WHILE Warrington Wolves have made an unblemished start to 2019 in Super League it is off the field where the club is arguably making an even bigger impression.

Three wins from three sees The Wire in second place in the early league table ahead of a trip to France to take on the Catalans Dragons this weekend.

But its marketing ploys have seen the club dominate social media and fans’ forums.

First Wolfie gate crashed the Super League opener between Wigan and Saints dressed in a spy coat and armed with binoculars.

Then the club hired an advertising van to promote the derby game with Wigan before the World Club Challenge with Sydney Roosters earlier this month.

And on Monday a video clip appeared on social media using Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s objection to being substituted in the Carabao Cup Final to poke fun at the Warriors.

Warrington Guardian:

Karl Fitzpatrick with Wire boss Steve Price

And Wolves chief executive Karl Fitzpatrick says the marketing ploy is a simple one.

“We want to break out of this rugby league bubble,” he said.

“We want to try to reach other markets.

“We live in a very noisy time online.

“People are trying to grab onto some of that social media space.

“It is a really competitive environment.

“You have got to get people quickly and we have certainly done that.

“The traction we have had and the interest has been phenomenal.

“And that is going to be a pattern throughout the season.”

The results so far are impressive. Online conversations, some good, many critical, have got people talking about the game.

The post on Super League’s own Twitter feed about Wolfie’s appearance at The Totally Wicked Stadium dwarfed all other content from that game including highlights and the Man of the Match interview in terms of interaction with fans.

Warrington Guardian:

Wolfie leaves the Totally Wicked Stadium

And ultimately the plan is for more of those fans to come through the gate at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

The club has already beaten its budgeted crowd expectations for the home wins over Leeds and Hull KR. And it already has a theme for every home game this year, from armed forces day to schools day and heritage to community.

All of this is designed to create an event for fans, not just another game of rugby league.

“We have a theme for every home game already mapped out for 2019,” explained Fitzpatrick, a former Super League player who became chief executive in 2017.

“For Castleford (next Thursday, March 7) we will have a European first with the whole crowd participating in a flash light display.

“You download an app on your phone and hold it up and it creates a pattern to the music.

“This is a European first and is a fantastic initiative.

“For Wigan (on March 15) there is the rivalry between the two clubs.

“We have already had the advertising board at the World Club Challenge earlier this month which gained a lot of interest and created a lot of discussion.

“When people come to The Halliwell Jones Stadium we know they will see a fantastic product and performance on the pitch but we want to make sure that is matched off the pitch.”

And that includes looking elsewhere for inspiration. Already this season the Wire Flyer, similar to an idea which generated a huge following for the Atlanta Braves baseball team in America, has got fans talking at half time.

Warrington Guardian:

The Wire Flyer

“I am a massive fan of American sports. They do things right and their fan engagement is fantastic,” he said.

“I have been to meet with UFC, WWE, Red Bell to share best practice and to do a bit of research.

“One of the things you learn about social media is that there is so much on there so you have to stand out.

“We know we are really strong in the older generation of supporters but we do have an ageing supporter base, which is the same across Super League, therefore we have got to interact with a younger audience.

“So we are doing some different things, some things that may be controversial, but things that are getting us noticed.

“And you have not seen the last of our close to the bone marketing on social media yet.”

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In order to further push the game, especially among the younger audience, the aim is to sell out the West Stand, which normally houses away fans, with 3,200 schoolchildren for the clash with the London Broncos on April 5.

The trick then is to get them to continue to come week after week and support their hometown club.

Fitzpatrick added: “We want the end full for the game on April 5. OSI School Furniture has generously supported the initiative.

“Not only will children get into that game for £1, we can then hopefully encourage them to come back again.”

And as the marketing plan shows, that has to be the aim so the Wire continue to stand out from the crowd and continue to be top of the league both and off the pitch in 2019.