What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

2024 Crowd Watch

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
6,027
Some strong movement in Auckland over the past few weeks, with pretty much the lower level of the East, West & North stands now sold out (or down to single seats).

Upper bays in the East & West stands are selling reasonably well, though the corner bays on both sides haven't gone on sale yet. Possibly sitting around the 15K sold mark currently and tracking well to get to capacity by kick off.
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,913
Interesting you mention those games, even though SL and ARL made peace there were still a lot of scars healing and the game didnt really care too much for the International game.

Those two games barely got any publicity. The game in 1998 was raining heavy and was very rare back then that a home test match was played after the season. As for 1999 there was supposedly a bit of hype about the Poms touring for the first time in 7 years but that was overshadowed by the future of RL clubs. I'm pretty sure that week, Souths were kicked out of the comp which left a lot of people p1ssed off about the game. In fact I think the Kangaroos Vs the Rest of the World in 97 wouldve been a bigger crowd than the GB game.

You're right about the International crowds since 2003. There's hardly been a poor crowd, although we hoped they got more for the WC final in 17, the final in 08 wouldve been an amazing atmosphere.
Yep, I just had a look and you're correct.

That 1997 test match at Suncorp got a larger crowd (14,927) than the Australia vs Great Britain 1999 test (12,511), which is quite phenomenal given that players who signed for the NZRL and RFL* were ruled ineligible for selection in the Rest of the World side.

*Two points of interest regarding that 1997 mid-year test:

1) Jason Robinson was selected in the Rest of the World side because although he was playing for Wigan in the ESL at the time, he had signed an ARL contract in 1995 to join South Sydney in 1998. However, Robinson backflipped not long after the Rest of the World test match, chose to stay with Wigan, and then went on to play for Great Britain in the Super League Ashes series later that year.

2) Also interesting that Wigan allowed Robinson to travel approx. 17,000km across the other side of the world during the middle of the season to play in that test match at Suncorp (hence missing the Rd 17 ESL match vs Paris St Germain, which Wigan lost 30-28), before flying all the way back to play for Wigan the following weekend. That's something you would never see today. Completely unimaginable to think of someone like Trbojevic, Moses, Ponga et al missing their club's upcoming NRL match to travel to England and fill in for a team in the ESL that weekend, before returning back to Australia to play in the NRL the following round.
 

taste2taste

Juniors
Messages
2,466
Just noticed the pacific championship final is at 620pm on a Sunday .

going to be hard to get a good crowd on a Sunday night, also going to be hard to get good ratings, I’m assuming 9 will put the game on GEM as I can’t see them putting the game on the main channel ahead of the news and the block.
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
6,616
Just noticed the pacific championship final is at 620pm on a Sunday .

going to be hard to get a good crowd on a Sunday night, also going to be hard to get good ratings, I’m assuming 9 will put the game on GEM as I can’t see them putting the game on the main channel ahead of the news and the block.
The times are very strange for this tournament. Aus v NZ this weekend should be a Saturday night blockbuster for example not in a less than ideal Sunday afternoon time slot
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
6,027
Early start so kiwi viewers get it at a decent time

They will start the news early
It's already listed on the TV guide & NRL website that the 6:20pm game will be on 9Now / GEM / Kayo / Foxtel.

Considering the game before will be on the main channel, I'm a bit surprised they weren't swapped.

Unsurprisingly the Final is held the day after the Everest Carnival finishes. We couldn't have a Sydney Test going head-to-head with the racing.
 

Matt_CBY

Juniors
Messages
1,478
Is it listed or confirmed anywhere that the 6:20pm match will be one of the finals and not one of the promotion/relegation matches?
 
Messages
643
Is it listed or confirmed anywhere that the 6:20pm match will be one of the finals and not one of the promotion/relegation matches?
Yeah it`s on the NRL.com at the Pacific Championship page. Teams are `TBC` but venue, game time and broadcaster all there.
Have to admit I`m stunned this has been relegated to Gem and Now, it`s the final and will rate very strongly, especially on the main channel. I`d assumed it was the four o`clock game and I`m going.
 

kurt faulk

Coach
Messages
14,413
.

It doesn't state which game is pacific cup or pacific bowl.

I would assume the pacific cup game would be at 4pm. Channel 9 aren't going to show the inferior game before their news.

.
 

League Unlimited News

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
8,675
Where is the link to this information?
Fox Sports:

Commbank Stadium:

Wikipedia article on the tournament:
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,913
Sold out crowd of 17,005 at Christchurch Today Aus v NZ.
If 17,005 is a "sell-out" for a test match involving two of the top RL nations in the world, might as well have played it at Brookvale Oval instead.

Today's game deserved a much bigger crowd than 17,005. Need to play at the larger venues
 

Latest posts

Top