2010 Crowd Watch

[Timmah]

Rain is going to the big issue.

Last years conditions at Shark Park round 1 were the worst I have seen viewing Television wise. It was sheeting, there was lightning. Wind blowing a gale and freezing cold.

Come on mother nature! Do us a favour!!

Would love to see record round one crowds.

Same at ANZ for Dogs/Manly - insane stuff.

 

[Springs]

With Melbourne they should get over 20,000 to their first game against the Warriors at Etihad considering the fans will have had no NRL action for four weeks (plus the offseason). The game against the Broncos after the test should also sellout.

Bulldogs vs Knights should get over 25,000. They got that for Round 1 a few years ago i think. Over 19,000 was good for last year in the rain.
Tigers/Sea Eagles drew a good crowd on a Monday Night at the SFS Round 20 or so last year. For Round 1 with Tuqiri as well should be well over 20,000.

 

[big_matt]

Would love to see our proud club get averages to be second again this year. Plenty of support for the blue and whites

Round 1 Averages so far this decade:
2000 - seven games Att: 143,483 Avg: 20,498
2001 - seven games Att: 139,729 Avg: 19,961
2002 - seven games Att: 115,390 Avg: 16,484
2003 - seven games Att: 123,405 Avg: 17,629
2004 - seven games Att: 138,304 Avg: 19,758
2005 - seven games Att: 159,614 Avg: 22,802
2006 - seven games Att: 161,713 Avg: 23,102
2007 - eight games Att: 185,051 Avg: 23,131
2008 - eight games Att: 183,627 Avg: 22,953
2009 - eight games Att: 168,483 Avg: 21,060

Stats courtesy of http://nrl.has.it

That's interesting that for the last decade crowds have basically stayed the same. Why are other sports getting bigger and bigger crowds and we aren't moving?

Also interesting that plenty on here have the sharks getting about 10k for round 1. If that happens and they only get 10k for the season opener against the best team in the comp you would have to worry for them I think.

 

[Red Bear]

Eels vs Dragons, Parramatta: 20,500
Broncos vs Cowboys, Suncorp: 48,500
Bulldogs vs Knights, ANZ: 21 000
Sharks vs Storm, Toyota: 12 000
Panthers vs Raiders, CUA: 14 100
Titans vs Warriors, Skilled: 19 300
Rabbitohs vs Roosters, ANZ: 31 000
Tigers vs Sea Eagles, SFS: 21,000

 

[flamin]

That's interesting that for the last decade crowds have basically stayed the same. Why are other sports getting bigger and bigger crowds and we aren't moving?

Also interesting that plenty on here have the sharks getting about 10k for round 1. If that happens and they only get 10k for the season opener against the best team in the comp you would have to worry for them I think.

Crowds haven't really stayed the same at all. In 2002 the average crowd was 13k. In 2009 it was 16k. And looking at R1 figures alone there is a difference of 7k between the highest and lowest figures. The last few years have been about the same though. It has been a slow improvement but attendences should continue to increase with huge increases in memberships and better stadia.

In fact the NRL was the only major competition to improve on crowd numbers last year.

 

[big_matt]

Crowds haven't really stayed the same at all. In 2002 the average crowd was 13k. In 2009 it was 16k. And looking at R1 figures alone there is a difference of 7k between the highest and lowest figures. The last few years have been about the same though. It has been a slow improvement but attendences should continue to increase with huge increases in memberships and better stadia.

In fact the NRL was the only major competition to improve on crowd numbers last year.

The average in 2005 was 16.5k (more than last year) and in 1994 the average was 14.5k (only a tiny bit less than last year). In my opinion the crowds have really gone nowhere for quite a long time. Look at the AFL where teams are getting 50k members who got 20k total crowds 15 years ago. I think the game needs to work out why more people aren't coming to rugby leage each year and what can be done about it. I wouldn't say going from 13/14k to 16k in 10 years is anything to celebrate.

I agree with your point that attendances should imrpove in the coming years though as clubs are putting much more effort into membership drives and advertising.

 

[big_matt]

I would add that I think expansion would create more of a general interest in the game throughout australia and top the numbers up a bit more.

I also think the new storm stadium will make a bit of a difference to the overall numbers, just because families etc weren't prepared to stand in the rain at olympic park but will be excited about the new facilities.

 

[Timmah]

:lol: quoting your own post...

as for the content of your initial question, in that same time, which codes crowds have been getting "bigger and bigger". The A-League for a start has seen epic decline in the last 2 years...

 

[westie]

If things had kept going normally from '94 onwards, crowds would be out of sight. As it was, Super League sent everything massively in arrears. IMO crowds started to noticeably grow from around... say 2003 when some of the Sydney clubs began to do well. 2005 was a high-water mark due to Sydney clubs (and NQ) doing well, and the attractiveness of the on-field product, due to a fast play-the-ball.

Melbourne will grow this year, likely a significant increase. Warriors, Titans and NQ will probably be a let-down due to on-field performance or expensive tickets.

The big thing will be Sydney clubs. I think it's very likely that

Saints,
Dogs,
Tigers,
Souths,
Eels,
Roosters

will all be in the top 8 come the end of the year. If they all meet each other in form, we'll see mega crowds. This will create more hype and good-will, the like of which we saw at the end of last year. We will be gaining the benefits of the great success of the end of last year.

I think this year will see us with the biggest crowd average ever. Hopefully Brisbane and the Warriors can chip in with some big averages along the way.

 

[Timmah]

NZ still love their league - 17k to a trial vs manly at North Harbour evidence of that. Hope it continues into the season proper.

