Bulls chief executive Ryan Duckett promises pre-season momentum will not go to waste.
Two campaigns of underachievement acted as the spur for a winter overhaul, creating a snowball effect that is swiftly gathering pace both on and off the pitch.
Mick Potter’s appointment as head coach in July acted as the catalyst for a series of significant changes – a huge influx of playing talent and the bold ‘Pledge 10,000’ scheme foremost among them.
It has all contributed to a groundswell of positivity at Odsal but Duckett knows it is crucial to keep riding that wave, especially with Super League licence applications for the 2012 to 2014 period due in April.
He said: “Fans can be assured we will not rest on our laurels. We’re taking positive momentum into the new season both on and off the field and we’re confident that will continue into a new licensing period.
“We are mindful of that and we have to apply by the end of April, so it’s essential we keep looking forward. We are confident our application will be successful but we’re taking nothing for granted.
“We can’t stand still. People have bought into that and we hope they’ll come and see some good performances on the field but we also want them to feel they’re getting a good-value day out.”
The game-day experience has become a major focus of off-field efforts. As season-ticket sales approach 11,000, the Bulls have become increasingly aware of the need to refresh an entertainment programme that had become stagnant in recent years.
Duckett said: “The focus for us has been on game-day experience. We have won lots of awards and many plaudits since the start of Super League and for different reasons we had to deal with some extraordinary costs as a club and haven’t spent as much on our game-day experience.
“I think it had stagnated. I still think what we provided was right up there with other clubs but it wasn’t as new and as innovative as it had been because time goes on.
“We need to refresh it. It would be difficult to recreate what we had in 1996 when we were among the first to embrace Super League but we need to provide a value-for-money family day out, whether we’re competing with rugby clubs or other entertainment.
“We want it to be more than just a game of rugby so we’re going to do more out-of-ball things, like the funfair element. We have a new catering company and we’ve reduced the price of beer round the ground to hopefully attract people into the ground earlier.”
Community work is also seen as a key tool in snaring a new generation of Bulls supporters, with eight full-time staff now employed by the club as well as three volunteers to build links with schools and amateur clubs.
The Bulls have already become active in a number of schemes – including Sporting Chance, which aims to provide education and employment opportunities for young people, and an initiative offering free season tickets to under-16 players registered with Bradford and Keighley service area clubs.
“We’re delighted with the way the pledge has gone and we’ve rewarded the supporters’ loyalty after a difficult couple of seasons and re-engaged with some supporters,” said Duckett.
“Through our community programmes, we want to reach new supporters. We haven’t maybe been as successful over the last few years in doing that, so we’ve got our largest-ever community department.
“An issue for us has been resource. Over the last few years we had to make some cuts and community marketing was one of those areas.
“But by working with certain partners we have been able to increase the resource. To have a presence in schools, get the brand in there and get people interested in rugby is essential.
“Certainly our presence and profile will increase over the coming months to attract a new generation of supporters.”
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