I’d class myself as someone who should be going more regularly but due to financial circumstances it’s not always been that easy. I’m really looking forward to hopefully getting a season ticket next year after a good few years without one. I’ve been reading the opinions of the Wane-era and winning rugby is better than entertaining rugby but looking at the overall cost to attend a game I can’t say it was easy to justify the style of rugby on offer for nearly £25 a game if you attend last minute. The new signings might change that opinion for some but it’s still too expensive in my opinion. Thankfully, the style looks to be evolving now and will hopefully see the match day attendances rise steadily but like others have said it’s hard to get back into the habit of going back to games.

I’m a lover of the game but having watched games on Sky for as long as I can remember I can’t help think they are implementing some kind of managed decline agenda in terms of production, scheduling and overall experience for the fan and viewer. How are we supposed to champion our game when we had five games on at the same time last night? It’ll impact massively on viewing figures and what kind of bargaining power do we have then? The game is in danger at the moment, never mind the club and we’ll know more when this next negotiating period comes in.

£1.4 million?

What were the Pie sales?

Sales in pies where tough...not as tough as their gravy though.

He did sing, "I'm a bad bad boy". Not as if he was trying to hide anything.

nail on head, the fans(if they can really be called that) appear on the forum when the club is struggling and have their say and some try to make out the fans who go to the games buy the season tickets are mugs.

I don't mind saying it: I'm sick to death of the negative posters. I come on here to discuss rugby, good and bad, because it's my chosen sport and team, not to have that sport and team constantly run down. The moaners contribute absolutely nothing to my life. Nothing.

Are they entitled to their opinion? Yes. Do I want to hear it? Well, let's put it this way, I wouldn't choose to have a pint with them in the pub. That sort of doom monger bores me to tears, quite frankly.

It's an open forum and anyone is entitled to contribute but what really galls me is when otherwise good fans and posters get 'infected'. Cruncher openly admits it had an effect on him earlier in the season and, as someone whose posts I always enjoy reading, I did notice the change. That to me is where the real damage is done. Instilling negatively in genuine fans. The knock on effect of that is there for all to see, not least in the recent published accounts.

If only there was a dedicated site where posters could go and criticise all things Wigan......

cough*Redvee*cough...

I have to agree with that. Particularly right now, when the Club has every reason for optimism looking ahead to next season, and even, amazingly, this season too, which looked unthinkable just a few months ago.

You're right. To be honest I think we get away with it lightly on here. The real damage is done on Facebook. It's open season on there and it's not as if the criticism is coming from rival supporters (although you get a few usual suspects from Saints, Wire, Latics).

The real damage are from our so called supporters. It really is tiring to read sometimes.

You're right regarding Facebook etc but I can choose not to go on those so that's exactly what I do.

I think it's worse on there because there's less resistance. At least on here and Mike's site there are opposing voices so less of a sheep mentality develops.

As moto says above, there's so much reason for optimism and positivity at the moment. No one would have given us a prayer of finishing 2nd a couple of months ago yet here we are, one win from just that and a many people's favourites to take out the title again. Whether we do or not that's got to be something to cheer about!

Then we have next season. Arguably the best recruitment in the league and, as said on another thread, perhaps even more to come!

I'm not pretending that anything I say will change certain people's natures: a moaner will always be a moaner and unfortunately an empty vessel makes the most noise. That's just a fact of life. However, given this is a fan's forum, it would be nice if some of those who were so vociferous in their condemnation earlier in the season would come back and show that they are as they claim to be.

I can't see it myself but I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong.

I seriously think there would have been whingers and moaners in the days of Hanley, Gregory & Edwards.

It seems to be that Wiganers love a good whinge. You only need to see 'I'm from Wigan Me' Facebook posts to see that.

I do believe that there was a recent vote online that stated Wigan was the happiest town in the UK. I do wonder how they did their research ha!

Does anyone know if Wigan receive gate receipts for the WCC and playoff games?

Stop trying to be offended on behalf of someone else. It almost sounds like the boot fits for you too. Either that or its snowflake-ism at its very best.

Ah the good old “what would you do if he called you a pleb in the pub to your face”

. I’d laugh. Loud. I’ve been called a lot worse than a pleb so to even try and suggest it would offend/scare/intimidate me is quite frankly embarrassing.

RL fans in general LOVE a good whinge. I swear to God Richard Branson could invest billions in RL and propel it to super status in the world and you’d still have some buffoon whinging because Batley are still crap.

I posted on here years ago that renting a stadium and with no match day income was suicidal for a club like Wigan and it was laughed at
If IL ever wanted out of Wigan then it is like Bradford Bulls all over again

If wigan ever went t1t5 up then the game of RL is at deaths door

What do you mean no match day income?

WCC
Most of the receipts get wiped out funding the touring Aussie team and pretty sure it's an RFL game like a final...although we've never had the luxury to know for sure.

Blimey. Touched a nerve, have I?

I just don’t understand why people on here have to turn to name calling and animosity, instead of saying that you disagree and explaining in a reasonable manner, as to why.
If that makes me a bad’un then that’s fine with me.
Hope that’s not upset you too much.

I'm not really sure what the fuss is because its obvious that he has plenty of money and it's his to do what he wants with it and should the day come when he sells up he will make sure he gets every penny back from the new owner he is a successful businessman after all

Your comment is quite confusing. No nerve has been touched here fella, on the contrary, given your clear offended tone of my original comment I’d hasten to say yours was?

Note I never said you were a “bad’un” either.

But your insinuating you want an explanation so I shall give you one;

I’m sick to the back teeth of so called fans bleating on about how poor the game is, say it’s dying and then use that as an excuse to sit in their armchair saying how good it was in the 80’s. Fans like the poster I replied to constantly peddle negativeness at a rate that would rival the current political shambles. That negativity is infectious and will drive people away, and if it drives people away connected to the game what does it do to people who have a passing interest in the game?

So in response to the “uncalled for” newly ordained plebgate, I respectfully dismiss your concerns.

I think once IL calls it a day then the club will remain in the family (handed down to his sons).. Etc,for the foreseeable future anyway.

Priority must be to reduce losses to an acceptable level year on year. Losing £1.4m per annum is unsustainable so no doubt the club will be making plans to turn those losses around.

An increase in attendances next season will be critical for this, bearing in mind changes made already (exciting big name player signings and ticket price amendments for younger supporters) I'd like to think this will have a significant increase on gates.

I didn’t know that. I always thought funding for either away travel was funded by the IRFL. Perhaps that is something the RFL and NRL should look at. Becoming WCC’s or even playing in the final is a huge achievement and one which should lavish each team (more so the winner obviously) with a decent financial return.

Is this such bad news? Aren’t most sporting clubs run at a loss and funded by an owner? The way people are going on you would think we are on the brink, IL is clearly still happy to put money into the club as is shown by the recent investment in the club.

This is just what we thought at Widnes!!
Beware the slippery slope!

It's the magnitude of the loss that is the major concern, there is no RL club that can continue with those kind of losses every year.

Will they have the same love of the club that Lenegan clearly has?

All to easy to say a yes the family will carry on when he’s in rude health but when he’s gone the urge to prop the club up could soon disappear,I think he knows that without a stadium (and before anyone starts I don’t need or want a lecture I think any club without a ground struggles)and that’s what he’s trying to do at robin park create revenue for the club at the cost of short term hurt.

I don’t think there will be a huge increase of season ticket sales but I do expect an increase across the season on the gate each match but the club needs them to return for as long as possible not just a one season wonder and that’s the magicians trick right there,to turn walk ups into season ticket holders year on year