2025 Crowd Watch

[DIOGENES]

Are we measuring the crowds per event?
If so do we have an average per event?

 

[DIOGENES]

I reckon an increase of 2.7% on last year’s record

 

[League Unlimited News]

Are we measuring the crowds per event?
If so do we have an average per event?

Anyone who wishes to do so can - we stick to one measurement and are consistent about it.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

So from that article it looks like we will have a return to Sunday afternoon matches in Week 2. This is such a good move and something we haven't had since 2007. Hopefully they can do the same for the Prelims in Week 3!

 

[DIOGENES]

Anyone who wishes to do so can - we stick to one measurement and are consistent about it.

Ausstadiums gives it as 195 events but total 4,010,059 for an average 20,564
(may be missing today’s 2 games)

NRL Crowds | Austadiums

List of NRL crowd attendance figures, including stadium crowds, highest and lowest attendances accross current and previous NRL seasons.

www.austadiums.com

 

[League Unlimited News]

They haven't added today's crowds yet.

 

[Sky_Is_The_Limit]

2025 regular season by the numbers in Sydney:
- 25 games with crowds over 20,000 (up from 24 in 2024, 22 in 2023 and 14 in 2022). I believe this is a new record for the number of 20,000+ crowds.
- 8 games with crowds over 30,000 (up from 6 in 2024, 5 in 2023 and 3 in 2022). A new record for the number of 30,000+ crowds.
- 4 games with crowds over 40,000 (up from 2 in 2024 and 1 each in 2023 and 2022). A new record for the number of 40,000+ crowds.
- 2 games with crowds over 50,000 (up from 0 in 2024, 2023 and 2022). Equals the all time record of 2 games (in 2013).

 

[PARRA_FAN]

So from that article it looks like we will have a return to Sunday afternoon matches in Week 2. This is such a good move and something we haven't had since 2007. Hopefully they can do the same for the Prelims in Week 3!

Was mentioned on Matty Johns. If thats the case for Week 2, its great news and theyve listened to the fans. We could potentially have a packed Suncorp Sunday game.

 

[Wb1234]

NRL Telstra Premiership 2025 Finals Series

The 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series will feature matches in two countries and five major cities.

www.nrl.com

Warriors going head to head with the all blacks is an interesting choice, especially when the warriors requested a different slot

Shouldn’t affect the crowd too much but it’s a dumb move

 

[Sky_Is_The_Limit]

NRL Finals Week 1 - Crowd Predictions:
Melbourne - Storm vs Bulldogs 26,500
Auckland - Warriors vs Panthers 26,500
Sydney - Sharks vs Roosters 14,000
Canberra - Raiders vs Broncos 24,000
Total - 91,000
Average - 22,750

 

[Suitman]

NRL Finals Week 1 - Crowd Predictions:
Melbourne - Storm vs Bulldogs 26,500
Auckland - Warriors vs Panthers 26,500
Sydney - Sharks vs Roosters 14,000
Canberra - Raiders vs Broncos 24,000
Total - 91,000
Average - 22,750

Sharks vs Roosters.
Oh dear.
We as a code, should be smarter than that.

 

[drcmuch]

Number of games
1998 -- 240
1999 -- 204
2000-2001 -- 182
2002-2006 -- 180
2007-2022 -- 192
2023-2025 -- 204

 

[undertaker]

So from that article it looks like we will have a return to Sunday afternoon matches in Week 2. This is such a good move and something we haven't had since 2007. Hopefully they can do the same for the Prelims in Week 3!

100% confirmed that week 2 will be Saturday 7:50pm and Sunday 4:05pm.

