Not my parents, Dad had no interest in any sport. Mum sort of followed the sport and had been in her early years with her dad - the Grandad that got me hooked.

This is how young they start them in Hull. My Grandad went to see his first game in one of those giant Silver Cross prams - age 3 months circa 1910.

In those days ( to quote Grandpa Simpson) there were no creche facilities. His pram was sited on the cinder track that ran around the outside of the Boulevard at the time.

Still having to go and see Hull play didn't affect his judgement as he went on to be a life long HKR fan and was attending games right up until his death.

RL in places like Hull, Wigan, St Helens is almost right of passage passed down through generations. That is what the club are trying to do in London - yes they have tried for 30 years, but the club needs to keep on pounding away because one day it will click.

I look forward to the day D Lister Snr. and Jnr are out on the pitch trying to kick goals to win a car (remember that and the Watchdog investigation?) - then and only then may be D Lister will get it (along with others - not just singling you out Dave)

remember some bloke 'winning' then admitting he hadn't caught the ball - did it seriously make Watchdog?

Thing is there is no ' magical ' formula to increase attendances

One idea in isolation will not get the results required

You need to try everything and contiue trying everything long term

What is also needed is collaboration between clubs , both in idea's , personnel and actual physical stuff like bouncy castles,games and the like

A roadshow type situation funded by the RFL visiting all clubs would be a help , it could do the rounds of town centre's ,supermarkets and the like with offers supplied by the relevant clubs

But it needs money , enthusiasm and hard work to organise , things in short supply in RL

Two words.....George Simpson.
Sorry, it didn't work with a household name.....so a few other unknown breakdancers is hardly going to make any difference.


If I could be bothered, I would scan back over the years and post links to where I have continually said that the collection of data and a bit of CRM is the best way forward............



Do you really believe a group of breakdancers and their mates/parents are the demographic we need to target for an investment of £500 per family of 4 next year? Sorry, sports fans are the target audience and ideally, sports fans within 5 miles of the stoop to start with.



Oh dear............if it's left up to the current set of people who, through no fault of their own, are stretched to breaking point, then I won't hold my breath.

We had 4,000 + occassionals turn up for the manly game. That data was worth collecting, but 250 dancers and followers



Lastly, just so as to underline how un-organised things are, the suggestion of asking London Welsh and their fan base was first mentioned to the club in late 2008 (you were there at the time Alison).

The actual invitation happened after the Union Season ended in May...........


I rest my case!

but the governing body does need to take the lead as sometimes club officials cannot or will not see the larger picture.

I actually applaud the club for any thought that is going into addressing ALL areas & while we all wish it was more and possibly better targetted, it is still an idea and they have been few and far between in the past.

I have never said I am right and everone else is wrong. Please, if I have , find the post where I did.
What I am saying is that until the method of collecting data, loading it and using it to gain feedback and potential repeat business, I won't hold my breath when it comes to new initiatives.
As for trying something......by all means, fill the Stoop with Dancers, boy bands, power rangers or friggin teletubbies, but don't think it will increase crowds in a residual basis. Pester Power works at supermarket tills and at christmas time....not for REPEAT family days out.

I have heard this family day concept for over 7 months now.....and all I have seen is smaller crowds.

People often seem to think I would condone the spending of £30,000 to add 3,000 to the gate for 1 game. Well guess what, I wouldn't (well, not at least 'til we have a way of processing these people, collecting data and staying in touch with them).
But neither would I condone the level of commitment and staff hours in prepearing a dance acts appearance at a game, when the data from the Wakey game STILL HASN'T BEEN USED!

You've said i'm always wrong before, and i'm agreeing with you on this, so that must make you wrong.

Lets just turn the Kings Bar into a creche because some people won't bother coming to the match unless theres some sort of facilities to entertain their young children. I'd love to see if there is anyone out there that will step forward and say they have stopped supporting the club because of lack of child friendly activities on match day

How people can't see this is beyond me.

yeah, but you're not everyone are you Listy.......

This is the key point for me. Its a waste of time targetting people that would probably come along anyway and just keeping them happy. The efforts gone into these ideas should be redirected towards attracting paying adults to the match and retaining them.

Doesn't mean you're not wrong under your classification

I am just WRONG on so many levels

They are not mutually exclusive though.

Balls to families we should target blokes who want to escape them.
Beer, sport and naked ladies.

I know. Hence saying the efforts should be redirected and whatever time/resources they wasted on this idea should have gone elsewhere. Even if it was just a poster in the Cabbage Patch it would have probably had more positive impact than this will do.

You are a bigger tool than I thought and one day when you need to balance family life and your passion / hobby you will realise life's not all student unions and sponging.

retirethename is spot on - I try to manage two young children (all of us season ticket holders) at the game and their interest levels are limited at the moment but its all about routine and enjoying the overall experience for them - as I want them to become the fans of the future. The worst case scenario 'Dad, I really dont want to go to the rugby today (anymore)' - then I won't as they come first.

After the Wigan game I was a gnats cock away from giving up on the club as the whole match day expereince was cr*p. I suggested to the club they need to be much more child friendly and I am talking under 10s and yes, some sort of facility would help matters.

Mmmmm....Judging by your posts thus far today, I take it gardening leave is going well


Like your style though.

As for the "creche" comments from Listy. I see that the bouncy castle seems to have taken up reseidence in the "players" bar at the far end of the East Stand. This, IMO is to be applauded as it enables parents to enjoy the game and/or a chat with friends after the game. This should be mentioned in newsletters and marketing activity as a service that is available......but in no way made a Unique Selling Point.

Thats a shame.

So, to conclude, parents won't bother going to matches anymore if their children don't like it.

And if you possibly disagree with this and believe that there are indeed many supporters who have kids but still go to the match and enjoy it, you are labelled a tool because you are not a parent yourself.

Right.

Fook me mate are you being deliberately obtuse? I can forgive Gutters being a plank as he's old and set in his ways, but since youre acolytes started agreeing with you it's gone to your head [or lack of booze at the Student Uni now term time has finished

YES simply put, the sprogs will always come first.