2026 Crowd Watch

[Ozzi_78]

How are the sharks back to 18K?. Not even close.

 

[Wb1234]

Looking at potential crowd increases it’s actually possible especially if dolphins, dogs and Penrith in their new stadium do the heavy lifting of around 7k to 10k extra each per club

If dogs win a comp they could be getting 60k to games in Sydney fairly regularly. They might do it this year too if their new halves combo clicks

Sharks will get a bump too

Rest it will be a struggle to show any big crowd growth and some clubs might see falls if they have a bad season

 

[mccarthyj367]

How many games are they thinking of playing at Optus?

I don't know it hasn't been announced. But with all the hype it would be crazy for the Bears not to open at Optus Stadium in R1 2027. If they were playing the Storm, Warriors, Broncos or Roosters you would be pushing beyond 50k for that first game.

 

[Ian Douglas]

I don't know it hasn't been announced. But with all the hype it would be crazy for the Bears not to open at Optus Stadium in R1 2027. If they were playing the Storm, Warriors, Broncos or Roosters you would be pushing beyond 50k for that first game.

I was of the thinking that the bears should play manly at Optus but on second thoughts I don’t think the rivalry carries much weight with the Perth public.

could maybe even play their “home“ game against manly at alliance.

 

[mccarthyj367]

I was of the thinking that the bears should play manly at Optus but on second thoughts I don’t think the rivalry carries much weight with the Perth public.

could maybe even play their “home“ game against manly at alliance.

IMO it would make sense for Round 1 to be Perth Bears v Warriors at Optus. You will naturally get a bunch of Warriors support there from NZ ex-pats and it would hit 50k+. That would save a home game with either the Broncos or Storm later in the season if you wanted to put a second Optus game on (maybe even a double header to create a mini magic as the NRL have done in the past). Rest of the games at HBF and the 20k capcity.

 

[txta2]

Pretty sure the Vegas crowd will drop significantly now. You would be mad to go to that hell hole atm

 

[Perth Red]

I was of the thinking that the bears should play manly at Optus but on second thoughts I don’t think the rivalry carries much weight with the Perth public.

could maybe even play their “home“ game against manly at alliance.

Commercially better to play Manly at Alliance as part of the NS 'deal'. Anyone for the first ever game at Optus is going to draw 30k+.

 

[Perth Red]

Pretty sure the Vegas crowd will drop significantly now. You would be mad to go to that hell hole atm

Yeh really wish my club hadn't agreed to go now! Oh well should be ok in the bubble that is the Vegas strip.

 

[newc18]

Pretty sure the Vegas crowd will drop significantly now. You would be mad to go to that hell hole atm

I think it's a mix of that and that the novelty period is over with Vegas for a lot of people. The first year I feeling FOMO not being there, now I'm sort of meh about it.

Personally I love the idea of starting the season in a different country but I think we need a new location whether that be a different city in the U.S or another country.

 

[This Year?]

"Christchurch"
I've never heard of this f**ker until now.

 

[newc18]

IMO it would make sense for Round 1 to be Perth Bears v Warriors at Optus. You will naturally get a bunch of Warriors support there from NZ ex-pats and it would hit 50k+. That would save a home game with either the Broncos or Storm later in the season if you wanted to put a second Optus game on (maybe even a double header to create a mini magic as the NRL have done in the past). Rest of the games at HBF and the 20k capcity.

I think the Bears vs Warriors games should be the NSO game unless you're going to give a bye straight after for the team travelling.

Not sure if this is official or anything but they have said the first game will be at HBF Park. Definitely make the Bears vs Manly matchup early in the season on a Sunday afternoon at Allianz. That would require Manly playing thier part and not locking people out at Brookie.

 

[beave]

"Christchurch"
I've never heard of this f**ker until now.

I've renamed it Wellingchurch..........

 

[Barney Stubble]

Pretty sure the Vegas crowd will drop significantly now. You would be mad to go to that hell hole atm

They're not playing the games in Minneapolis
Vegas is a world all on its own

 

[Barney Stubble]

The Bears opening game should be an emotional home coming of sorts game in Sydney ...
V their traditional rivals Manly & at Allianz to house the 40K who will attend the historic event.

round 3 their first game in Perth
V the Warriors at Optus which will also get 40K plus

 

[Valheru]

In regards to roosters for this season, 25k at Allianz again would be a raging success. I dont care about magic round and Gosford and don't count them for better or worse in our average. The issue we have this year is no hosting rights to ANZAC day.

The big ticket items are souths (R2), Broncos (R9), Bulldogs (R23) and Wests (R25).

Souths will be 40k. Broncos if both have reasonable or better form can be 30k. Dogs for indigenous round last year was 30k, no reason why that cant repeat. I assume wests is going to be special services round. Given it has to be sunday arvo the only other option would be knights earlier in the year. Wests draw well as it is so this should definitely be 30k plus.

Hopefully those 4 games average 32k

Medium tier games are Penrith (R3 Friday 6PM), Parra (R19), Storm (R20), Dolphins (R26)

Penrith would be an easier sell in a better slot and not the week after souths. The others are all in decent slots and subject to form and weather conditions.

Penrith should still get 20k, Parra could easily go top tier if they are finals contenders but let's settle on 25k, storm 20k and dolphins 15k.

Knights and sharks (sunday night during origin) are tough sells. Hopefully we can average 14k there.

Really comes down to those mid tier games if we reach 25k.

 

[Wb1234]

They're not playing the games in Minneapolis
Vegas is a world all on its own

There’s stuff on Twitter where loads of people have cancelled soccer World Cup tickets

 

[i0Nic]

Bears first game should not and will absolutely not be played in Sydney. Really good way to send a message that this is still a Sydney team.

Play the first game against warriors at optus oval and it should get 50k+

Then another game against manly at allianz will get another 40k.

If they can get about 14-15k average to the rest of their HBF games they’ll end the year with a 20k average.

Repeat the same the next year. If they keep growing HBF crowds they could be getting 20k averages moving forward. Immediately putting them ahead of half the competition.

If they get an upgrade to HBF and start pulling 20K+ averages at HBF alone, plus 2 games at bigger venues, they could be in the top 5 crowd pullers in a few years.

This is predicated on the Perth people getting behind the bears beyond the rugby league faithful there. We’ll see how it goes.

 

[Trifili13]

Bears first game should not and will absolutely not be played in Sydney. Really good way to send a message that this is still a Sydney team.

Totally agree with the above. Perth's long term success or failure (apart from onfield results) will be based on the support they get out of WA, not Sydney. If it is reliant on NS Bears supporters then might as well have set the team up in Sydney or CC.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Bears R1 against the Warriors at Optus.
Their first Sydney game in Round 2 should be away against the Roosters. Guaranteed 40K at the SFS. Save the Manly games for later in the season. They will be huge regardless.

 

[Wb1234]

Bears R1 against the Warriors at Optus.
Their first Sydney game in Round 2 should be away against the Roosters. Guaranteed 40K at the SFS. Save the Manly games for later in the season. They will be huge regardless.

Doubt they are going to take two home games to Sydney and manly won’t move it from brookie