Week 1 and 2 draws revealed as Ricky’s table-topping Raiders get their way — NRL Finals Fixtures

Week 1 and 2 draws revealed as Ricky’s table-topping Raiders get their way — NRL Finals Fixtures

www.foxsports.com.au

I don't know if this shock decision by the NRL is just a one-off (and it reverts back to the usual Friday night/Saturday night next year) because from that article, it appears that the main reason why this scheduling change to the finals was made is due to 1 vs 4 (in this case, Canberra vs Brisbane) being on Sunday. Since the current NRL finals series was implemented in 2012, this is the first time this has happened, as it's always been an elimination final (5 vs 8 or 6 vs 7) that has been held on Sunday in week 1 of the finals.

In 2008, week 2 and 3 finals were changed from Saturday night/Sunday to Friday night/Saturday night as a compromise for the 5:20pm twilight GF during 2008-12. However, when Ch9 got their beloved night GF back in 2013, week 2 & 3 finals should've reverted back to Saturday night/Sunday.

Nevertheless, even if it's just a one-off, this change by the NRL is LONG overdue. How Ch9 have been able to get away with this for a long time is a joke. I guess we all have Ricky Stuart to thank for putting pressure on the NRL (and in turn, the NRL telling Ch9 to go and get stuffed, there will be finals footy on Sunday arvos beyond week 1 of the finals) to have Canberra play on Sunday.

 

[Suitman]

Extraordinary growth.
Game days are becoming events and it is a great thing.
Just look at today.
There was absolutely no reason there should have been 23000 at the Eels game today.
Only one team had anything to play for, and that was Newcastle avoiding the spoon. There would have been lucky to have been 1500 Newcastle fans there today. Was probably even less than that.
Therefore, over 21000 Eels fans turned up to a game that had nothing riding on it.
I can guarantee that all the parents that took their kids to that game today will want to take them again. And the kids will want to go again.
We are building a future crowd culture. Not we as in Parra, but the NRL.

 

[drcmuch]

NRL Finals Week 1 - Crowd Predictions:
Melbourne - Storm vs Bulldogs 26,500
Auckland - Warriors vs Panthers 26,500
Sydney - Sharks vs Roosters 14,000
Canberra - Raiders vs Broncos 24,000
Total - 91,000
Average - 22,750

When the regular season average is pushing 20k, it's deflating to slump into finals season like this. Some day we'll get the right mix of finals teams and venues to produce 40k averages through September, but not today.

 

[bazza]

When the regular season average is pushing 20k, it's deflating to slump into finals season like this. Some day we'll get the right mix of finals teams and venues to produce 40k averages through September, but not today.

week 2 could well be Broncos and Dogs home games and an average of over 50k

 

[Billythekid]

Sellout games in Melbourne, Canberra and NZ is a good result. There is nothing wrong with a sold out crowd of 25K for a finals game. I think we need to stop acting like these are bad crowds.

View attachment 106008View attachment 106009
Number of games
1998 -- 240
1999 -- 204
2000-2001 -- 182
2002-2006 -- 180
2007-2022 -- 192
2023-2025 -- 204

Look at that growth post Covid, that’s absolutely insane. We had 20 years of stagnation (and even decline at the end there) before suddenly seeing this explosion in crowds. Even crazier is that ratings are going the same way.

Now the big question is can the growth continue? I think we’ll see things plateau a bit but who knows, I don’t think anyone predicted what is currently happening.

 

[drcmuch]

Sellout games in Melbourne, Canberra and NZ is a good result. There is nothing wrong with a sold out crowd of 25K for a finals game. I think we need to stop acting like these are bad crowds.

Nothing wrong, as such. Just that finals is the section that remains static, and off-peak. That's partly just the nature of finals - the teams having slumps aren't in them - and the GF being the regular 80k every year. But there's room there to reach new highs when we hit the right combination of teams / venues.

 

[League Unlimited News]

Fri	17:40	SYD v CAN	Allianz	11,020
Sat	12:45	SGI v NQL	WIN	7,040
Sat	17:15	CBY v CRO	Accor	12,174
Sun	12:00	WAR v BRI	FMG Stadium	7,195
Sun	13:45	NEW v GLD	McD. Jones	2,047
Sun	18:15	PAR v WST	Commbank	4,847

44,323 the aggregate for Round 10 NRLW - the highest of the season (previously R8 of 41,576).

