2026 Crowd Watch

[drcmuch]

Still got ANZAC and Magic Rounds to follow.

We've reached the point where 150k+ for Magic Round will be below the season average. That's a good thing of course. Magic Round doesn't have to be a crowd booster, but can be depending on the games . This year's lineup probably draws a bit smaller total if they were all standalones at regular venues.

 

[League Unlimited News]

The last 24 hours has seen this thread wander way off-topic into discussions about other codes.

Stick to NRL crowd watch. Data, predictions, information, speculation.

Discussion wandering off down the path of other code comparisons will be moderated.

You have been warned.

 

[Warriors Fever]

the reality is that the Tigers SHOULD be looking at a Campbeltown + Sydney Olympic split (with a Bulldogs style Back To Liechhardt event once a year)

Campbeltown = obvious growth region. Work on getting a redevelopment like the Panthers

Sydney Olympic = Wests Tigers are the MOST Inner West team we have! Across Wests and Balmaine, they have 4-5 home grounds (excluding Campbeltown). The furthest is 15 minutes drive or 30 minutes train from SOP

View attachment 111943

Accor is obviously a piece of crap, but Tigers should be campaigning with the Bulldogs, NSWRL and ARLC for a redev

it makes more sense for Wests Ashfiled to be sending games there and Parra!!!

Liechardt = for all of the nostalgia, it has averaged 12k across the last decade (excluding covid). No one is turning up….

What’s Campbelltown averaging in the last decade ? Are they turning up there?

 

[storm1999]

We've reached the point where 150k+ for Magic Round will be below the season average.

Instead of a Suncorp triple header on the Saturday, why not play one of the games at Cbus Stadium? That would add 20k to the total aggregate.

 

[yakstorm]

What’s Campbelltown averaging in the last decade ? Are they turning up there?

Not great for the past 10 seasons:

2025: 11402 (4 Games)
2024: 14666 (5 Games)
2023: 9917 (3 Games)
2022: 9011 (3 Games)
////COVID YEARS////
2019: 12038 (3 Games)
2018: 9945 (3 Games)
2017: 9634 (4 Games)
2016: 12297 (4 Games)
2015: 9444 (4 Games)
2014: 9998 (4 Games)
2013: 10064 (4 Games)

2005 - 2011 was the best drawing period for the stadium, with the club averaging between 15K - 18K most of those seasons.

 

[yakstorm]

Instead of a Suncorp triple header on the Saturday, why not play one of the games at Cbus Stadium? That would add 20k to the total aggregate.

The crowd in Brisbane for Magic Round won't travel down to the Gold Coast in any significant numbers. They'd have more luck going back to the old structure of starting Magic Round on Thursday night.

 

[storm1999]

They'd have more luck going back to the old structure of starting Magic Round on Thursday night.

Why did they get rid of the Thursday game?

 

[stratocaster]

We've reached the point where 150k+ for Magic Round will be below the season average. That's a good thing of course. Magic Round doesn't have to be a crowd booster, but can be depending on the games . This year's lineup probably draws a bit smaller total if they were all standalones at regular venues.

Time to add a Thursday game once the Bears enter the comp.

Thursday - Rabbitohs vs Broncos - big numbers of Rabbitohs fans are already in QLD and this game boosts the Rabbitohs average

Friday - Roosters vs Cowboys, Sharks vs Bulldogs - Eels & Bulldogs have bigger fanbases in QLD, with 50000 total these matches will average 25,000 each, which more what they'd get at Shark Park and SFS.

Saturday - Titans vs Perth, Sea Eagles vs Warriors, Raiders vs Storm - at 16,600 average each, these games would get more than what they'd get at home. Allows furthest travelling fans (WA, VIC, ACT, NSW) to fly in.

Sunday - Panthers vs Dolphins, Tigers vs Knights, Dragons vs Eels - same again, they'd get more than what they would for those home games, plus you have the Dolphins fans buying 20k of the seats straight up anyway.

200k round total = 22k average

 

[Barney Stubble]

Time to add a Thursday game once the Bears enter the comp.

Thursday - Rabbitohs vs Broncos - big numbers of Rabbitohs fans are already in QLD and this game boosts the Rabbitohs average

Friday - Roosters vs Cowboys, Sharks vs Bulldogs - Eels & Bulldogs have bigger fanbases in QLD, with 50000 total these matches will average 25,000 each, which more what they'd get at Shark Park and SFS.

Saturday - Titans vs Perth, Sea Eagles vs Warriors, Raiders vs Storm - at 16,600 average each, these games would get more than what they'd get at home. Allows furthest travelling fans (WA, VIC, ACT, NSW) to fly in.

Sunday - Panthers vs Dolphins, Tigers vs Knights, Dragons vs Eels - same again, they'd get more than what they would for those home games, plus you have the Dolphins fans buying 20k of the seats straight up anyway.

200k round total = 22k average

Yea
Broncos game on the Thursday
The rest doesn't really matter tbh

we will get to 200K for the 9 games

 

[jim_57]

With an extra game at Magic next year it definitely makes sense to play Broncos on the Thursday and go for 4 days. Have Women’s Origin on the Wednesday as well.

QLD Government might have to cough up some more cash, plus it would add another sold out day to Suncorp in the push for upgrades.

 

[steeden.]

With an extra game at Magic next year it definitely makes sense to play Broncos on the Thursday and go for 4 days. Have Women’s Origin on the Wednesday as well.

QLD Government might have to cough up some more cash, plus it would add another sold out day to Suncorp in the push for upgrades.

Or make it over the May long weekend and have a Broncos game 4pm on the public holiday.

Sydney get to do it with the King’s Birthday so why shouldn’t we?

 

[storm1999]

Or make it over the May long weekend and have a Broncos game 4pm on the public holiday.

There are no public holidays in May.

 

[Barney Stubble]

There are no public holidays in May.

not in Vicdumbia maybe , There are in normal states & territories tho

 

[storm1999]

not in Victoriania maybe

Not in NSW either, so I don't see the NRL scheduling a game for what is a workday in the majority of the country.

 

[beave]

There are no public holidays in May.

 

[storm1999]

Queensland only. It's a NATIONAL league. Feel free to schedule your Queensland Cup games on a state public holiday.

 

[Barney Stubble]

Not in NSW either, so I don't see the NRL scheduling a game for what is a workday in the majority of the country.

No one cares what a halfwit like you sees

 

[drcmuch]

Instead of a Suncorp triple header on the Saturday, why not play one of the games at Cbus Stadium? That would add 20k to the total aggregate.

That would be 87.5% Magic Round and one in a different city.
Please, with all sincerity, seriously, please stop suggesting things.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Yep 20k for Campbelltown is not enough if they want to play the majority of their games there in the long term.

Unless it’s 25k I think they should still play all their rivalry games at CommBank or Accor which is about 4 games, then 5 at Campbelltown and 3 at Leichhardt.

I honestly think 25k has to be the benchmark capacity for an NRL fixture.
The NRL should just state that as of 2030 all NRL fixtures not played outside of major capitals require a minimum 25k capacity.
Leave it to government and councils to scramble and get there stadiums up to scratch or miss out on fixtures.

 

[League Unlimited News]

Thread locked.

Just hours after being clearly instructed on what won't be tolerated in here, too many in this thread have taken it upon themselves to continue with the same rubbish.

If you want to discuss the values of one code over another, there is a sub-forum for that. Use it.

Apologies to those who engage in good faith - this thread will be re-opened soon.

Update: Thread has been unlocked.