Quote: Daddycool "What I would like to do is try and change people's perception of season tickets. Whether you attend 1 game or 14, I would like supporters to consider £249 as the amount they contribute per year to produce a successful, well run, Super League club. Less then £5 a week?
Unfortunately, currently there are not enough people who are actually that bothered in the city of Wakefield. We have a very dedicated small hardcore of supporters and sponsors for whom, I am truly thankful. Would love to know what could be achieved if we had a hardcore as big as hull KR's announced this week. Could certainly spend the full cap!
Finally I also think the ground is a large factor in this. It's a dump and it was truly horrible and cold to work in today. 5 years since the PI and other parties continue to treat us as imbeciles. We will continue the fight to get what is morally correct. How certain people look in the mirror, I will never know.'"
First of all I need to very slightly castigate you. Whatever you feel about the apathy of the Wakefield public I think first of all you must accept that this situation in not their fault. The fault lays firmly with the club and the atrocious leadership it has offered over the past 40+ years. I’m sorry but like it or not to many of them you are simply another Chairman who never delivers, it’s unfair and not your fault but that’s the legacy you have inherited. It’s your job (that’s you the club not you personally) who has to win them back and telling them off how ever well intentioned won’t work.
Right that said I think you are onto something and hand on heart if you can offer me a club membership at roughly £20 a month starting next October I’d love to be member 00001 - I really mean that.
Problem is due to the current low standing of the club the only people who will take it up are existing S/T holders and a few dozen people like me and I’m not kidding when I say a few.
If you were to contemplate this idea of a yearly contracted membership and I really think you should it won’t work without some real incentives and above all some investment.
Working on the principle that we are stopping at BV might I suggest something along the following lines. Remember the art of great marketing is making people think that what they are getting is exclusive and of value which it should be I’m not suggesting a rip off but at the same time minimising the cost to the club. I n other words the punters are getting a good deal but maybe not quite as good as it looks. i think fans will know this but will hopefully accept the gesture.
so…
Bronze membership. Just a full set of match day tickets and admittance to the members bars around the ground on match day (I’’i'll come to this later). £20 pm
Bronze + Junior. Same as above but with a junior set of match day tickets. I think it’s very Important to get kids coming and the club IMHO must subsidise that. £22 pm
Now before I come to the silver and gold this is where you really need to invest but oddly you’ve had a stroke of luck here. What Silver and Gold members want is a feeling of exclusivity which admittedly isn’t easy at BV. That said you have to offer them some sort of hub in the form of a members bar etc.
Luckily from what I gather the old Superbowl is about to be re-developed into a small leisure park which suddenly makes BV a bit more of a destination. Meaning that dragging the wife or friends down to the BV members bar through the week will become a slightly more attractive proposition - something it hasn’t been for years. Works well having a few drinks at your well appointed and exclusive members bar then on leaving having a McDonalds or a Pizza or whatever is on offer (clearly I’m speculating here).
I have many ideas how to improve the ground at a fairly low cost and how to create a members bar etc but that’s to detail ed for now, but the point is you will need to offer that kind of hub and exclusivity to attract bigger payers who are not just in it for the game alone.
so…
Silver membership. As Bronze but for seated fans. Also includes a free program and a free drink on arrival (sorry but that will need a bit of investment). Full access to the Members bar throughout the week not just match day. Throw in a £50 voucher for the shop (real value about £20 at a guess) and mate a book of discount vouchers from local businesses and sponsors. The idea here is to make the package more valuable yet not overly costly to the club - it’s not misleading it’s just clever, it offers added value to the punters without costing the club. £35 pm
Silver membership + junior. As able but include a child under 16. Bit more than a bronze for the child but they are taking up a seat. £39 pm
Gold membership. Really this one depends purely on what money you throw at BV and what you want to offer. But basically it’s the best seats, exclusive bar open throughout the match and through the week, loads of free gifts and exclusive gym memberships etc and a parking space. No more than 50 full gold members.£100 pm.
Gold affiliates. Basically wives or friends of Gold members. Same package as above but no parking space. Another 50 of these. £90 pm.
As I say this is pure speculation from me, you’re the experts and the whole idea may be pie in the sky, I’m just thinking out loud, What I do think is you’re on to something here but IMHO to make it work will require real hard work, clever thinking, a lot of persuasion and I’m afraid some hard cash up front. In the case of the Silver and Gold members you simply can’t ask people to pay that kind of money to watch in those condition. I mean the back of the East stand never looked great but now it’s an utter shambles that really does resemble a building site.
Obviously if we move to Dewsbury everything changes though I still think an in town shop and bar would be essential to keep the link with the city and it’s membership.
Over to you.
