Discounting the fact that Hastings is a few minutes drive from Napier, it's an one off event crowd drawing from the central North Island, a crowd of less than 17K isn't spectacular.
All that aside, the problem isn't about support for a new team, it's about the long term damage it will do to the domestic game in NZ. When the Warriors were due to come in promises were made by the ARL\NSWRL about investment in the local game. As a result most of the provinces were behind it.
When the Warriors came in those promises disappeared. All of the player talent centralised in Auckland, some provinces went under, most still haven't recovered. Since then, the various Aussie League leaderships have promised investment here. each and every time they lied. Most surviving provinces are holding on by a hair. Any new team with out massive investment in grassroot for years beforehand will end the domestic game here. There will be Auckland and whichever city has the second team. Nobody else outside of them will be able to support a comp. All because Australians only care about their precious comp. They don't care about the damage it would do without the grassroots investment first.
All this is moot however. With Skys next bid being back to where it was before Spark Sport, Aussie TV will take Australian teams over a second NZ team any day of the week. NZ2 wont happen.