Gareth Walker's Column: March 05

fevnut's blog is absolutely delighted to have received permission to bring you a regular column from Gareth Walker.

Gareth is a top rugby league journalist who has one very exceptional distinction. He chooses to write about matters pertaining to the Championship and League One.

Although this blog is devoted to Featherstone Rovers it is always good to read opinions about matters relevant to us, but not specifically about us. We hope you enjoy reading Gareth's column each week.

Robins Revival

 

HULL Kingston Rovers are proving that relegation doesn’t have to mean disaster with an impressive off-field response to dropping down a division.

          Despite losing their Super League status, the Robins have attracted 5,651 fans to their innovative membership scheme, surpassing every season ticket figure but their first year back in Super League in 2007.

          Not only that, but 40 percent of them are on rolling memberships that only stop should the fan chose to cancel.

          Much of the club’s approach has been shaped by a survey of 1,800 fans called the Big Listen in January last year, which is currently being repeated.

          “It sounds so simple, but they’re the people that pay the money, so you listen to them and what they want to do, and do it,” Craig Franklin, Rovers’ head of marketing and communications explained.

          “So far it seems to be working.”

          One main development inspired by the feedback is the club’s “Rovers Forever” scheme, a rolling monthly membership that automatically renews each year.

          “We were always going to call it ‘Rovers Forever’, but it became more poignant after relegation,” Franklin said. 

          “Over 40 percent of our members are now on a scheme that automatically renews unless you say otherwise.

          “That means that in 2018 we can spend time attracting new fans rather than going through the process of renewing all the old ones.

          “The feedback from the fans was that they wanted to spread the cost over 12 months, and that they would be supporting the club this year and next year, so why were we asking them to renew it every season?”

          And while the commercial figures for the club have been excellent since the disappointment of relegation, Franklin insists they are not resting on their laurels.

          He added: “It’s important to stress that although shirt sales have been good, the memberships have been good as well as the commercial side, it still doesn’t account for the £1million loss in Sky funding.

          “Everything has been really positive and we didn’t have any redundancies at the club but we still have to be economical.

          “There’s still a long way to go but the early signs have certainly been positive and we’ve got through the winter now.

          “What it has done is make us think a lot harder about what we spend our money and resources on.

          “Before we spend any money there is much more scrutiny now over whether it’s the right thing to do and how cost effective it is.”