How Super League clubs average crowds look now compared to pre Covid levels

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josie andrews
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How Super League clubs average crowds look now compared to pre Covid levels

Post by josie andrews »

…as Castleford Tigers, Leeds Rhinos & Wigan Warriors impress.

SUPER LEAGUE has been through some tough times in recent years following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Attendances were down as finances suffered – the effects of which are still being felt heading into 2023.

That being said, a number of Super League clubs have actually improved their appeal for fans, increasing their attendances from pre-Covid levels.

Here are the statistics for those 12 clubs that took to the top flight in 2022.

Castleford Tigers
Best – v Hull FC (SL – 10,072)
Worst – v Huddersfield Giants (SL) – 5,672
Total (SL only) – 97,608
Average (SL only) – 7,508 (up by 255 in 2019)

Catalans Dragons
Best – v St Helens (SL – 10,260)
Worst – v Featherstone Rovers (CC – 3,624)
Total (SL inc. play-offs) – 114,408
Average (SL, inc. play-offs) – 8,172 (down by 446 in 2019)

Huddersfield Giants
Best – v Leeds Rhinos (SL – 6,712)
Worst – v Hull FC (CC – 3,637)
Total (SL, inc. play-offs) – 73,258
Average (SL, inc. play-offs) – 5,233 (up by 7 in 2019)

Hull FC
Best – v Hull KR (SL – 16,999)
Worst – v Toulouse Olympique (SL – 8,785)
Total (SL only) – 139,923
Average (SL only) – 10,763 (down by 715 in 2019)

Hull KR
Best – v Hull FC (SL – 10,300)
Worst – v Leigh Leopards (CC – 3,088)
Total (SL only) – 101,253
Average (SL only) – 7,789 (down by 431 in 2019)

Leeds Rhinos
Best – v Castleford Tigers (SL – 15,418)
Worst – v Castleford Tigers (CC – 5,112)
Total (SL only) – 168,232
Average (SL only) – 12,941 (up by 214 in 2019)

Salford Red Devils
Best – v St Helens (SL – 6,041)
Worst – v Catalans Dragons (SL – 3,204)
Total (SL only) – 60,310
Average (SL only) – 4,639 (up by 893 in 2019)

St Helens
Best – v Wigan Warriors (SL – 17,980)
Worst – v Wakefield Trinity (SL – 8,222)
Total (SL, inc. play-offs) – 166,550
Average (SL, inc. play-offs) – 11,896 (down by 14 in 2019)

Toulouse Olympique
Best – v Catalans Dragons (SL – 9,168)
Worst – v Castleford Tigers (SL – 3,326)
Total (SL only) – 64,582
Average (SL only) – 4,968 (up by 2,678 in 2019)

Wakefield Trinity
Best – v Wigan Warriors (SL – 7,046)
Worst – v Huddersfield Giants (SL – 3,166)
Total (SL only) – 60,241
Average (SL only) – 4,634 (down by 834 in 2019)

Warrington Wolves
Best – v St Helens (SL – 10,476)
Worst – v Wakefield Trinity (CC – 2,627)
Total (SL only) – 113,377
Average (SL only) – 8,721 (down by 1,927 in 2019)

Wigan Warriors
Best – v St Helens (SL – 19,210)
Worst – v Salford Red Devils (CC – 6,005)
Total (SL, inc. play-offs) – 172,400
Average (SL, inc. play-offs) – 12,314 (up by 882 in 2019)

https://www.totalrl.com/how-super-leagu ... s-impress/
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But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
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morley pie eater
Posts: 3219
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 2:01 pm

Re: How Super League clubs average crowds look now compared to pre Covid levels

Post by morley pie eater »

Wigan's average league attendance for 13 home games was 12,279 according to figures from the club. Total attendance 159,623.

7 games on Sky averaged 12,711
1 on Channel 4 got 10,783
8 televised games average 12,470
Non-televised games averaged 11,973.

Sky pick the best games, so no suggestion that attendances are higher because they're on telly. In fact could be lower than they'd otherwise be.

4 matches on Thursdays averaged 10,237
7 on Fridays averaged 13,753
2 on other days averaged 11,202 (1 Mon, 1 Sun).

Average for 6 Friday games, excluding Saints match 12,844

Friday night is the worst time for travelling on the M62 from Yorkshire.
. . . . . . ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
the pieman
Posts: 1310
Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 5:34 pm

Re: How Super League clubs average crowds look now compared to pre Covid levels

Post by the pieman »

taking the positives out of the numbers

We played Saints on a normal Friday night - Good Friday = 20k+, so decent increase on average every other year

4 Thursday night fixtures v Hudds, Cas, Hull, HKR, so virtually no away attendance and all on TV
8 Friday fixtures Leeds (*2), Toulouse (*2), Hull, