Just for a contrast:

2013 Good Friday NRL game between South Sydney Rabbitohs and Canterbury Bulldogs was attended by 51,686.

This was the biggest regular season match attendance since 1966.

Best players in terms of statistics included former Bradford players Sam Burgess (19 runs) and George Burgess (1 line break). George Burgess's line break led to him scoring a try.

How dare you compare us to the NRL?!?! For Smokey and his little band of followers, the only fair comparison is against a mid-table 2nd division clash from the 1970s.

How can anyone be d with this boring crap! Certainly not 70+ pages of it.

Its Billy's pet project. However, he'll give it up as soon as his train set's mended.

And by posting on it you've just fuelled the engine. I think it's one of the most entertaining threads we've had for a long time. Smokey's part in this play is nothing short of spectacular. The more he bites, the better it gets.

I don't really see the point in comparison right now, RL is a massive sport in Australia and especially Sydney. Wigan will be full to capacity today and Hull will be 20k+.

Let's hope so. What is the capacity of the DW Stadium? The highest attendance for a Wigan home game there was against Saints in 2005 when 25,004 were in attendance.


It needs to be 20k+ because on the last two occasions it has been less than that.

[uHull V Hull KR attendances at the KC Stadium[/u
2012... 18,979
2011... 19,754
2010... 20,079
2009... 22,337
2008... 22,000 & 21,283
2007... 23,002 & 23,004

Capacity at Wigan is reduced to 24k for some reason I can't remember. The Hull fans are confident of more than 20k. Either way, should be a good day for Super League crowds after two disappointments last night.

Due to unreserved seating in the ground, you have to leave 10% of seats free in unreserved areas. The KC's capacity for rugby is 23K for this reason.

Truly abysmal trend we are seeing

Just for another contrast from this weeks NRL games.......

Manly vs Wests
2012 = 17,532
2013 = 11,758 (drop of 5,774)

Briisbane vs Melbourne
2012 = 41,467
2013 = 40,071 (drop of 1,396)

Also.....

Round 3 (2013 - 2012)
Melbourne vs Canterbury....11,923 - 14,912 (drop of 2,989)
Gold Coast vs Manly...........13,168 - 14,927 (drop of 1,759)
Penrith vs Rabbitohs..........12,940 - 13,876 (drop of 936)
Newcastle vs North Q'land...15,758 - 18,191 (drop of 2,433)

Round 2
Parramatta vs Canterbury....25,608 - 28,214 (drop of 2,606)
North Q'land vs Melbourne....19,288 - 20,206 (drop of 91icon_cool.gif
Wests vs Penrith..................9,715 - 12,384 (drop of 2,669)
Manly vs Newcastle..............12,263 - 14,191 (drop of 1,92icon_cool.gif
St George vs Brisbane...........13,156 - 15,374(2010 - no corresponding fixture in '12 or '11) (drop of 2,21icon_cool.gif

Round 1
Canterbury vs North Q'land....11,627 - 15,650 (drop of 4,023)
Melbourne vs St George.........16,251 - 24,081(2011 - no corresponding fixture in 2012) (drop of 7,830)
Brisbane vs Manly.................31,139 - 50,859(2011 - the 2012 fixture was part of a double header at Suncorp)

14 of 27 NRL have a lower attendance than the last corresponding fixture........oh





New Zealand Warriors games at Eden Park

2013 - 32,740.......Lowest
2012 - 37,502
2011 - 38,412

Well I've probably seen more good games in SL so far this year than I saw in all of last season, if attendances are down this season then IMO there's many surporters missing out.

All crowds today up on last season if I'm right? Except Salford, but their attendances were apparently 'fudged' last year so who even knows with them.

Correct, a better round for attendances thankfully, though Salford's home attendance today was originally 'fudged' at 4,500... it's now been amended to 2,788.

4,500 did seem a very dodgy figure.
Cas - Wakefield also up on last season, but Cas fans' patience is being tested now.

Just out of interest, did you have this much interest in attendances when they were on the up? I've tried finding the 72 page threads where you pointed out how great things were but I can't seem to find them?

There is little doubt that crowds are down, in reality we've done incredibly well the last couple of years when you consider the recession that we're in. It was inevitable to take a turn in the other direction.

I'm almost certain that only RL manages to produce the type of pr*ck that revels in the games apparent demise.

[uSL Round 9 attendances - comparison to same fixtures last year[/u

London V Catalan in 2013 = 1,136
London V Catalan in 2012 = 1,829
% decrease = -37.89%

Leeds V Bradford in 2013 = 16,604
Leeds V Bradford in 2012 = 18,520
% decrease = -10.35%

Wigan V Saints in 2013 = 23,861
Wigan V Saints in 2012 = 21,522
% increase = +10.87%

Hull V Hull KR in 2013 = 19,064
Hull V Hull KR in 2012 = 18,979
% increase = +0.45%

Salford V Huddersfield in 2013 = 2,788
Salford V Huddersfield in 2012 = 5,324
% decrease = -47.63%

Widnes V Warrington in 2013 = 9,271
Widnes V Warrington in 2012 = 8,617
% increase = +7.59%

Castleford V Wakefield in 2013 = 7,705
Castleford V Wakefield in 2012 = 7,050
% increase = +9.29%

Total Attendance in SL Round 9 = 80,429
Total Attendance same fixtures last year = 81,841
% decrease = -1.73%

4 fixtures out of 7 have shown an increase in attendance compared to the same SL fixtures last year.

