Money
A compelling reason some give for the need for visiting supporters is that they bring in revenue to their club. Match tickets, souvenirs, food and drink, and even parking. There’s no disagreement on that point at all.
The problem is that it’s not a steady or reliable source of income. Essentially, it’s a gamble, and varies from match to match. A season-ticket holder, on the other hand is more predictable. If they’ve bought their tickets for the season, they’re more likely to attend and buy other things on match day.
For that reason, teams need to shift away from a reliance on visitors, and do all they can to build their own fan base. The ultimate goal would be to fill the ground with as many home supporters as possible. If the viability of a club depends on visitors, a concerted effort by those followers of other teams could bring about the end, in theory.
As communities in England have changed demographically and become more diverse, that same diversity isn’t readily apparent at rugby league matches. What kind of outreach is being done in the different ethnic communities? How are newcomers being introduced to the sport, and encouraged to support the local team? If 20, or 200, or 2000 free passes to a game have to be given out to get people in the door for the first time, then so be it. At least some of those people will purchase something, and if they’ve got kids with them that’s even better. By giving access to people who weren’t going to attend previously teams lose nothing. And they just might come back in future. Ticket-buying supporters should see the long-term benefit, and not begrudge a few freebies to swell crowd numbers.
Atmosphere
An interesting argument is sometimes made that away fans are needed to create atmosphere at the match, and that games where Catalans, Toulouse, or Toronto are visiting are lacking in that area. This, however, comes down to personal preferences. A stadium that is filled to capacity with only home supporters can become an intimidating place for an opponent to play. The roar of the crowd can provide a boost to the home team, while the visitors little motivation. It’s not called ‘home field advantage’ for nothing.
That’s not to say that one type of atmosphere is better than the other, just that they are different. Often the preference comes down to what one is used to, and it’s hard to be subjective if one hasn’t experienced both.
Swinton’s non-stop singing when the Lions came to Toronto in May was simply incredible and a joy to hear. Equally, the sound of an entire stadium rising up in support of the home team is goosebump-inducing.
