You guys have all missed the point. Not just missed it, but you are miles off. Now say I’m trolling or whatever you want, but I’m going to tell you the number one fact regarding WTW problems.

PEOPLE DON’T CARE!

This is the sad fact of the matter.

First point, lets look at the average forum age. If its less than 30 I would be surprised. doesn’t sound like a big deal, but considering internet usage is highest for the young it does lead a major question. Where are the young supporters? Now considering the general age, I would suggest you ask your kids how much the pupils in their school talk about Rugby League, in general, not just among their (hopefully) rugby playing self’s and friends. A lot of talk about football, but rugby? Hardly any. I have been there I know.

Look at the city of Wakefield in general how often do you walk past the club shop and its empty? Do you often see people wearing Wakefield tops? If you answer yes, ask yourself, for a city of 70,000 with a district of 300,000, is that enough?

The Super League cup was in Sainsbury’s the other day. Everyone kept shopping. They kept on advertising, but people didn’t react. If it was a football related cup do you thing it would be so quiet?

All your points are valid, and if circumstances were different probably correct. But you are missing or hiding from the major problem. The fan base is shrinking, (don’t quote the ’new improved’ crowd numbers anyone who knows anything knows they mean little) and until you build a sense of pride, ownership, a real connection to a part of our fading culture, our history. People still will not care. Its just that rugby club to most people in Wakefield nowadays. Until more people are interested these ideas will not solve the problem, the coal has gone, its time to look abroad.

Compare Wakefield to the Green Bay Packers, many similarities, but the passion of one teams fans, the renewable of these fans is the difference.

Don’t get me wrong, its not only Wakefield’s problem its nation wide, but we must deal with it if we are to survive. That is the bottom line interest new fans, raise new capital from them or Wakefield will no longer exist.

Our existing fan base is not a infinite resource I know people who struggle to pay food bills, they might be loyal to Wakefield, but spending more money is totally out of the question. You cannot expect existing fans to pay much more than they have.

Also, on a side note, you guys really need to stop bashing the people who try to help, the people who do and have stood up and sank their money into the club. I remember a very, very wealthy man showing me a thread on here, and declaring he did not want that to happen to him.

/rant over.

P.S I have not and will not proof read this.

Now that is off your chest we can all see you have identified a problem but come up with no solution. Thanks.

Plenty of ideas here: www.sportwellington.org.nz/asset ... -money.pdf This is a word document by the way. Ok, it's from New Zealand but this problem of raising money is, I suspect, pretty much world wide and while some of this stuff (wine tours e.g.) is difficult to cross over, most of the things on here will fit in Wakey. I live in Mindanao, Philippines so it is very difficult to support the club any more. I come on here every day to keep up with things and I find posts like "Next to leave" etc. extremely counter productive with rumour and counter rumour that only serves to destabilize the club even more. I am just as bewildered as every one else by this situation but, after 55 years of roller-coaster supporting with many more downs than ups, nothing surprises me any more about Trinity. Good luck to every one in a better position to help than I am. 34c here again. Shall I go to the beach or not? UTT

Plenty of ideas here: www.sportwellington.org.nz/asset ... -money.pdf This is a word document by the way. Ok, it's from New Zealand but this problem of raising money is, I suspect, pretty much world wide and while some of this stuff (wine tours e.g.) is difficult to cross over, most of the things on here will fit in Wakey. I live in Mindanao, Philippines so it is very difficult to support the club any more. I come on here every day to keep up with things and I find posts like "Next to leave" etc. extremely counter productive with rumour and counter rumour that only serves to destabilize the club even more. I am just as bewildered as every one else by this situation but, after 55 years of roller-coaster supporting with many more downs than ups, nothing surprises me any more about Trinity. Good luck to every one in a better position to help than I am. 34c here again. Shall I go to the beach or not? UTT

Could the club not set up a donations page, something like the justgiving pages you see when someone is doing something for charity, or do you have to be a registered charity?

If there could be such a page set up it might get a little amount rolling in and as they say, every little helps....

Everyone could share the page all around here....on other sites, facebook.....twitter....etc.....might help a little if able to do....?

"Money can't buy" prizes/benefits could be a way forward, that and things that are cheap for the club but worth something to the fans, as others have previously suggested.

Some 'extra' but affordable membership option on top of season tickets that gives you for example (off the top of my head):

DVD's of games.
Program signed by MOM for both home and away team.
Weekly draw for 4 fans to watch the game in Glover/Carters hospitality box with all the trimmings.
Draw to be the match ball/MOM/ sponsor for certain games.
Kids of members to go into a draw to be the Mascot/Mascots for games.
Tickets to view training sessions.
Tickets to sit in post match video analysis sessions.
Playing shirts from players.
All members going into a draw to be names as a squad member for the 2014 season.

All the above would cost the club very little or even nothing, but they have tremendous value for the fans. Offer it as say £50 for the season and hope to get 1,000 take up each season = £50k/year for very little outlay. Not a massive amount in itself but if we had done this for the last 4 years or so our deficit would be about half of what it is now.

Oh, and most importantly of all stop flying 2nd/3rd/4th rate imports (and their families) half way round the world in the vein hope they will turn out to be the next Henry Paul. Do the hard work and try find the next Amor/Warmsley/Lunt/Hardakre/Hill etc from the lower leagues instead of taking the lazy, easy option and getting on the blower to some parasite agent in Oz trying to offload their latest recovering rasperry or wife beater.

Mr Carter,
I believe that you and your family were involved in the selling of your interest in the former Yorkshire Traction buses concern to the Stagecoach bus group in 2005. No doubt you are aware that this company is one of the largest transport operators in the world and the major shareholders Brian Souter and his sister Ann Gloag are two of the richest individuals in the country.

Would it be pertinent to ask if your relationship with the Stagecoach company during the YT sale brought you into close contact with the Souter family, and if this was the case, would that company or those individuals be a possible source for full club sponsorship or some other financial involvement with Wakefield Trinity.

I am not sure whether Stagecoach are involved elsewhere in SL, or any other sport sponsorship, but would a formal or informal approach be something that could be investigated?

Just a thought.................

Already trying, but very doubtful

Thought you might be!
Thanks for your efforts!

What about an Ebay donations page to Wakefield Trinity as part of every ebay sale? Or filling a Wakey ebay shop with merchandise? Tim Smith and Kyle Amor's shirts?

How about arranging one of these :- www.castigers.com/article.php?id=3582 All donations to WTW of course.

How about arranging one of these :- www.castigers.com/article.php?id=3582 All donations to WTW of course.

In the short term, how about a DVD of the Cas game? I wasn't able to get there on Sunday but would love to see it as I'm sure lots would.

Think that's already on sale in the club shop.

Great news, but would be even better if it was being advertised somewhere.

Get it on the News page of the website.

Excellent, just sat round the pool watching the highlights, exciting stuff, can't wait to but one now!

I'm only going on felines word mind.