303,904 for the season to date, 5,427 average

 

[League Unlimited News]

Big thread of all the home crowd averages with breakdowns and increases etc.

Likely the odd data error here and there but should be accruate for the most part.


BRISBANE averaged 41,185 across 12 games at Suncorp Stadium.
up by 3.5% on their 2024 home average of 39,873.
second highest average in club history

CANTERBURY averaged 31,132 across 11 home games, 10 at Accor, 1 at Belmore.
Including Allianz (R21) average is 30,688
Accor only average was 32,460
Up 40.3% on thier 2024 home average of 22,185
Their highest ever home average ever

SYDNEY averaged 24,839 across 10 home games at Allianz Stadium.
Including Gosford (R12) average is 23,799
Up 11.5% on their 2024 home average of 22,275
Their highest home average ever

WARRIORS averaged 23,797 across 10 home games at Go Media Stadium
Including Christchurch (R8) average is 21,187
up 0.1% on their 2024 home average of 23,758
second highest home average behind 26,450 in their inaugural 1995 campaign

DOLPHINS averaged 22,888 across 11 home games (9 at Suncorp, 2 at Kayo)
including Perth (R16) average is 21,820
Suncorp only average is 25,746
down 4.3% on their 2024 home average of 23,933

MELBOURNE averaged 21,677 across 11 home games at AAMI Park
up 9.2% on their 2024 home average of 19,849
their highest home average ever

NEWCASTLE averaged 20,884 across 12 games at McDonald Jones Stadium.
down 7.7% on their 2024 home average of 22,635

NORTH QUEENSLAND averaged 18,661 across 12 games at QLD Country Bank Stadium.
down 3.2% on their 2024 home average of 19,281

CANBERRA averaged 16,766 across 11 games at GIO Stadium Canberra.
up 20.1% on their 2024 home average of 13,958
their second highest home average, behind 17,392 their last premiership season of 1994.

GOLD COAST averaged 16,694 across 11 games at Cbus Super Stadium
up 2.8% on their 2024 home average of 16,241

PARRAMATTA averaged 16,481 across 11 games at Commbank Stadium.
including Darwin (R6) average is 15,904
down 12.5% on their 2024 home average of 18,836
Lowest Commbank average since it opened (excl 2020)

MANLY averaged 16,393 across 12 games at 4 Pines Park
down 0.4% on their 2024 average of 16,473
their second highest home average, behind last year

WESTS TIGERS averaged 15,383 across 10 games (4 at Campbelltown, 3 at Leichhardt, 3 at Commbank)
including Allianz (R24) average 15,175
Commbank avg 20,425
Campbelltown avg 11,403
Leichhardt avg 15,647
up 21.6% on their 2024 average of 12,653

SOUTH SYDNEY averaged 14,758 across 7 games at Accor Stadium
including Commbank (R1), polytec (R21) and Allianz (R24) average is 14,533 (ten games)
up 1.7% on 2024 average of 14,511

PENRITH averaged 14,564 across 8 games at their temporary Commbank Stadium home
including Bathurst (R12) and Mudgee (R25) average is 13,844
down 25.3% on 2024 average of 19,497

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA averaged 12,505 across 12 games (6 Jubilee, 6 WIN)
WIN average 13,623
Jubilee average 11,387
16.8% on 2024 average of 15,036 (includes ANZAC Day 2024)

CRONULLA averaged 11,006 across 10 games at Sharks Stadium
down 6% on 2024 average of 11,712

NRL SEASON AGGREGATE crowd of 4,046,494
This figure counts double headers ONCE, and the highest crowd figure for each day of Magic Round.
up 2.7% on last year's aggregate of 3,939,709

AVERAGE crowds
19,836 per game across 204 games
20,541 per event across 197 events