The Game 2023 Crowd Watch

[SouthsCountry]

Despite the NRL taking control of the match scheduling, they still give great weight to its TV partners desires. Fans who actually go to the game are rarely ever considered by the NRL in terms of dates and times of matches. In fact my experience shows that fans at the ground are the lowest in the NRL's priorities when it comes to match scheduling.

The NRL is one of the only sports who schedules for TV above crowds. The only others are the NBA and NHL, both of which are huge US leagues.

But we do win TV ratings by a field day every year so it's a trade off

 

[Perth Red]

Anything over 50k will be awesome. Wish we can get 50k plus attendances in Sydney. I know we can but people are either lazy or can't afford it. That's why Rugby League is the number one sport on TV, people prefer watching comfort from their homes!!!

Why do 100k people pay $300 to go to an Ed Sheeran concert when they could stay at home and stream his music for free on the comfort of the settee?
Its about experience. NRL still needs to improve the experience. I dont get price argument, sure for away fans having to pay on the gate or the occasional fan its too expensive, but most clubs have very good value full season memberships that cost less than $20 a game.

 

[Vibing]

Why do 100k people pay $300 to go to an Ed Sheeran concert when they could stay at home and stream his music for free on the comfort of the settee?

They're idiots ?

 

[Perth Red]

Why the hell did the NRL slot this on a thursday night...Sunday afternoon perfect.

they didnt, tv decides who plays when.
Absolutley crazy. Having been to that fixture when there was 28k in commbank it was awsome, until Cleary got sent off at least which killed the atmosphere and the game. The stadium and fixture deserves a sell out, not a sub 20k Thursday night crowd.
So rugba league.

 

[Vibing]

I mean seriously
what a ridiculous comparison

the ginger crooner plays about 2 concerts in any given place every 4 years at a minimum
ofc they'll be demand

 

[Pneuma]

I mean seriously
what a ridiculous comparison

the ginger crooner plays about 2 concerts in any given place every 4 years at a minimum
ofc they'll be demand

He will use any comparison he can think of no matter how utterly stupid to criticise the game he hates. Perth Red is an AFL troll.

 

[Vibing]

He will use any comparison he can think of no matter how utterly stupid to criticise the game he hates. Perth Red is an AFL troll.

He'd be folding his arms & stamping his feet with how things are going so far in 2023
The Dolphins killing it
crowds through the roof
TV ratings through the roof
clubs announcing profits left , right & centre

poor PR
there there lad

 

[Harry O]

Wh

Why do 100k people pay $300 to go to an Ed Sheeran concert when they could stay at home and stream his music for free on the comfort of the settee?
Its about experience. NRL still needs to improve the experience. I dont get price argument, sure for away fans having to pay on the gate or the occasional fan its too expensive, but most clubs have very good value full season memberships that cost less than $20 a game.

Who said Ed Sheeran concert was $300? We paid only $150. We went to Parramatta first home game against Storm and tickets were $45 behind the post and half way line was $80.. but heard from another post that general admission at Parra was $100 few weeks back...and some supporters were spewing...

 

[Burns]

The Warriors are running a 24 hour $30 a ticket for any reserved seat at Mt Smart Stadium. Should hopefully see numbers boost, sales seem but sluggish at the moment.

As a general comment to the above posts, premium games should attract a premium price (the GF rematch, South’s v Easts etc). These matches can charge a premium price as the match day experience, the atmosphere - the general vibe - exceeds a normal regular run of the mill fixture. The more games that can attract a higher price, the better.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

The Warriors are running a 24 hour $30 a ticket for any reserved seat at Mt Smart Stadium. Should hopefully see numbers boost, sales seem but sluggish at the moment.

As a general comment to the above posts, premium games should attract a premium price (the GF rematch, South’s v Easts etc). These matches can charge a premium price as the match day experience, the atmosphere - the general vibe - exceeds a normal regular run of the mill fixture. The more games that can attract a higher price, the better.

The Broncos have been running a premium price scheme for probably 15 years - I'm shocked it has taken other clubs so long to do it.

Mind you, we were forced into it because we need 25k to break even, so we need to cash in on games against the Cowboys and Melbourne to offset smaller crowds on Thursday nights.

It's worth noting that like you said, the match day experience is always better during the premium priced games, actual performers and more fireworks etc.

 

[hineyrulz]

They're idiots ?

They have no taste, like Fumbleball fans.

 

[Gobsmacked]

they didnt, tv decides who plays when.
Absolutley crazy. Having been to that fixture when there was 28k in commbank it was awsome, until Cleary got sent off at least which killed the atmosphere and the game. The stadium and fixture deserves a sell out, not a sub 20k Thursday night crowd.
So rugba league.

