2025 Crowd Watch

[Iamback]

They obviously use it as a marketing tactic to make it into a unmissable event.

Does it have the opposite affect when it falls short.

Like I said only 3 games this year will have a higher crowd, So the crowd was good but 20k under projections apparently

 

[Dark Corner]

Just. Played in front of 54k in round 1 2000. (Double header admittidly.)

But the stadium was 110,0000 capacity.

 

[jolly boys outing]

Does it have the opposite affect when it falls short.

loss of credibility perhaps which is something the RFL in the UK is currently suffering from due to similar statements on ticket sales and crowd projections.

Like I said only 3 games this year will have a higher crowd, So the crowd was good but 20k under projections apparently

i agree.

 

[Ride the Lion to Zion]

Just read an article detailing West Ham's woes since their move to Olympic Park. Headlined "Knock It Down And Start Again". Sentiments expressed should chime with Souths fans.

Few quotes -

"It does feel a bit sterile sometimes, in and around the stadium. You get in and it doesn't feel like you're there for a football match"

"It doesn't hit the spot in terms of what football fans look for in a matchday experience. I think it's because everyone knows it's a stadium that wasn't built for football"

"It's just a huge bowl, there's not that sense of intimacy you would expect from a football ground"

 

[Dark Corner]

If it is a Sharks v Panthers final they could bill it the Class of 67 Clash.

 

[drcmuch]

It's happened once in 27 years since it was built. Dogs-Parra is the only game that will draw this. Souths could get close against one of those two.

Getting the facts wrong after they've been stated here plenty of times is pathetic.
2009 Bulldogs v Eels 74,549
2010 Dragons v Tigers 71,212
2012 Bulldogs v Rabbitohs 70,354

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

Broncos ticketed members are hammering Suncorp - will be almost nothing left for non-ticketed at 4pm. Or maybe some restricted view (not yet released).

Melbourne moving slowly again but better than week 1.

 

[EuroNymous]

olympic park as dogs supporters is most soulless place in sydney, took close to hour to get on train and there is nothing to do there outside very overpriced pub

compare that to melbourne where multiple trams/train lines close to city and you can even walk it.

 

[moffla]

Broncos ticketed members are hammering Suncorp - will be almost nothing left for non-ticketed at 4pm. Or maybe some restricted view (not yet released).

Melbourne moving slowly again but better than week 1.

Not sure about slow, my ticket Pax was 10,000 at 10:30

 

[undertaker]

TV ratings will be the factor if Sunday afternoon stays. Last week was awesome but I don't see this week improving on that. Next weekend will be a key indicator for future seasons I'm guessing.

If TV ratings are going to be the determining factor, it looks like Sunday afternoon finals are here to stay.

According to the FTA ratings stats on tvtonight.com.au, in week 1 of the finals, Raiders vs Broncos (Sunday 4pm) had the highest ratings (yes, even outrating the Storm vs Bulldogs Friday night fixture).

Had a look this morning...and yesterday's Bulldogs vs Panthers (Sunday 4pm) match outrated Raiders vs Sharks (Saturday night), even though it was already a foregone conclusion by half-time, with the Panthers leading 36-8.

I expect the trend to continue in the preliminary finals. FTA ratings in Brisbane will get a big boost on Sunday with the Broncos playing.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

Not sure about slow, my ticket Pax was 10,000 at 10:30

Definitely moving better than last week, but quite a few seats remain on both sidelines and the corners. Maybe a bit neurotic but slow is probably still my word choice. Can't be bothered to patch an image like last week (other sideline is pretty much the same), but yeah, thought ticketed members would clean it up given that the capacity is relatively small.

For what it's worth, it has slowed in Brisbane too - I expected our ticketed member base to sell it out, which is what I wanted because it would only sell more ticketed memberships for next year. Anyway, maybe only 1-2k seats left in the level 7 north/south behind the posts, and 1.5k unreleased restricted view.

No doubt non-ticketed members will come in and sell both venues to single seats tonight anyway.

 

[newc18]

If TV ratings are going to be the determining factor, it looks like Sunday afternoon finals are here to stay.

According to the FTA ratings stats on tvtonight.com.au, in week 1 of the finals, Raiders vs Broncos (Sunday 4pm) had the highest ratings (yes, even outrating the Storm vs Bulldogs Friday night fixture).

Had a look this morning...and yesterday's Bulldogs vs Panthers (Sunday 4pm) match outrated Raiders vs Sharks (Saturday night), even though it was already a foregone conclusion by half-time, with the Panthers leading 36-8.

I expect the trend to continue in the preliminary finals. FTA ratings in Brisbane will get a big boost on Sunday with the Broncos playing.

