Falling crowds

[JGT57]

Here is a novel innovation by Newcastle United, who are concerned that only
42,000 turned up at their last home game at a time when their fortunes are on the up!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50722548

[Mark62]

Decent idea. I would imagine it’s on the basis that a crowd of 40,000 is their break even point for a match day, and that extra crowds will also bring extra revenue in terms of catering/merchandise sales

[CitizenSmiff]

Decent idea, I'd definitely come to WR more on some sort of BOGOF scheme as I do struggle these days to convince my nearest and dearest it's worth the expense.

[Jacko27]

Concern about falling crowds at Welford Road is just part of the general air of despondency surrounding the Club at present. The official attendance at WR last Saturday was given as 15,079. This was for a "second tier" Challenge Cup match against mediocre, unfancied opposition and yet 15,079 exceeds the attendance for any other English club playing at home in the first three rounds of the "top tier" Champions Cup. So a higher attendance than anything achieved by Bath, Northampton, Gloucester, Saracens, Sale & Exeter. Sometimes it helps to have a bit of perspective.

[Yorkietiger]

If there were 15k+ there Saturday, I will eat my hat. If you add season tickets plus others bought for the game then that may have been 15k, but my seat is surrounded by other season ticket holders, and many were not there. I sit opposite the Crumbie, and there was about a third of the numbers in there then we had ten years ago. I would guess more like 13k actually watching the game.

Not really surprising given the dross we have been subjected to recently and playing a complete non-entity side in a worthless competition.

[Mark62]

If there were 15k+ there Saturday, I will eat my hat. If you add season tickets plus others bought for the game then that may have been 15k, but my seat is surrounded by other season ticket holders, and many were not there. I sit opposite the Crumbie, and there was about a third of the numbers in there then we had ten years ago. I would guess more like 13k actually watching the game.

Not really surprising given the dross we have been subjected to recently and playing a complete non-entity side in a worthless competition.

People buy tickets, it’s up to them whether or not they attend. Attendance is a slight misnomer, should be tickets purchased.

Still a relevant point though, the much vaunted Kingsholm was by no means full for their match against Connaught, and I would imagine their Europe tickets are included in season tickets too

[JP14]

It’s just the unfortunate truth in sport that people will sometimes only turn up if a team is winning, I don’t agree with it but I don’t call them out for it.

[Noggs]

Combination of factors. Weak opposition; poor performance the previous week (+ others); Christmas shopping; etc. My estimated of actual persons attending was around 10k.

We should get more in two weeks time but I doubt it will be more than 20k even based of the official count.

[TigerBoy1880]

If Tigers did that, people would moan that they’d spent their money on a season ticket yet others, potentially people that have never stepped foot inside the ground, can go for free.

[Mark62]

If Tigers did that, people would moan that they’d spent their money on a season ticket yet others, potentially people that have never stepped foot inside the ground, can go for free.

A lot of people buy their season tickets as they like the seat, stand they are in, and the familiarity of the people around them.

You buy late you loose that, which wouldn’t necessarily bother a lot of people

[Tiglon]

St James Park holds over 52,000 so they have many more empty seats to fill than Tigers do (excluding a match against Calvisano that would be a low attendance even if the team were currently the best in the world).

[JP14]

Yes Tiglon if we were in the same position as Bristol were, I’d imagine not many more would have gone to the Calvisiano game but at least the Crumbie would have been a bit more full.

[Tiglon]

Yes Tiglon if we were in the same position as Bristol were, I’d imagine not many more would have gone to the Calvisiano game but at least the Crumbie would have been a bit more full.

Maybe, maybe not.

[Cardiff Tig]

Even in the early 00's when we were selling out most games, one sided games against lower standard opposition were never as popular. It's not exactly sport when it's a foregone conclusion who will win a game so I'm not surprised with the lower numbers for the Calvisano game in particular.

[Noggs]

Only time will tell as to whether we have a problem with falling attendance.

A couple of long standing season ticket holder sitting next to me did not renew this season and the same goes for a family of three on the row behind. It is hence very probable that by the end of the season to total number will have fallen by a thousand or two. However, if we start to win games again the numbers will without doubt begin to rise again. We just need to start winning