Joined: May 29 2005 Posts: 16474 Location: Select Security Stadium
Widnes Vikings CEO Alex Bonney has issued an eve of season message to the Club's fans.
With the Northern Rail cup game with Oldham set to take place on Friday, Bonney is looking forward to the challenges 2009 will bring.
"This has been my first close season with the Vikings and it's fair to say that it has been just as busy as the playing season.
"I would like to thank all of our fans who have bought season tickets for the forthcoming campaign, those who support the Club by purchasing individual match tickets, all those who have joined the Dream Ticket lottery and bought some of our fantastic new merchandise from O'Neill's. You are all stakeholders in the Club.
"At the end of last season Steve O'Connor made a commitment to the Club of a ‘full time Club for full time supporters'. Steve has delivered his promise and now we need our stay away fans to back his commitment.
"We are delighted that over 70% of our season ticket holders have renewed and we also have over 350 new season ticket holders for 2009 but there are many more people who, whilst are Widnes fans, won't actually watch the team until we are back in the top flight. At best that will be in 2012 but in the meantime we need to concentrate on the present and the Northern Rail Cup and Co-operative Championship and we need the rugby league fans of the area to support their Club.
"As a business we need to look outside our traditional boundaries in an attempt to increase our fan base and with our partnerships with the likes of City Talk 105.9FM, the Mersey Partnership and Airbus UK we are making progress with this.
"However, whilst we are working on these fronts I would like to ask that you, our local fans, work on our behalf to bring a friend and recruit either new or stay away fans to the Stobart Stadium, Halton.
"Friday night marks the beginning of a new era at Widnes. Over the last twelve months I have witnessed a lot of first time visitors to matches become hooked on what is a great sport. In my opinion rugby league is the best kept secret in sport and one we have to tell to the world."
Over 350 new season ticket holders for 2009 is great news, i think the total number of season tickets sold for this year is just over 2,000.
Roll on tomorrow!
Widnes Vikings CEO Alex Bonney has issued an eve of season message to the Club's fans.
With the Northern Rail cup game with Oldham set to take place on Friday, Bonney is looking forward to the challenges 2009 will bring.
"This has been my first close season with the Vikings and it's fair to say that it has been just as busy as the playing season.
"I would like to thank all of our fans who have bought season tickets for the forthcoming campaign, those who support the Club by purchasing individual match tickets, all those who have joined the Dream Ticket lottery and bought some of our fantastic new merchandise from O'Neill's. You are all stakeholders in the Club.
"At the end of last season Steve O'Connor made a commitment to the Club of a ‘full time Club for full time supporters'. Steve has delivered his promise and now we need our stay away fans to back his commitment.
"We are delighted that over 70% of our season ticket holders have renewed and we also have over 350 new season ticket holders for 2009 but there are many more people who, whilst are Widnes fans, won't actually watch the team until we are back in the top flight. At best that will be in 2012 but in the meantime we need to concentrate on the present and the Northern Rail Cup and Co-operative Championship and we need the rugby league fans of the area to support their Club.
"As a business we need to look outside our traditional boundaries in an attempt to increase our fan base and with our partnerships with the likes of City Talk 105.9FM, the Mersey Partnership and Airbus UK we are making progress with this.
"However, whilst we are working on these fronts I would like to ask that you, our local fans, work on our behalf to bring a friend and recruit either new or stay away fans to the Stobart Stadium, Halton.
"Friday night marks the beginning of a new era at Widnes. Over the last twelve months I have witnessed a lot of first time visitors to matches become hooked on what is a great sport. In my opinion rugby league is the best kept secret in sport and one we have to tell to the world."
Joined: Sep 02 2008 Posts: 1121 Location: Waltzing around Wythenshawe or the cornerhouse
Although I echo your sentiment VM about the 350 newbies, I still can't help but feel there will be no more than 2.5k. I think the stay aways will be still be apparent, certainly up until the start of the league campaign, can't fault Bonney's enthusiams though. Despite my post last week in regard to money and not attending certain games, I have changed my shift in work and will be attending after all. But I'd be happy with with anything above 2500 tbh mate.
Come on you mother effing chemics
ole ole ole ole Wiiidnes wiidnes
an atmosphere that isn't created by people in matching shirts clapping along to a drum or novelty PA music might be nice!
Joined: Oct 01 2007 Posts: 2866 Location: Liverpool.
"As a business we need to look outside our traditional boundaries in an attempt to increase our fan base and with our partnerships with the likes of City Talk 105.9FM, the Mersey Partnership and Airbus UK we are making progress with this."
Then he'd better hope people from areas like Childwall, Netherley, Aigburth, Woolton or Allerton don't find the TIW messageboard first or they'll do what my cousins' and their families did and head to Knowsley Road.
Great idea to play on Friday night,it's not like we have any competition with Stains and w**e playing live on sky. With such wonderful planning i am sure our gates will go through the roof this season.
Joined: Oct 01 2007 Posts: 2866 Location: Liverpool.
1977 wrote:Great idea to play on Friday night,it's not like we have any competition with Stains and w**e playing live on sky. With such wonderful planning i am sure our gates will go through the roof this season.
So you don't see many people "embracing the change" and "leaving the comfort zone" then?
Doc Holliday wrote:So you don't see many people "embracing the change" and "leaving the comfort zone" then?
Nope.Everyone i know who has any interest in our club is very much against this Thursday,Friday,or maybe Saturday farce,a few of them were season tickets holders.
1977 wrote:Nope.Everyone i know who has any interest in our club is very much against this Thursday,Friday,or maybe Saturday farce,a few of them were season tickets holders.
Strange that--everyone I know thinks its a great idea. This subject is becoming somewhat tiresome. The club have made a decision--it will either be good or bad but its a pity that so many have already taken the Corp Fraser attitude and thinks "We're doomed".
Joined: Oct 01 2007 Posts: 2866 Location: Liverpool.
1977 wrote:Nope.Everyone i know who has any interest in our club is very much against this Thursday,Friday,or maybe Saturday farce,a few of them were season tickets holders.
Yes, but they'll all be replaced tomorrow night by the thousands of armchair football fans seeing as Man U , Liverpool or Everton aren't on the box. Better get there early!
Still amazes me that this sort of thing is posted on the clubs web site... Stay away fans that he wants to go matches wont be lookin at the site or message boards where it is posted....
I haven't seen any adverts for tonights game round town. Have any of you?
Joined: Apr 26 2008 Posts: 1270 Location: Never to far from the M62
My Dads just been to the ground and the shop, no tickets availible at both would be a big help if they were actually on sale on the run up to the match!
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With such wonderful planning i am sure our gates will go through the roof this season. 
