2026 Crowd Watch

[steeden.]

If it’s three games the middle game will likely get the biggest crowd and should be the one televised.

This is where a Hawaii Timezone would be mint

 

[Barney Stubble]

Just dogs & Dragons fans left now hahaha

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Great work.

 

[BuffaloRules]

This is where a Hawaii Timezone would be mint

Hawaii gets mentioned here and in the media as a possible destination for the NRL to have a game… they have a crap stadium that holds 15k and that has artificial turf ..it’s a pipe dream

 

[Billythekid]

With everything happening in the US right now that’s a fantastic crowd. I know so many people who would consider something like this but no f**king way would travel to the US right now.

 

[kurt faulk]

Crowd looks terrible on channel 9 , they counting all the staff in the crowd figures like the WWE?

.

 

[Gobsmacked]

I was hoping for a little more today but beating last year's crowd is a win and left the most room for improvement.
Hopefully the clubs who are next are in for a solid season, Titans, Parramatta, Dolphins, Storm and Tigers, which they all look promising!

 

[Foreign Legion]

If Melbourne go to Vegas next year they'll suck the oxygen out of Victoria for AFL news content

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

I was hoping for a little more today but beating last year's crowd is a win and left the most room for improvement.
Hopefully the clubs who are next are in for a solid season, Titans, Parramatta, Dolphins, Storm and Tigers, which they all look promising!

Geez you`re a tough marker, anything around last year`s number is a win and shows the knockers and sceptics that the Vegas venture hasn`t run out of steam. To beat it allows us to spruik `record crowd` legitimately and will provide a brilliant second-wind for next year.
In fact I`d rather we just beat it because it will make it easier to beat next year.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

If Melbourne go to Vegas next year they'll suck the oxygen out of Victoria for AFL news content

Perfect time for Melbourne, Vegas fatigue has been disproved, it`ll be so easy to hype it up for next year, market it to all Victorians as an international sporting event that their State team is involved in. All we need is for Melbourne to start the year in winning form to get people making their plans early and knowing Melbourne, that`s very likely.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Perfect time for Melbourne, Vegas fatigue has been disproved, it`ll be so easy to hype it up for next year, market it to all Victorians as an international sporting event that their State team is involved in. All we need is for Melbourne to start the year in winning form to get people making their plans early and knowing Melbourne, that`s very likely.

ALL of Victoria needs to realize the ONLY opportunity to go to Vegas on a footy trip will be a RL one.
The GF had nearly a million tuning in from Victoria..
RL has Origins, Internationals, Vegas.. maybe Japan..
It's Rugby league in Vegas or... AFL in Hobart.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

ALL of Victoria needs to realize the ONLY opportunity to go to Vegas on a footy trip will be a RL one.
The GF had nearly a million tuning in from Victoria..
RL has Origins, Internationals, Vegas.. maybe Japan..
It's Rugby league in Vegas or... AFL in Hobart.

Good post, just one thing, I`d make it a Melbourne Storm thing rather than a Rugby League thing if you get my drift, don`t rub the Rugby League thing in their faces, there will be plenty of time for falling in love with League when they`re over there and caught up in the event.

 

[Trifili13]

Good post, just one thing, I`d make it a Melbourne Storm thing rather than a Rugby League thing if you get my drift, don`t rub the Rugby League thing in their faces, there will be plenty of time for falling in love with League when they`re over there and caught up in the event.

Someone who has spent say 5k to 10k to go to Vegas to watch the Storm has probably already fallen in love with league. Very few if any are spending that sort of money on the chance they might fall in love with league with the hype while over there.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Someone who has spent say 5k to 10k to go to Vegas to watch the Storm has probably already fallen in love with league. Very few if any are spending that sort of money on the chance they might fall in love with league with the hype while over there.

There could be a lot of casuals who keep one eye on Storm results that might be inspired to go, especially combining it with a Vegas/West Coast trip as well. Qantas have started direct flights to Vegas, all making it easier. I want to get that Storm home average up to 28k.

 

[insert.pause]

I could see a lot of casual storm fans going to Vegas, like the posers that go to the grand final.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Someone who has spent say 5k to 10k to go to Vegas to watch the Storm has probably already fallen in love with league. Very few if any are spending that sort of money on the chance they might fall in love with league with the hype while over there.

But nobody spends 5 to 10k to watch any team, the team is the excuse, the nudge to go and have a great time in Vegas.. and the experience is just the thing that'll make you fall in love with the sport.. it's fully emersive in all it's glory.

 

[Trifili13]

There could be a lot of casuals who keep one eye on Storm results that might be inspired to go, especially combining it with a Vegas/West Coast trip as well. Qantas have started direct flights to Vegas, all making it easier. I want to get that Storm home average up to 28k.

Agree about getting the Storm average up and growing their rusted on supporter base which will benefit them if the Storm go through lean years. Better off, easier and cheaper than trying to convert non-league fans or casuals to attend a game locally than trying to market to a casual to spend 5k to 10k to go to Vegas to attract new supporters.

 

[mccarthyj367]

45,700 is some achievement with the US being a basket case right now. It looked every bit that number during the Knights v Cowboys game.

Down the track, the NRL needs to make a decision on pandering to broadcasters or maximising the event. Giving Ch9 their 3.30pm Sunday kick off meant an 8.30pm kick off in the stadium. Who is going to be hanging around a stadium in Vegas at 10.30pm on a Saturday night - only die hards.

Had all the games been wrapped up by 9pm you would have had many people stay I'd imagine. That would mean a 12pm and 2pm kick-off for the Aus TV market. If you really want an 8pm kick off for the 3rd game then you have to do something spectacular - like a world class performer doing a mini-set between the second and third game. Or alternatively, you have your showpiece game as the second match.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

45,700 is some achievement with the US being a basket case right now. It looked every bit that number during the Knights v Cowboys game.

Totally agree, it is a great result, 47 500 is a big crowd.

Down the track, the NRL needs to make a decision on pandering to broadcasters or maximising the event. Giving Ch9 their 3.30pm Sunday kick off meant an 8.30pm kick off in the stadium. Who is going to be hanging around a stadium in Vegas at 10.30pm on a Saturday night - only die hards.

Why can`t we have the best of both worlds, locals can enjoy the second game, it is NRL after all and the quality is good across the board.
The crowd wasn`t offensive in the third game and Nine get their blockbuster ratings

 

[Trifili13]

But nobody spends 5 to 10k to watch any team, the team is the excuse, the nudge to go and have a great time in Vegas.. and the experience is just the thing that'll make you fall in love with the sport.. it's fully emersive in all it's glory.

It's the excuse that most diehards probably used to either go with mates or justify it to their family/partners. Just not sure too many casuals would have used the same excuse. All I am saying is a casual or non-league fan is not waiting for a rugby league game in Vegas to combine the two.