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2025 Crowd Watch

Messages
391
Dont underestimate the reach of NFL. On a bus right now in London, and its packed full of European NFL fans
This.

The NFL sure learnt their lesson from the old struggling NFL Europe days in the early 90’s through to the late 00’s in that the real interest lies in main product and not some watered down 2nd rate substitute league .
 
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Dogs Of War

Coach
Messages
13,101
Nfl at Wembley got 86k

Sad to see the ashes wont get close to that

NFL is having it's moment in the sun over there. It's a bit like a Rugby 7s event. And the NFL has put a lot into making this a success with events every year and now to the point they can play multiple events overseas as the interest increases.

NRL can learn a lot about the baby steps approach, and trying to get your product know to be the best version of it. Unfortunately for us our time zone hurts us a lot in that regard as well.

Rugby League had a good ashes series, but neglect of the international game has seen that wither away. Rugby League in the UK needs a good shot in the arm and better pathways for juniors to come through. Probably needs the NRL to invest if it's to get anywhere in teh future.
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
4,468
I am feeling even more bullish that Suncorp will get low 40,000s which would surpass the 2017 RLWC Final of Australia v England (got 40,000).

Probably be the biggest international crowd in Australia since maybe the 2008 Final?

Absolutely crazy.
We're at 38k now with a full week..
Come on !!!
Get out there you mad Tongans and Samoans!!
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
6,799
2
I am feeling even more bullish that Suncorp will get low 40,000s which would surpass the 2017 RLWC Final of Australia v England (got 40,000).

Probably be the biggest international crowd in Australia since maybe the 2008 Final?

Absolutely crazy.
Can we count the 2014 Four Nations opener (Samoa v England & Australia v NZ) which got 47,813? Otherwise yes its likely to be the biggest Test crowd in Australia since the 08 RLWC Final & largest non Final crowd since the 1974 Lions Tour when 55,505 attended the SCG.

The only other games in the mix if its low 40K are the 2005 ANZAC Test (40,317) & 1992 Lions Tour (40,141)
 

insert.pause

First Grade
Messages
6,768
Club Wembley members got to go to the NFL match as part of their annual inclusions. The RFL negotiated for RL events not to be included so they could take all the revenue on those seats.

If they hadn't done that we'd be chasing 70-75k for the game versus 60K
Only if the members had turned up, which would be less likely for RL
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
6,799
Only if the members had turned up, which would be less likely for RL
They use to turn up enough for the Challenge Cup Finals. In the year's Club Wembley members had entitlements for the CC Finals, the crowds across 10 years were between 76,235 (2016) and 84,241 (2007). Since then (excluding the COVID impacted years), the crowds have been between 50,672 (2018) and 68,525 (2017).
 

bazza

Immortal
Messages
32,865
I think people really need to get away from the thousands of empty seats aspect as Wembley Stadium is ridiculously too big at 90k for a RL game.

60k for a RL international in England is phenomenal let alone a RL international in London.
let's spend all our time talking about the 30,000 empty seats rather than the 60,000 seats with people in them
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
45,159
They use to turn up enough for the Challenge Cup Finals. In the year's Club Wembley members had entitlements for the CC Finals, the crowds across 10 years were between 76,235 (2016) and 84,241 (2007). Since then (excluding the COVID impacted years), the crowds have been between 50,672 (2018) and 68,525 (2017).
They aren’t selling the seats at least the stadium looked fuller back then

50k in there looks dire
 

eels4lifee

Juniors
Messages
686
I dont know why we struggle to get good crowds for Wembley, but the NFL get 80 odd thousand for their game is just plain nonsens. Ive watched several games of NFL, but there's no way in the world its as appealing as what RL is, not even close - ill give it 1/8 of sheer boredom or even much less 😴
 

Chook Norris

First Grade
Messages
8,334
I dont know why we struggle to get good crowds for Wembley, but the NFL get 80 odd thousand for their game is just plain nonsens. Ive watched several games of NFL, but there's no way in the world its as appealing as what RL is, not even close - ill give it 1/8 of sheer boredom or even much less 😴
Its brand is a hundred times stronger than the NRL / League. Is it that hard to understand? You might enjoy League more but most people would not know what it is or even be interested. The london demographic is also very different to what it used to be. Walk through Central London and you'll be amazed at how much more diverse it is than even Sydney.
 

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