A Mr Phil Sephton of St Helens has written into the League Express papers "Mailbag" in a huff at the "much hyped, over advertised, reduced admission" Wigan v Leeds match being tagged "the big one".

He claims the "big one" tag is an "insult to St Helens and Wigan fans past and present" and "whoever came up with the idea to promote the game as "the big one" should humbly apologise to both Saints and Wigan fans and make sure it doesn't happen again!"`

He completly misses the point that the "over advertising" added 5-6,000 onto the gate compared to the fixtures last year despite acknowledging that the Leeds support being disappointing.

I'll be interested to know if anyone else been insulted?

anything that insults saints fans is fine in my book. I doubt too many Wiganers will be losing any sleep over Mr Sephton's misguided comments. He would be better served writing to his club to get them to sort their floodlights out.

Think Mr phil sephton needs to get a life

Ask him how many turned up for "the big one" at Saints on Friday.

I am deeply insulted that my own club dont but this sort of effort into advertising and promoting a game if that counts??

86% of the ground was full on Friday with little advertising.

82% of the DW stadium was full with a months advertising, this including a dissapointing accrual of Rhino fans,

Nope, I'm not insulted.

The fact is, Wigan and Saints games sell themselves, whereas Wigan and Leeds games have the potential to offer the same level of excitement, but may need a little bit more of a push with it not being a derby.

No point preaching to the converted - you may as well attempt to grab sales from elsewhere.

15,563 (I think), how many Wiganers didn't show?

Saints probably made more money from friday than wigan did the week before though, due the cheaper tickets. That said i think what wigan did was brilliant and the sort of thing we need to do to get more people interested in the game

I've often said that cheaper tickets are the way forward. It's bloody dear to get into a game these days, so people stay away.

More bums on seats mean more beer, food and programme sales, so the revenue should, in theory at least, be more than made up. Plus, more people make for a great atmosphere, which will in itself encourage people to turn up week after week.

I don't care what the sintelliners say about Robin Park being a soulless concrete box. When there's only 10,000 on against shiit teams like Catalans, it is, but when there's a decent crowd on, the atmosphere is as good as anywhere.

But what Wigan also did at he Leeds game was to have a "Mobile shop" selling off shirts at £20 a time.

There were long queues at the shop so they made a lot of money in addition to the ticket money.

Excellent marketing ploy.

£18 To stand in that embarressment, you should be greatful you get any away support.

TO be fair, going to Knowsley Road is a great nostalgia trip. All grounds were like theirs once, including Central Park, so let's not scoff too much, eh?

Your right mate i love my trips to Knowsley road. But £18 is shocking

Well they've got to pay for their ground maintenance and all the stars that they have SOOOOOO got under their salary cap.

He reminds me of the St Helenser who used to write to the Wigan Observer during Wigan's glory day, objecting to the pro-Wigan tone of the match reports. He acknowledged that the WO was a Wigan newspaper, but added he was a St Helenser living here - and that he wasn't the only one - and that it offended them.

you're right, but its an expensive gamble.
asuming wigan have around 10k season ticket holders and Saints 6k. Wigan sold about 10000 tickets at £10 -£5 (call it £9 for ease) Saints sold 9500 tickets at £22 - £8 (call it £15 for ease again). Wigan took about £90000, Saints £142500.

.

Yes very, because everyone knows Hull KR v Hull FC is The Big One.

So we managed to get a record crowd, win the game, and píss off some scousers. 3 birds, one stone

Like it a lot

Rugby League fans (such as Mr Sephton...) are embarrassing at times

Is there any other sport where fans fight so hard to deride other teams for trying to promote the sport?

Wigan's current marketing and promotional work is something that every single other SL club should be aspiring to.

Match Atmosphere comes at a price...in this case a fiver...most of you wigan fans thoroughly enoyed it...despite the result.

It was a fantastic piece of marketing by Wigan. Lets not forget that Saints "gave away" Junior Season tickets if a Season ticket holder bought a replica shirt. How many did that add to their attendances this year, wether they turned up or not?
Im not knocking Saints for this, anything that gets people through the gates is fine by me.

You have got to be taken the p155?!!!!!!

are you saying a club getting 300 in a 400 capacity ground is more impressive than a club getting 50,000 in a 80,000 capacity ground?!!!

Well to answer my own question, yes it is! Poor scouser!

Dont you mean no it isnt?