 

[big_matt]

:lol: quoting your own post...

as for the content of your initial question, in that same time, which codes crowds have been getting "bigger and bigger". The A-League for a start has seen epic decline in the last 2 years...

I think I answered that with my comment about the AFL crowds. They gave grown incredibly. Most sports around the world have. The fact rugby league crowds haven't moved in 15 years must be a concern however you look at it.

The a-league has seen a massive decline. True. But that league is a bit of a flawed concept IMO. It capitalised on huge soccer frenzy after the last world cup and it was never going to last. The league may not be around in 5 years imo.

 

[Red Bear]

Other sports didnt have the game torn apart and stickytaped back together again ala League.

The momentum was building in 94. We've only regained said momentum in the last few years really

 

[flamin]

The average in 2005 was 16.5k (more than last year) and in 1994 the average was 14.5k (only a tiny bit less than last year). In my opinion the crowds have really gone nowhere for quite a long time. Look at the AFL where teams are getting 50k members who got 20k total crowds 15 years ago. I think the game needs to work out why more people aren't coming to rugby leage each year and what can be done about it. I wouldn't say going from 13/14k to 16k in 10 years is anything to celebrate.

In 1998 AFL averaged 34k. In 2009 average 36k. Yes they did experience huge growth before that on the back of - obviously - increased memberships and moving to bigger and better stadia, but they've grown even less than the NRL has over the same period of time - 1998: 10 935, 2009: 16 605.

As others have said, a little thing called super league is the reason crowds went backwards and why we've passed early 90s levels only a few years ago.

 

[Timmah]

I think I answered that with my comment about the AFL crowds. They gave grown incredibly. Most sports around the world have. The fact rugby league crowds haven't moved in 15 years must be a concern however you look at it.

The a-league has seen a massive decline. True. But that league is a bit of a flawed concept IMO. It capitalised on huge soccer frenzy after the last world cup and it was never going to last. The league may not be around in 5 years imo.

See flamin's stats above.

Try doing your research before making baseless claims. League crowds have moved over the last 15 years. Things don't happen magically, it takes time. The current membership push is vital.

 

[big_matt]

See flamin's stats above.

Try doing your research before making baseless claims. League crowds have moved over the last 15 years. Things don't happen magically, it takes time. The current membership push is vital.

So why were crowds last year lower than 4 years ago? Was that the superleague war? AFL clubs are getting up to 50,000 members this year and there is no reason why rugby league clubs couldnt have become the same over the years. Look at the dogs/eels final last year. Where are those 80k fans every week?

Flamin admits that before the timeframe he mentions, aFL clubs went through huge growth. Why didnt this happen in NRL? Wasn't just purely down to superleague IMO.

 

[m0nty]

It must also be pointed out that Australia's overall population has grown from 18.5 million in 1997 to somewhere north of 22 million people now, 13 years later, an increase of 19%. Attendance at sports should be growing in all codes faster than it is. Of course, population is only one of many factors, but there it is.

 

[big_matt]

It must also be pointed out that Australia's overall population has grown from 18.5 million in 1997 to somewhere north of 22 million people now, 13 years later, an increase of 19%. Attendance at sports should be growing in all codes faster than it is. Of course, population is only one of many factors, but there it is.

Correct.

There has been huge population growth, massive sports media growth, and big disposable income growth over the last decade. Rugby leage crowds give or take a thousand people, however, have stayed pretty stagnant.

We can pretend there has been huge growth and get excited but at the end of the day had the sport been run better we could have had much much bigger crowds.

Cronulla could get 10k for the season opener against the best team in the world when they have had 50 years to build a fanbase. If that is a healthy code then its a worry.

I'm not trying to be down on league. I love it as much as anyone and am a member so I do my bit for crowd figures. I just think the recent 'boom' is a case of rose tinted glasses.

 

[big_matt]

I know this will be controversial but I also think too much is made of the super league effect. Yes, it caused massive uproar at the time and yes it put a percentage of fans off from attending league games. However, I don't think its the main reason we have failed to build big crowds in league. The game in general has not been run/marketed well enough over a long period of time and its only right now that they are starting to get it sorted.

Lots of other sports have gone through just as traumatic events as super league and recovered much better. Look at ice hockey: The NHL has had two complete lockout seasons in the last 15 years where no games took place. It's well documented that many hockey fans took up membership at other sports during those times. They also have plenty teams who merge or move. However the crowds always bounce straight back.

I'm not belittling what super league did, or the effect it had on the sport, but I think its just a convenient excuse to mention it alone whenever discussions about crowds come up. The huge publicity and membership drives of this year and last could easily have been done 7 years ago and had an effect then but they weren't.

 

[westie]

I know this will be controversial but I also think too much is made of the super league effect. Yes, it caused massive uproar at the time and yes it put a percentage of fans off from attending league games. However, I don't think its the main reason we have failed to build big crowds in league. The game in general has not been run/marketed well enough over a long period of time and its only right now that they are starting to get it sorted.

Lots of other sports have gone through just as traumatic events as super league and recovered much better. Look at ice hockey: The NHL has had two complete lockout seasons in the last 15 years where no games took place. It's well documented that many hockey fans took up membership at other sports during those times. They also have plenty teams who merge or move. However the crowds always bounce straight back.

I'm not belittling what super league did, or the effect it had on the sport, but I think its just a convenient excuse to mention it alone whenever discussions about crowds come up. The huge publicity and membership drives of this year and last could easily have been done 7 years ago and had an effect then but they weren't.

I think I explained why there was a peak in '05.

There has been poor admin, yes. But it was a result of super league. Competent admin down the track has aimed at repairing what was done, not advancing from '94 levels.

 

[DINGb@T]

Wouldn't exactly call that 'no change' (especially if you take '95 out).