How can we attract more fans to the play-offs?
Wednesday 24 September 2014 18:14, UK
The best games of rugby league that I’ve ever seen have always had a crowd and atmosphere that have acted like ‘oxygen’ to the players, helping them to raise their game to an even higher level. They radiate an energy that fuels the players to go harder and faster than usual.
It’s hard, if not impossible, to get a great game if the crowd aren’t there to set the scene and sadly this was the case for week 1 of the play-offs - and I’d like to try and find out why.
I appreciate that two of the matches were one-sided and those games never really got going as a contest, however the other two matches played on Saturday had a level of skill, drama and excitement that deserved a better atmosphere and a bigger crowd.
If you look at the number of people who attended the corresponding league fixture to the play-off game (Round 1 Wigan v Huddersfield, compared to their playoff game) there was a drop off between 30 per cent to 50 per cent. Some people have said that this is because some teams get a second chance but that didn’t apply to Widnes or Leeds.
I am also aware that the cost of the game tickets is a barrier, even though some were reduced to £14 for the season ticket holders. As a professional sport, people have to pay to watch the matches. At what price do we set this?
Building excitement
If we compared the attendances to those of, say the football League One play-offs last summer, we see that Preston North End and Rotherham United had significantly more people at their home match than they did throughout the season. We need to find a way of creating a similar level of interest in the play-offs that does not exist at present.
It’s possible that the play-offs go on far too long. Next year the play-offs last for just two weeks, not four and as a result supporters will not be asked to find as much money to support their side all the way to the Grand Final. But will that give us sell-out games?
If we took Wigan as an example, it took them three months of hard work to build enough interest that attracted a crowd of over 20,000 for their recent game with Leeds. When we get to the play-offs they had just three days to promote their match with Huddersfield. If they end up playing against the Giants in week three, it may be a difficult sell for their marketing team.
I accept that culturally the majority of people in this country who follow sport are used to a traditional league format, and the idea of getting excited for the play-offs is a little alien to them. The teams in the Football League tend to get greater interest in their play-offs because it happens less often.
So, help me with my amateur attempt at some market research. If you are a season ticket holder and your team makes the play-offs next year how likely are you to attend? Would you be prepared to travel if it is an away game? If you have followed your team all season, what stops you from going to see them in the playoffs?
