By that token, the prices at the Rovers are twice ours and their attendance are 5-6 times so we should double our price.

My point is, when comparing apples with oranges there is whole range of factors

Football is a much more mainstream and well supported sport than either code of Rugby, not just in Doncaster I mean across the UK.

The comparisons between the Knights and the Dons are valid in my eyes.

I'd say they're closer related, but it's still not the same. Rugby Union gains most of its following from its Old Boys networks and the media outlets they run generating national interest. League has not, and probably never will have, that same level of presence in the main stream culture.

The only like for like comparison you can do is compare how attendances this year, with our attendances last year, and the year before that. Every club, in every sport has their own "micro-climate" around them which is unique to them

From my point of view, its obvious that attendances across the board at all levels of RL are lower than they have been for a long time. Now, is it financial, or is it just apathy from supporters who are showing their disdain for the wider product on offer?

I think we're always looking at ways of increasing support, and to be honest, the product on offer on the pitch from the Dons over the last couple of seasons has been worthy of extra fans, and I feel that people are beginning to notice this.

Its not helped with the fact that possibly the biggest match, gate wise, this season, Featherstone, was played on a Thursday night, and put on TV, so theres always other ways we can look at it.

A chance to speak to Ray about your ideas , see Race Night thread.

Some of what you say is true, however having been to Castle Park a few times last season it just looked like ordinary people stood on the terrace rather than captains of multinational industry. Also they have a lot of youngsters there as well.

Remember I did say "and the media they own". This is the media that normal people in the street use for pretty much all their information. I know people who go because of the networking, and others that go because there's no such thing as a hat that says "Look How Middle Class I am Now". Everyone who goes to the Dons go because they want to watch Rugby League; there is pretty much no other reason.

It should be said that the Knights, and all Rugby Union clubs in general, have amazing youth set ups from Under 12's upwards at least. I actually used to play for them myself. And while the people at the top are setting the agendas, Union will be the dominant code in schools and the cycle continues.

I should probably say, the reason I even mention that as it is drifting away slightly from the point of this thread.

For me, before we can look at how to get crowds at the Dons to rise, we have to identify why they they have fallen this year. We will probably find the solution to that problem will be the answer to both. I honestly don't believe the reason our crowds have dropped is much to do with anything happening at Castle Park.

So what has changed since last year?

We are playing in a higher division (Potentially positive affect)

We play teams geographically closer (Potentially positive affect..although the travelling support is not as great as we were lead to believe but nor can we put the responsibility of our attendance on other clubs)

We lose more often (Potentially negative affect)

The price is 25% higher (Potentially negative affect)

The second two are obviously a bigger force than the first two

I've said it before, go to any other club like ours and the concession price is of the order of two thirds the full price.
Not at the Dons it is isnt, it's an extortionate 80%.
Nobody listens .... so who cares?

I do think a review of the pricing structure and greatly reduced prices for:

Students
People on Benefits
Pensioners
Children
Family Deals

Would help to get more in at the moment for a parent to take there child via car its a very expensive day out. The same goes for pensioners and those on benefits which is a large number of the population of Doncaster.

This is very true. The club can't do everything themselves.

I think the club tried the "download a poster" to allow people to put one up in their workplace at some point shortly after DonsNews joined us. Not seen anything mentioned about this recently though.

Lottery agents used to help keep the profile of the club higher by the work they did. We need to do something similar by allowing shops, especially newsagents, the opportunity to sell tickets and receive a commission.

If 20 shops sold 5 tickets each, we could increase our attendance by around 20%!

We're listening S/O ... and we care!

Seriously though, I hope the club are listening to our concerns because we all have the club's best interest at heart.

Yes, times are also hard for people in work who do not qualify for a concession but no body seems to bother about that.

Charge pensioners double I would say. Oh wait a minute not a good idea.