I appreciate it would be nice to sell zillions of season tickets, but let's not get too hung up about it. What's more important is how many people we actually get at all the games (whether that's advance purchase season tickets, or match day ticket sales). Clubs obviously like to have the money in advance, but match day tickets bring in more revenue.

As others have suggested, there's still plenty of time for sales to increase. Christmas pressies, anyone? And once the provisional fixture list is known, I think more people will buy season tickets. As I said earlier, you have to remember that season tickets this last season were at almost give-away prices, so it's no surprise they haven't (yet) matched those numbers.

(I live too far away to go to anywhere near all the games, but I'll get to many as I can.)

What's the difference so long as they turn up on the day.

Exactly. Both are valid motives. Some will buy when the fixtures come out (what's the point in buying a season ticket if you know you can't make Friday games?), some at Christmas (as gifts and with bonuses). You're right, some might just watch on TV this year, but I doubt that's a huge motivator - watching a game and going to the rugby are two very different things.

Without scrolling back through socials for I think we had sold more season tickets for 2024 within 10 days, but it doesn't take an analyst to know those numbers were inflated by adults just tagging on a free junior season ticket or two on the off chance the kids might want to come to the odd game. And that was a good move last year - Ellis knew we'd have space in the ground, we'd be a winning team so new fans could get the buzz ahead of this season.

But reading through the thread, the 5,700 'sold' last year isn't a great metric to compare by - the 3,850 adults is. Of the 3,000+ sold so far for 2025, we don't know how many are adults, but it's logical to assume the highest percentage would be much more than 70% (as it was last year), because the kids aren't free anymore.

Just to add my 2p, I haven't renewed because I found having a seat in the East Stand a bit of a constraint. When I go with my dad I wanted to sit in there and analyse every tackle, when I go with my mates I want to be in the North Stand jumping about, and when it's just me and the toddler we'll probably stand on the West. I'll probably still spend £300 on tickets.

Ultimately, you're right and in reality, if there are more "walk ups", the club would receive more revenue.
However, having sold around 5000 S/T's last season, for Championship RL, we really should exceed that number.

If you're Matt Ellis just now, looking at reduced numbers of S/T sales, you would be wondering why you have invested so much, especially if the people of Wakefield wont give back.

The two clubs who we would like to emulate, Leigh and KR have been backed to the hilt by their fans and in order to compete, we have to do likewise.

Ofc, everyone has limited resources and not everyone can afford to buy tickets but.........

If you’re using the likes of Hull KR as a barometer then you should judge them on their return season and not this season. That’s very unfair.

In KRs first season return to SL I think they sold around 4000 I saw it reported recently. It’s taken a few years for them to double that with success on field.

If we get around 4000-4500 then I would consider that something to build on.

As a few posts rightly mentioned, we have a good number of walk ups who buy tickets on match days. The most important thing is that we improve upon the 5,500 or so average this year and show growth.

A lot of that and the singular most important thing this season will be on field results. We need to be somewhere within touching the playoffs or in it to really generate positive momentum for growth beyond 2025. I would also say the match day experience needs a bit of focus, more local bands, more of an event feel to match day.


KR wouldn’t have had the growth they had if they weren’t competing at the top end of the table.

Ellis will know that it will take a few years of investing before he sees a return of the same value.