2017 Crowd Watch

[Clifferd]

I remember It got 73K in a GF qualifier once....

Don't see that happen very often..

My point is, these two teams used to get block buster crowds.

Now they struggle to get 13k on a sunny Sunday arvo

 

[thorson1987]

I've got 13 unused tickets in my back pocket from todays game. They didn't bother scanning the tickets for the junior league players.

 

[Jizmos]

I remember It got 73K in a GF qualifier once....

Don't see that happen very often..

Comfortably the best game of rugby league I've ever attended.
Both as a spectacle and for atmosphere.

Pity we struggle for even half that number for finals of recent times.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

People just have not been buying into Sunday arvo games at ANZ or SFS for whatever reason. Bit of a worry crowds this year, looks to me that it will be hard to get over 14k average at this stage.

I would say that only radical change to fixturing and stadia will reverse what I can only see being a downwards trend for the foreseeable future.

I understand you're a pessimist but

Crowds are slightly down for 1 reason - rain. other than that they are exactly the same as last year... and the year before that, with slight bumps and dips depending on the form teams.

Unless it rains for the remaining 21 weeks of the season we will end up with the same 15K average. Claiming the average will drop below 14K is ridiculous.

 

[Brutus]

People just have not been buying into Sunday arvo games at ANZ or SFS for whatever reason. Bit of a worry crowds this year, looks to me that it will be hard to get over 14k average at this stage.

I would say that only radical change to fixturing and stadia will reverse what I can only see being a downwards trend for the foreseeable future.

I think people are getting out of habit of going.

The NRL has contributed to this.

 

[Teddyboy]

Are the fans or disgruntled fans doing anything at all to let the NRL know that the game is falling of the radar as for a top premier sport in Australia my mate was watching it on Premier Sport and asking why isn't it popular with the poor crowds yet he mentioned how big the AFL crowds are ?.

 

[insert.pause]

AFL had an ad on tv here in Brisbane for free GA entry for kids under 15 to all Sunday games Australia wide. There's no reason the NRL & clubs can't do the same, I know the Titans do for some games, why not make kids free for every NRL game?

 

[Clifferd]

Comfortably the best game of rugby league I've ever attended.
Both as a spectacle and for atmosphere.

Pity we struggle for even half that number for finals of recent times.

Was at that game too. Even though I'm a Tigers supporter I wasn't even that mad.

That game was the GF imo. Either team was going on to beat the roosters that year

 

[Emu01]

I know people here think the rain isn't an excuse, but I was going to today's Tigers game.

I woke to rain again. I said to myself no way am i going to sit in the rain for the third time this year.

At about 3:00pm it pissed down again so I'm not using it as an excuse but I definitely think it knocked 5k off today's crowd..

 

[Perth Red]

70k empty seats, just open the doors to any nrl club member, nothing to lose at anz games.

 

[HHH]

how hard would it be to have $10 adult tickets and free and entry to kids to all games at ANZ
Instead teams like the bulldogs wanna charge an extra $10 to sit in undercover seating on a Thursday night, in pouring rain in a 80k seat stadium.
Unfortunately the game as a whole just does not care about attendances

 

[T-Boon]

70k empty seats, just open the doors to any nrl club member, nothing to lose at anz games.

Agreed, all ANZ games should be free for all ticketed members. They should spend a million dollars advertising this fact as well.

 

[DC_fan]

70k empty seats, just open the doors to any nrl club member, nothing to lose at anz games.

I like your idea. But two reasons why I don't see the NRL doing it.

Firstly, they will say it devalues the game. Secondly, it wouldn't look good if they throw open the gates and people still didn't attend in good numbers.

 

[AJB1102]

That is atrocious from the Bulldogs to charge an extra $10 to let those poor, loyal saps stay dry.

Such a family Club. If it starts raining at a family BBQ how much do you have to bribe grandma to get inside?

 

[undertaker]

I think people are getting out of habit of going.

The NRL has contributed to this.

and the media

 

[Brutus]

and the media

Yes.

 

[hutch]

There are a number of reasons crowds are down, it's not completely down to the weather. Dragons v tigers on a Sunday arvo was regularly drawing well over 20k over the last decade, 14k is not acceptable. There is a lack of hype this year, something is missing. It may be only small and reversible, but it is a slight worry. Feels like the game has stagnated a little bit.

 

[Timmah]

I think it comes down to weather a lot more than people realise.

 

[Perth Red]

I think it comes down to weather a lot more than people realise.

I think the weather can be blamed for the drop but even without it it is highly likely crowds would be same as they have been for last 5 years as the nrl and clubs have done nothing to improve them, again.

 

[hutch]

Also remember every other sport has remained stagnant or gone backwards.
The afl had bigger crowds in 1996 than they do now, super rugby union has basically halved and the Aleague is up and down as well, with a downward trend at the moment.