Last year was the first game back in SL, so maybe we got an optimistic bounce on the back of the previous year. I don't see the last 12 months as having been quite as rosy for us.

I personally think its more about if the average floating supporter thinks Salford will win a match rather than form over a 12 month period, the average floating salford fan will think " well Celtic finished bottom last year and we should beat them ill go"

I seem to recall the game being on a Saturday evening on Valentine's Day and on Sky. That obviously wasn't the best combination for a home opener especially given the opposition.



I don't think a 5,000 crowd is out of the question but I wouldn't be surprised if we get less as well.

Maybe now with just a couple of weeks to the Celtic game, the club should start advertising the game more. Adverts in the MEN, Advertiser, Rugby Leaguer and League express, Posters in shops and pubs etc. I don't think any real fan would have any problem with the club putting some sort offer on for the game for example a full paying adult gets a kid in for a quid, all membership holders can bring a mate for £12 maybe even go round schools and hand tickets out to the kids etc.



I know a lot of these have already been tried and it would cost the club a bit of extra money, but we have to try something. The interest is out there, I can't believe how many times I've been asked when Salford's first game is. If the club put it in the papers and market the offers and the game in the correct way and we still get a crap crowd then at least we can say "Ahhh well, the club have tried and there's not much more that could have done"



I'm not saying do this for every game, but certainly try it for the Celtic game. IMO opinion we can't just sit back and wait till we get the stadium then hope the crowds will come flooding in all of a sudden. We have to generate some interest first and that must start now.

Absolutely no point advertising in the Leaguer or the League Express, anyone who already buys that paper knows what they are going to watch.



Advertising spend needs to be targetted where it will make most impact - and therein lies the difficulty - a CEO f a large business (can't remember who) was quoted as saying - I know 50% of my advertising budget works for us, trouble is I dont know which 50%



IMHO the best target for advertising/marketing money is in joint venture promotions - inserts in programs at other sporting events etc. I think it's very unlikely that things like the MEN will influence "casual attenders" but by targetting sports fans at other paying events (i.e. you've identified those people who definitely WILL pay to watch sport) you have more chance of getting a return on your investment.

Yeah I agree, but do you think other sports events would let you influence their fans away by attracting them to a different sport? Because a lot of fans won't be able to afford to go and watch both and if they fell in love for the great game for example they'd say choose to come and watch Salford instead of going to watch whatever else it was they used to. So even though it sounds good in theory I just can't see another sports business letting a competitor advertise in the ground or programme. Maybe advertising in the pubs around other sporting events is a good idea though for example the pubs around Old Trafford or Gigg Lane where FCUM play? An Advert in the MEN is surely better than nothing? If we put an offer on and advertise everyday in the week leading up to the game a many people would see it and maybe a few would attend. Saying this though, it has already been done on numerous occasions by the club, so maybe we need to think outside the box a little. We are after all the only full time club in the city and we should be pushing and using our resources to the maximum. How many schools are there in Salford/Manchester get in there and brainwash the kids, take ignito in offer out tickets hopefully the kids will go home and pester their parents into taking them. If little Billy attends then little Billy's friend will want to come and pester his parents to go on so on. we really do need to get out and market the club more within the city, Some people don't even know what rugby league is FFS and that's up to us to spread the word of rugby league and get people through the turn styles.



Easier said than done I know and don't get me wrong I'm no marketing expert, but what I do know is more CAN be done!

The promo tickets that have been given out don`t attract many long term new recruits to the Willows going off what I`ve seen where I am .

A lot of youngsters from my lads school have attended the one game the`ve had tickets for and thats it, no repeat visits unless there`s another promo on offer.

Possibly a better way would be to offer a junior seaon ticket for a tenner , Leigh are having a go at this , seems pretty good to me as we take in 2 or 3 games in at the LSV a season .

Certainly takes the sting out going to a game as neutral.

Why not take it a bit further and for all first time applicants through the school scheme they get the ST for a tenner and allow 1 x adult at say £50 for the season,but obviously without the shirt and other freebies. It gives them a whole season to enjoy RL, maybe even then going to a few away games. Then the following year hopefully they've got the bug and will pay the full price.



I know lots of people would have their noses put out by people they know getting ST's for much cheaper than they have paid, but surely we have to start somewhere to increase crowds.

"Simple" solution is to perform better and challenge for trophies. You can advertise all you want, but people will not want to watch a team that suffers a fair few hammerings, produces RL that is far from scintillating and finishes second bottom.



IMO there is also the issue that there simply isn't the hunger for RL in this country. This isn't helped by regular changes to the rules, lack of terrestial TV and radio coverage, the decision to remove promotion and relegation and the whole franchise system. The latter two may work in other countries, but I am not convinced they work here. To some people it is confusing and nonsensical.



Plus football has cornered the market. I would have thought an awful lot of people simply cannot afford to go to both football and RL.



No offence but some of the ideas, such as having inserts into football programmes and the likes, will simply not work. They would have about as much impact as a gnat farting into a gust of wind. If it was so easy, we would have many more people going to The Willows each week.

The best advertisement for any business is to be seen to be winning !

And how exactly are we going to be able to put a winning team together without drawing in the crowds first?

That's the issue we have to address. Not inserting an advert into a programme or leafleting people.



You need good quality junior development, effective management throughout the club (i.e. financial management, scouting, junior development etc..), better facilities, success in the transfer market and a large dose of luck, amongst other things.



If it was as easy as a simple promotion and marketing technique, then no club would have problems getting crowds.