To watch a game properly, you have to watch it on TV commentary, slow motion replays , injury updates , substitute updates... heck I even pause it to go to the toilet.
All that from the comfort of my lounge at the press of a button.
Or
Go to the game, get ready, organise someone else who wants to go, drive, park, then catch a train, walk to the stadium, find gate.. find seat , then after all that unless you pay through the nose, you spend most of the time looking at a big screen ( TV !) to see what's going on.
So hat's off to the people who go !!

So yes we need more incentive for people to make that effort! I think that's part of the idea of a reserve grade, so you can at least make a bit of a day of it.

I'm going to the Dolphins vs Broncos because the atmosphere of 50k will beat any TV coverage!
If we can create a scenario where we can consistently assume a good crowd.. then we'll always get a big crowd.. funny how that works hey

A mate of mine told me once that back in the day AFL was just a dollar, so everyone just went to the game.. had a great atmosphere, then there's nowhere else you'd want to watch a game and so on.

South should have given everyone who paid their money back and made it a free event to honour Satler - would have been full!

The NRL could start by subsidies for attendance.
If souths for instance average 17k this year at x amount profit, you are subsidised for any loss of profit that comes with a higher attendance.
So if you drop your prices or give away free tickets you can't loss money.
It'll cost the NRL but increase the quality of the product at the end of the day and pay dividends in the end.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Correct it's a self fulfilling prophecy

The more going the more want to go and vice versa

People want atmosphere..

I have heard large NFL teams have a room of 30 telemarketers who ring members every week to make sure they will be at the game this week, if they say no they offer parking, ubers etc

And that is from a league that averages 65k a game

 

[Harry O]

I know Parramatta is having a bad run so far,and they could lose again tonight.....but remember when the Broncos lost eight games in a row then went onto winning the Grand Final? Which year was this anyone know?

 

[Iamback]

I’m just not interested in fumbling as a sport or its attendances. I am far more interested in our game being its best. If we grow our tv audiences and crowds and maximise club income, game marketing and participation diversity then I’m happy. That’s why I cannot stand the turd from the west. Always blowing the fumbler trumpet. I’m here to discuss our great game and not their seagull chip fight. Having said that I think it’s within all of our rights in fact our duty to laugh at the rah rahs!

In some cases though there are good comparisons, GC for example comparing the 2 shows a pattern of the area.

 

[Iamback]

Correct it's a self fulfilling prophecy

The more going the more want to go and vice versa

People want atmosphere..

I have heard large NFL teams have a room of 30 telemarketers who ring members every week to make sure they will be at the game this week, if they say no they offer parking, ubers etc

And that is from a league that averages 65k a game

They need to or the game isn't shown on TV locally

 

[Iamback]

Just imagine if these crowd figures maintain themselves right through to Origin. I wouldn`t be surprised if we then see Origin numbers getting back to their heyday.
Not to mention if the Queensland sides continue to do well, the club rivalry will definitely spill over into the State rivalry.

Sadly it is impossible, In Round 3 all teams have hope and fans are excited for footy.

As the year goes on and the ladder sorts itself out then attendances fall, Throw in the larger Venue being out of action and we likely see improvement but at these levels

 

[beave]

The Broncos have been running a premium price scheme for probably 15 years - I'm shocked it has taken other clubs so long to do it.

Mind you, we were forced into it because we need 25k to break even, so we need to cash in on games against the Cowboys and Melbourne to offset smaller crowds on Thursday nights.

It's worth noting that like you said, the match day experience is always better during the premium priced games, actual performers and more fireworks etc.

$135 for lower bowl tickets this year for the NQ game at Suncorp was deadset taking the absolute piss though. To put into context, I paid $90 to go the prelim at QCB last year to sit on the west 10m line.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

$135 for lower bowl tickets this year for the NQ game at Suncorp was deadset taking the absolute piss though. To put into context, I paid $90 to go the prelim at QCB last year to sit on the west 10m line.

The worst part was that they were also $135 a pop for sections 721, 722, 723 and 724!

 

[Marlins]

Rain rain in Sydney go away
Only hit Melbourne on an AFL day.

If the rain pumps Sydney it could look real bad for the Eels/Pan & Sou/Man games, Both games deserve huge crowds. If it miraculously hangs off, add another 5k to both games.
My Crowd Predictions as follows:

Eels v Panthers 14k
Storm v Tigers 11k
Dolphins v Broncos 50k
Cowboys v Titans 17k
Rabbitohs v Sea Eagles 17k
Warriors v Bulldogs 20k
Knights v Raiders 17k
Dragons v Sharks 11k

Total Crowd - 157k
Total Average - 19.6k