That's really good to see. I wonder if that makes the NRL think about a afternoon Grand Final?

 

[undertaker]

That's really good to see. I wonder if that makes the NRL think about a afternoon Grand Final?

100% agree with you.

However, writing about this on the Peter V'Landys thread, Sunday 3pm kickoff on Grand Final day will NEVER happen whilst the grand final continues to be held on October long weekend (i.e. which always occurs during daylight savings, excluding September 30), which has been the case since the first Knight (excuse the pun) Grand Final in 2001 (I was fortunate to be in attendance, although the 8:05pm kickoff with full-time at close to 10pm drew enough complaints from fans to have the start time shifted one hour earlier for the next few years).

The best that fans can hope for from 2028 - which is the start of the next tv rights deal - is the twilight Grand Final we had during 2008-12. This would still be a significant improvement on the current 7:30pm kickoff, which is far too late. Most of the game - approx. the first 70 minutes - would be played before sunset.

 

[i0Nic]

A twilight grand final would be the best scenario for sure.

 

[newc18]

100% agree with you.

However, writing about this on the Peter V'Landys thread, Sunday 3pm kickoff on Grand Final day will NEVER happen whilst the grand final continues to be held on October long weekend (i.e. which always occurs during daylight savings, excluding September 30), which has been the case since the first Knight (excuse the pun) Grand Final in 2001 (I was fortunate to be in attendance, although the 8:05pm kickoff with full-time at close to 10pm drew enough complaints from fans to have the start time shifted one hour earlier for the next few years).

The best that fans can hope for from 2028 - which is the start of the next tv rights deal - is the twilight Grand Final we had during 2008-12. This would still be a significant improvement on the current 7:30pm kickoff, which is far too late. Most of the game - approx. the first 70 minutes - would be played before sunset.

Another thing that's just come to me. With all this talk about growing the game in the Pacific Islands (including New Zealand), wouldn't playing the Grand Final at afternoon or twilight be best for the game?

 

[steeden.]

Another thing that's just come to me. With all this talk about growing the game in the Pacific Islands (including New Zealand), wouldn't playing the Grand Final at afternoon or twilight be best for the game?

The only thing working against it would be is the NRL wants to continue to have the NRLW and State Champs (or national reserve grade, if that ever happens) on the same day

 

[i0Nic]

The only thing working against it would be is the NRL wants to continue to have the NRLW and State Champs (or national reserve grade, if that ever happens) on the same day

I think by the next tv deal maybe the NRLW grand final should have its own event. If the women’s game keeps growing it feels like a reasonable proposition.

That would open up the nrl to have an afternoon 4pm grand final, or a 6pm twilight kick off.

 

[steeden.]

I think by the next tv deal maybe the NRLW grand final should have its own event. If the women’s game keeps growing it feels like a reasonable proposition.

That would open up the nrl to have an afternoon 4pm grand final, or a 6pm twilight kick off.

In a way I like that we’ve decided that the NRLW grand final has the same status (compared to the AFLW date in November whenever), but I would happily see the state champs game go and either not be replaced (for an earlier kickoff) or replaced with the Schoolboys Cup final to elevate that up and make it more aspirational for the next generation of players

 

[undertaker]

Another thing that's just come to me. With all this talk about growing the game in the Pacific Islands (including New Zealand), wouldn't playing the Grand Final at afternoon or twilight be best for the game?

Channel 9 has only ever cared about one thing throughout their involvement with rugby league since becoming the sole commercial FTA broadcaster back in 1992: Channel 9.

In regards to NRL tv ratings, the Sydney and Brisbane metros are the two markets that are of most value and concern to Channel 9 (in terms of advertising dollars). This was very clearly seen in the scheduling back in the days when Channel 9 had full control of the draw (which, thankfully, the ARLC wrestled away from them). The number of times a Sydney team was out of finals contention, but still got selected to play on Friday night was a joke. Also, during the two Friday night game era (2007-15), the Broncos got selected to play 90%+ of the time. Channel 9 don't give two shits about New Zealand and definitely don't make scheduling decisions based on them.

I do have to laugh at those fans in NZ who have a hissy fit whenever the Warriors either play on Friday 8pm or Saturday 7:30pm in Australia. They think they're like the BCCI in cricket, who have the power to determine when and where India plays.

 

[yakstorm]

I think by the next tv deal maybe the NRLW grand final should have its own event. If the women’s game keeps growing it feels like a reasonable proposition.

That would open up the nrl to have an afternoon 4pm grand final, or a 6pm twilight kick off.

I'd like to see the NRLW move to Saturday as it's own event. The Men's State Championship could still remain as the curtain raiser on the Sunday, and then they'd could consider doing a Women's equivalent on the Saturday.