PS one more
Game day experience
It's probably the least important for some people here, and the old merkins will say "who cares we're there to watch football not sing and listen to music" BUT it ties into the above positive feeling and being part of big events.
I'm not sure the answer is to copy American sports outright or anything like that, but it would be good to see some effort. Most clubs pre-game and half time is dead air. A long, pointless wait after the reserve grade game which makes the idea of showing up to actually watch it completely unappealing.
There are some great ideas floating around the sporting world, even within Rugby League.
Even something as simple as the viking clap has improved Raiders fans enthusiasm for attending games and given them a unique selling point.
Toronto Wolfpack have a craft beer bar at the game. (at Roosters we drink overpriced VB)
Newtown Jets recently tied in a game to a food and beer festival, while American football does tailgate parties pre game - Imagine something like this in that big usually empty Roosters carpark, probably illegal in this stupid arse backwards city anyway but the idea can be adapted.
American sports fill dead airtime with music and performance - maybe it's not for us but again ideas can be adapted.
English fans create their own atmosphere with constant chants and songs.
Just make an effort - the NRL gameday experience around the game (which is usually great) is f**king dire.
It always surprises me that the club that puts the most effort into game day experience is a NSW Cup side. Young Henry's cans are a great match with the footy.
The food/drink at the footy is not just expensive, it's also terrible. Paying through the nose for a pie chips and a VB is a bit galling. American sports manage to give good options at the game, there is some effort put in to the food and you have a range of beers, often decent craft ones.
It's not just families where we are losing fans, it's across different demographics.
Agreed re the Viking Clap, bit naff maybe but it has been effective.
Big crowds then lead to improved atmosphere which increases the likelihood of returning again in the future, but it's getting that initial boost that league is struggling with.
