Attention Idiots who love wringing their hands about "bad crowds" in the NRL.

[Loudstrat]

Not knowing what crowd attendances are relative to other codes and the growth rates they are getting it's hard to judge. It appears that Super rugby crowds are down in general, someone suggested that AFL crowds are down. What are crowd averages doing in the EPL and NFL etc. The point being is that economic conditions are tougher so perhaps no growth or little growth maybe performing very well based on current economic climate. You would think with fixed schedules, the exposure the games gets plus membership drive that attendances will increase.

What the EPL and NFL are doing is irellevent. They are in a different country.

If the top 4 next year includes Newcastle, Parra and the Dogs there will be a visible leap in crowd stats. These are the big crowd pullers when they are doing well as opposed to not - more so the former two. Probably ad Souths to that as well.

As for the perennial whinging pom - who wants the ARLC thrown into Guantanamo if Cronulla v Penrith on a wet night doesnt jag 60k - he must remember that tomorrow 40k will turn up to a wooden spooners final game of the season.

 

[Teddyboy]

LoL. Convenient selection of 2005 in there. 2005 was a 12% increase on the previous record FFS. In any statistical analysis it would be treated as an aberration. and dropped from the sample.

We've now had 15 years of the NRL. Here are the average attendances presented in three and five year chunks.

1998-2002- 988 games, 12,849,801 @ 13,006
2003-2007- 912 games, 14,041,574 @ 15,396
2008-2012- 954 games, 15,382,830 @ 16,125

1998-2000- 626 games, 8,082,089 @ 12,911
2001-2003- 542 games, 7,372,213 @ 13,602
2004-2006- 540 games, 8,413,033 @ 15,580
2007-2009- 576 games, 9,101,990 @ 15,802
2010-2012- 570 games, 9,304,880 @ 16,324

Included last nights match but felt lazy so just wacked 60k onto the totals.

To me this indicates solid growth. We're attracting more in total and more per game...It also puts 2005 in its place.

2005 was just freakish. Three of Sydneys (at the time) four biggest clubs in the top 4, the lowest points total ever between the minor premiers and the spooners, a race right down to the wire for so position on the ladder, the rise of the tigers. Simply amazing season. I think my spine is tingling from the Saints v Tigers match in the finals. Maybe we should fix the draw so we can have another absolutely special season like that and get the crowds up hey?

2005 must of been a good year for Sydney Sports crowds as you had the Swans winning the AFL grand final and the Bledisloe Cup in Sydney was a sell out.

 

[Loudstrat]

What the f*ck have the Swans, AFL Bledisloe have to do with sport?

 

[Teddyboy]

What the f*ck have the Swans, AFL Bledisloe have to do with sport?

Just saying Sydney always gets bagged of for it's fair weather supporters.