Steve Waggott revealed Rovers need crowds of around 16,000 just to break-even on matchdays.

The chief executive made the claim at the latest supporter’s consultation meeting which was dominated by talk of attendances at Ewood Park.

The current average of 14,200 is swelled by the crowd of 21,818 against Leeds in October, the only time the club has attracted more than 16,000 this season.

When asked what was needed to break-even each game, Waggott said: “I would pitch it around 15,500 – 16,000.

“So far, although the Leeds crowd swelled the figures as they brought just under 7,000, we are averaging around 14,200.

“We have a capacity of just under 31,000, and we’re averaging around 13,000 home fans.”

More than 26,000 fans watched the final game of last season as Rovers celebrated promotion back to the Championship.

The club has found it hard to attract many of those fans back, with Waggott revealing that of the 5,500 fans set to travel to Preston tomorrow, only around half attend home matches.

On the Oxford crowd, Waggott added: “It was an event, not a game, and there’s quite a significant difference in supporters coming to the game and why some come along to an event.

“It was fantastic to see the ground full, but all the emails we generated through the ticket sales for that game we have followed up, contacted numerous times, but so far the pick-up hasn’t been great.

“We’ve done everything we can as a club, but I do feel there is a difference between fans coming for a special game, already promoted, and a lot of people were here on a one-off game.”

The club’s chief executive pointed out the work being done in the community, and the working groups set up, in a bid to try and boost numbers for home matches, as well as targeting the next generation of fans.

Waggott, who said he was looking to do reciprocal ticket deals with a number of other clubs in the division in a bid to keep prices low for away games, added: “I’m more intrigued by the fact that Preston is sold out, 5,500 fans, a fantastic effort, but 2,500 we know don’t come to Ewood.

“When Tony (Mowbray) and I are in discussions about playing squad budgets, transfer fees, we have to have a supporter base, as many as possible, to come and swell the coffers.

“I’ve been in the club for nearly a year, and they (Venky’s) are unbelievable owners as far as I’m concerned. I speak as I find.

“We want to try and move away from a benefactor model.”

The club’s head of commercial and marketing, Greg Coar, revealed season tickets had fallen below the original target, but he was encouraged by a a positive uptake of half season tickets.

Waggott took the decision in the summer to close the Darwen End to home fans, with away supporters who bring fewer than 3,000 fans now housed in the upper tier.

“The Darwen End there was an average of 380 fans,” he said.

“Once you open up part of the stand you have to steward it, plus from my point of view, to get a more concentrated wall of sound it was something we had to make.

“It was a tough decision but it made commercial sense.

“The Upper Darwen End will be used by away fans, unless it exceeds 3,000 when we won’t have any choice but to put them downstairs.

“We talk about marginal gains, and a lot of clubs put away supporters in the upper tier.”