2024 Crowd Watch

[titoelcolombiano]

Manly CEO Tony Mestrov has publicly stated that a 17k stadium isn`t big enough for an NRL team, 25k is a minimum, so we know what Manly are aiming for.
I like the idea of marquee games at Allianz etc. and think it is probably possible that the clubs with smaller grounds realise what they are missing out on as our attendance culture grows.
The one area I think you may have missed though is the potential for women`s game to fulfil the double-header role for these events, especially if we can continue to grow that comp and cement its` position as the premier women`s `rugby` competition in the world.

Good point

 

[Wb1234]

They must have negotiated the shittest deal of all time with Stadiums Queensland

It’s been renegotiated twice

it was 3 million pa plus

 

[League Unlimited News]

 

[yakstorm]

That's the biggie isn't it.

Shark Park 17k when done
Leichardt / Campbeltown - 17kish
Brookvale - 17kish
Penrith 25k (I think???) when done

All of these clubs could obviously average higher with a bigger stadium. The solution is probably more event games. Need to work out a way for each Sydney club to have a couple of event games / double headers a year to really help push their average up.

Souths, Roosters, Dargons, Manly, Sharks and maybe Tigers could work together to have a few double header / event games at Allianz

Tigers, Dogs, Eels, Panthers and maybe Souths could participate in some double header / event games at Accor.

Storm are continually building their averages which is awesome, as their averages starts to creep up to 25k (hopefully over the next 5 years) they can start taking one or two marquee games to Docklands to try and push for more than 30k in attendance (not the Anzac game though as it benefits from walk up from the MCG).

Warriors can try one or two marquee games at Eden Park (or hopefully get a ground upgrade / new ground altogether) to push them up.

I'd try to steer away from Double Headers where possible, but the NRL definitely should be trying to build some more event/marquee games so that all clubs have at least have one and it's played in a venue that holds 30K or more.

Raiders hosting an ANZAC eve game seems like an obvious one and one of the Queensland clubs should either get a Labour Day or Labour Day eve match.

Warriors should have something on Matariki and maybe the Raiders should have something leading into Reconciliation Day each year. Easter Saturday (& maybe Sunday) is crying out for an event game, especially at Homebush.

Outside of trying to maximise for Public Holidays, Storm doing something at Docklands at the same time as Gather Round is an obvious one and Rabbitohs v Eels as the big kick off to Indigenous Round needs to just be made official.

Manly v Rabbitohs would make for a big game at Allianz, same with Dragons v Sharks. There are plenty of other ones, but the clubs & NRL should try to lock them in and build an event around them.

 

[League Unlimited News]

 

[yakstorm]

70,601 after 5 matches (14,120 average)

 

[Big Salad]

Any SEQ residents got info, anecdotal or otherwise, on how well the Dolphins are building a reliable support base beyond their immediate catchment area?

I accept the point about AFL attendances in absolute terms, but it's important for the NRL expansion strategy that the second franchise in Brisbane performs as well, proportionate to the Broncos, as the second AFL franchises in Perth and Adelaide. I would put that as an average of roughly 25k at Suncorp.

I agree the crowds aren't good enough but I think the past two games in particular the train line closures have been an issue.

For the Knights game the previous Sunday, all of the northside train lines were closed all weekend for maintenance including the Redcliffe train line which would have impacted the crowd quite heavily.

For Thursday's game, the Shorncliffe line (the line directly south of Redcliffe) has been closed all week for upgrades and would have had a small impact on the crowd. The rain was heavy and regular enough on Thursday afternoon to be a big factor together with playing a low-drawing team. Crowd of 20,000+ should still have been considered par though.

The other issues the Dolphins have:
1. Poor promo of their home games.

2. Poor schedule for drawing crowds - they've been gifted an 'easy' draw to help them out however this means playing most of the teams that draw the smallest crowds at Suncorp, even for the Broncos.

3. Lack of star power - they have a lot of toilers in the Dolphins team but not a huge amount of players who would attract 'neutrals' to their games compared to the Broncos, regardless of results. Most neutral attendees would probably rather save their money for Broncos games to see Walsh, Reynolds, Mam, Carrigan etc. Hammer is the main one for Dolphins and he's out.

4. Geographic identity - I think the lack of geographic identity makes it hard for people actually in Brisbane to identify with them. In the absence of a location in their name, there have been players and commentators over the past year refer to them in interviews as Redcliffe which reinforces a perception that they're a Redcliffe team and not a true 'Brisbane' team. I'd be fascinated to know how many members and supporters they have in the south Brisbane-Logan area. If they want larger crowds at Suncorp then they really need to tap into all of Brisbane and all surrounding council areas, not just Moreton Bay/north Brisbane/Sunshine Coast.

 

[Ride the Lion to Zion]

NRL don't set the pricing, you'll find the pricing for tomorrow at the GC is about 25% inflated because NQ is playing (supply and demand tingz) and set by the Titans.

Doesn't this demonstrate that ticket release and pricing policy in the NRL is all too often aimed at maximizing dollars rather than attendees?

Some posters say lower ticket prices devalue the brand. Building a stronger attendance culture means appealing to casual and potential fans via media coverage. In the minds of TV viewers, swathes of empty seats and lacklustre atmospheres devalue the brand a lot more than knowledge of how much people paid to get in.

 

[Vlad59]

Great win by the mighty sharks guaranteeing a huge crowd for our home game next week. Happy days! Up up Cronulla!

 

[Ride the Lion to Zion]

That game was a unique moment in NRL history though so not a useful example

Useful to some extent. Shows what that stadium could be if regular home support were as ebullient as contingents of Cowboys or Warriors fans.

 

[aarondoyle]

Storm crowd?

 

[reanimate]

Storm crowd?

18,670 according to Fox.

 

[yakstorm]

89,271 after 6 matches. Here's hoping for some above average mother's day crowds to finish off the round.

 

[Desert Qlder]

Kogarah is worse than Leichhardt. The worst ground the game. Absolute toilet.

No character or any redeeming qualities. It should be illegal to play there. But it’s home to a deadshit Sydney club so we’re talking total incompetence.

 

[yakstorm]

First two Women's Origin games are selling strongly.

The opener in Brisbane is on track for a 20K+ crowd, with the majority of bays on Level 3 sold out and those few that are left, down to limited availability.

Level 5 North came on sale earlier in the week.

Newcastle has to be on track also for a 20K+ crowd. Bays 51 - 59 on the Western Grandstand are pretty much down to single seats, whilst the front of the corner bays are heavily sold.

Similar story on the lower eastern side, with only the upper corners of bays 1 & 11 having chunks of seats left. Upstairs on the Andrew Johns stand has had decent sales as well, with the middle 3 bays almost sold out and then still solid sales across the rest.

Newcastle has a history of big crowds and turning up for rep games, though I'm surprised by how many have sold this early for the game.

 

[Vee]

Great win by the mighty sharks guaranteeing a huge crowd for our home game next week. Happy days! Up up Cronulla!

Huge crowd? 13k?

 

[Vlad59]

Huge crowd? 13k?

Magic Round bro

 

[Miller was a legend]

Huge crowd? 13k?

I was screaming at you

“don’t say it, don’t say it”

didn’t you hear me?

 

[Vlad59]

I was screaming at you

“don’t say it, don’t say it”

didn’t you hear me?

I went fishing.

 

[Vee]

I went fishing.

Well played.