**********************

Out of 61 SL fixtures played thus far in 2013, 16 out of 61 have shown an increase in attendance compared to the corresponding SL fixtures last year. 45 out of 61 fixtures have shown a decrease in attendance compared to the corresponding SL fixtures last year.

Do us a favour. Go and look in the mirror at yourself and ask why you are going to this time and effort to try and prove that Rugby League is on a downward spiral.

It's pretty obvious that you wouldn't be doing the same if crowds were up 12%, so why do you take so much joy in pointing out the apparent decline of the sport.

Do you even like the game and if so, how can you derive such a deranged pleasure from falling attendances?

[uRound 1 Fixtures (7 in total)[/u
Total attendance in 2013 = 64,387 (Avg: 9,19icon_cool.gif
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 63,376 (Avg: 9,054)
% increase = +1.59%

[uRound 2 Fixtures (7 in total)[/u
Total attendance in 2013 = 69,809 (Avg: 9,973)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 71,989 (Avg: 10,284)
% decrease = -3.03%

[uRound 3 Fixtures (7 in total)[/u
Total attendance in 2013 = 58,711 (Avg: 8,387)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 71,246 (Avg: 10,17icon_cool.gif
% decrease = -17.59%

[uRound 4 Fixtures (6 in total)[/u
Total attendance in 2013 = 46,166 (Avg: 7,694)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 55,477 (Avg: 9,246)
% decrease = -16.78%

[uRound 5 Fixtures (7 in total)[/u
Total attendance in 2013 = 50,207 (Avg: 7,172)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 57,593 (Avg: 8,22icon_cool.gif
% decrease = -12.82%

[uRound 6 Fixtures (7 in total)[/u
Total attendance in 2013 = 67,079 (Avg: 9,583)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 71,439 (Avg: 10,206)
% decrease = -6.10%

[uRound 7 Fixtures (7 in total)[/u
Total attendance in 2013 = 57,048 (Avg: 8,150)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 69,941 (Avg: 9,992)
% decrease = -18.43%

[uRound 8 Fixtures (6 in total)[/u
Total attendance in 2013 = 42,216 (Avg: 7,036)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 60,028 (Avg: 10,005)
% decrease = -29.67%

[uRound 9 Fixtures (7 in total)[/u
Total attendance in 2013 = 80,429 (Avg: 11,490)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 81,841 (Avg: 11,692)
% decrease = -1.73%

[uRounds 1 to 9 Fixtures (61 in total)[/u
Total attendance for 61 fixtures in 2013 = 536,052 (Avg: 8,78icon_cool.gif
Total attendance for same 61 fixtures in 2012 = 602,930 (Avg: 9,884)
% decrease = -11.09%

[uTotal home attendances per SL club in 2013 compared to same fixtures in 2012[/u

[uClub... Games... 2013... 2012... %gain/loss[/u
Widnes... 4... 28995... 26335... +10.10%
Wakefield... 3... 24690... 24154... +2.22%
Castleford... 5... 34616... 34597... +0.05%
Hull KR... 4... 29046... 29538... -1.67%
Leeds... 5... 74996... 78372... -4.31%
Hull... 4... 52580... 54969... -4.35%
Wigan... 5... 79554... 83306... -4.50%
Warrington... 4... 43914... 46648... -5.86%
Catalan... 4... 28233... 35410... -20.27%
Huddersfield... 4... 26448... 33569... -21.21%
Bradford... 4... 34033... 43719... -22.16%
London... 5... 9581... 12669... -24.37%
St Helens... 5... 52941... 71117... -25.56%
Salford... 5... 16425... 28527... -42.42%

TOTAL... 61... 536052... 602930... -11.09%

Can I have the link to where you did this about last years increased attendances?

Of course it exists, because if it didn't then you would just be showing yourself up as a massive tw*t.

I find it incredibly disheartening that Rugby League has 'fans' like this who take so much time and effort just to point out that the game is in decline. It's incredible that after a weekend of great games some would prefer to focus on this rather than the actual sport itself.

Especially when they didn't dream of doing it when crowds were on the up.

I'm sure we'll see a similar thread next year when crowds are up 10% on this year... or maybe not! Oh well, we'll leave it to the RFL to big up the game instead, at least they'll reach a slightly wider audience

According to the current stats, SL attendances are down by over 11% so far this season compared to attendances for the same fixtures last year. Are you questioning those figures? If so, then feel free to provide your own which might prove otherwise.


If attendances were up 12% this year I wouldn't need to. The RFL would be reporting the figures instead, would they not?


Them's the figures to date... are you suggesting nobody should be interested in them or take notice of them because they show that attendances are currently over 11% down compared to last year? And how is taking an interest in attendance figures tantamount to being deranged and not liking the game of Rugby League?

Yes, I'm always interested in attendances... the RFL beat me to it last year in reporting the figures. Last year they were very interested in doing so... this year, they are not.


So what's wrong with discussing them again?


No need for that here... this isn't totalrl.com. I'm sure there's a positive thread about SL attendances on there somewhere which you will find more to your liking.