Wasps facing relegation

[wasps]

When we moved the club knew they needed to attract new fans, and quite frankly they had good ideas for achieving it.


Unfortunately, we still need that.... But it's expensive so we can't

It didn't seem to extend beyond giving out an abundance of free tickets which it must be said seemed to cheapen the product. In truth it doesn't feel like there ever were more than that core of paying customers. Can't say we didn't have a favourable set of circumstances either, the council were very generous, city of culture coming at the right time etc.

Just hasn't worked out.

That's fair comment regarding the free tickets.
But I often wonder if free tickets are really a problem.... Especially to schools.


The only downside to free tickets is potential resentment from others who have paid full price. I don't know the answer to that.


Free tickets creates a bigger create. It may be semi artificial, but they're there. They may buy food and drink. If they come regularly, they may buy merch

[Rossm]

I've never seen much wrong with free tickets. Everybody likes a freebie.

[The Falcon]

That's fair comment regarding the free tickets.
But I often wonder if free tickets are really a problem.... Especially to schools.


The only downside to free tickets is potential resentment from others who have paid full price. I don't know the answer to that.


Free tickets creates a bigger create. It may be semi artificial, but they're there. They may buy food and drink. If they come regularly, they may buy merch

A few freebies here and there to boost interest is one thing, but we were giving these out on a significant scale. At some point it was what, 20 free tickets for every season ticket holder? No wonder the business was losing so much money for as long as it was.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I've never objected to paying for my tickets knowing others had got freebies. I prefer the atmosphere with more people, and understand that getting people there for the first time is very valuable.

[DGP Wasp]

What I don’t want to do is drive to Coventry find it difficult to get a drink have no pre game entertainment, watch a team with half the top players not playing in it, that has got to stop

There was no problem getting a drink on Saturday. There was no bugger there. Purity bar was shut though, so options were limited.

[Rugbyintheblood]

I've never objected to paying for my tickets knowing others had got freebies. I prefer the atmosphere with more people, and understand that getting people there for the first time is very valuable.

Absolutely right VV, agree 100%.

I’m a STH (who wouldn’t be?) and I love watching Wasps at the CBSA. Especially when it’s rocking with a big crowd.

As a retired Sales and Marketing Director I am strongly in favour of filling the stadium and IMHO that is going to need to last for many seasons. Of course Wasps need to adopt a ‘smart’ free ticket policy.

Wasps should not be deterred from this by the loud minority of jealous haters.

[Neils]

I've never objected to paying for my tickets knowing others had got freebies. I prefer the atmosphere with more people, and understand that getting people there for the first time is very valuable.

Absolutely right VV, agree 100%.

I’m a STH (who wouldn’t be?) and I love watching Wasps at the CBSA. Especially when it’s rocking with a big crowd.

As a retired Sales and Marketing Director I am strongly in favour of filling the stadium and IMHO that is going to need to last for many seasons. Of course Wasps need to adopt a ‘smart’ free ticket policy.

Wasps should not be deterred from this by the loud minority of jealous haters.

+1

[wasps]

That's fair comment regarding the free tickets.
But I often wonder if free tickets are really a problem.... Especially to schools.


The only downside to free tickets is potential resentment from others who have paid full price. I don't know the answer to that.


Free tickets creates a bigger create. It may be semi artificial, but they're there. They may buy food and drink. If they come regularly, they may buy merch

A few freebies here and there to boost interest is one thing, but we were giving these out on a significant scale. At some point it was what, 20 free tickets for every season ticket holder? No wonder the business was losing so much money for as long as it was.

I still don't see the problem or how it hurts the clubs finances.


If I can convince 20 people who wouldn't have gone to the game otherwise to come with me for free, then that's an extra 20 bums on seats.
Those 20 will eat and drink something. Maybe a lot, maybe not much, but again it's stuff that wouldn't have been sold otherwise.


If the stadium was always full and therefore these freebies were stopping others who wanted to pay from turning up, then I could see a problem.
But the stadium is never going to be full.
We could probably do free tickets for the whole South stand and it wouldn't be much of a problem

[westwaleswasp]

The only issue with freebies is that someone might choose to hold off in the hope of freebies, denying the club a sale.Nothing else is an issue for me.
Other than that I have not met anyone unsatisfied with them.
Child tix have been free or a fiver for a while, and it made me and my dad visit more often, and the club shop probably got more purchases as a consequence. If that happens just once a year more often than it otherwise would, that's two adults (one senior), tix, plus tea, plus purity , plus snacks, (nothing for me to drink so it's just tea) plus a random club shop spend. In reality it probably happened more often extra when my daughter was younger as it gave my wife a break.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

The main issue is that the arena has to be staffed based on the number of tickets taken up, and often people with freebies don't actually come. Meaning that Wasps are paying staff to do very little.

I'm not sure I agree that this outweighs the benefits of having more people on seats, but I haven't seen the figures.

[DGP Wasp]

If I can convince 20 people who wouldn't have gone to the game otherwise to come with me for free, then that's an extra 20 bums on seats.
Those 20 will eat and drink something. Maybe a lot, maybe not much, but again it's stuff that wouldn't have been sold otherwise.

Not only that, but they actually contribute to building an atmosphere in the stadium which enhances the experience for the rest of us.

Caveat:  No point boosting attendance with freebies until they can provide enough catering staff to cope with the numbers!

[Neils]

The main issue is that the arena has to be staffed based on the number of tickets taken up, and often people with freebies don't actually come. Meaning that Wasps are paying staff to do very little.

I'm not sure I agree that this outweighs the benefits of having more people on seats, but I haven't seen the figures.

Interesting and not something that most consider.

[hookender]

The main issue is that the arena has to be staffed based on the number of tickets taken up, and often people with freebies don't actually come. Meaning that Wasps are paying staff to do very little.

I'm not sure I agree that this outweighs the benefits of having more people on seats, but I haven't seen the figures.

Interesting and not something that most consider.

System must show how many freebie’s go through turnstiles to know if it’s worth issuing them for future games?

Guess your point about staff needed for possible crowd is why Premiership cup games not included in season tickets- why pay out if loads not turning up but you have to just in case?

[wasps]

Yeah, and that extra staff is:
Security
Stewards in the stands
Catering staff inside the ground and outside
Plus extra food and drink on offer




On the face of it, I'd still rather have the extra attendance, as it feels like it would indirectly increase paying attendance over time as well.
But when finances are tight, you need to tighten up on the unknowns

[wasps]

If you take player welfare as the highest priority, then the game seems doomed.


You have immediate issues of regular injuries, too many games, high attrition etc.
You've got longer term issues from concussions etc.


Most of the solutions I've seen that would potentially grow the game generally disregard player welfare and expect players to play even more often than they currently are.
There's already complaints in various areas that we don't get to see our best players as often as we want


We already have the fast, action packed format of sevens, but that's not bringing the money in




I don't think rugby knows what it wants to be at the moment and I don't know how it becomes a sustainable growth sport.