Hornets want more fans to back big ambitions
Club sets attendance target of over 1,000 for 2024
ROCHDALE Hornets have announced their 2023 Attendance Data and Targets ahead of 2024.
A statement on the club’s website read: “As the club heads into a new season, it is important to remain open and honest with supporters as to how aspirational the club is and what the club needs from its supporters new and old.
“With this in mind, the club has decided to reveal attendance data for 2023, with the aim of increasing attendances in 2024.
“Rochdale Borough with over 230,000 people within means Hornets tick a major box in terms of the scale and size of its
immediate catchment area. Hornets are also the only professional Rugby League club within its
own borough, providing huge potential for attendance growth and a large market for growth digitally
and commercially.
“However, the board’s analysis of attendances over a period of 13 years demonstrates that levels fall short of those reasonably expected for a Championship club which we absolutely aspire to be.
“This needs to be addressed to ensure the club can demonstrate its value and worth within the IMG led era.
“IMG are the global sports management giant tasked with ‘reimagining’ the sport – and its 20-point plan that will underpin the new grading system, will come into effect from the end of 2024.
“Since the arrival of the current ownership and particularly since the appointment of our new General Manager Matt Rigby, we have trialled various offers, promotions and significantly improved the match day experience towards the back-end of 2023 season.
“This will go up another couple of gears in 2024 with details of our match themes and game day events to be made available in due course.
“With some solid on field recruitment and so much good work going on in the community, the club and Foundation are making strides with the aim to be as innovative as possible while attempting to improve the match day experience for those visiting the Crown Oil Arena in 2024.
“Ultimately we need greater levels of engagement and support.
“As a minimum and what we believe to be a realistic target, we need an average home attendance in 2024 of over 1,000, with the aim of boosting that average to 1,500 by no later than the end of 2025.
“Season ticket sales to date have been encouraging with over 65 per cent of the internal target’s having been met before Christmas.”
Fans are being urged to help out by buying a season ticket and encouraging others to join the journey. The club is hoping supporters can get behind all initiatives launched throughout the season that are aimed at growing attendances, in order to help reach all of the targets set prior to the season getting underway.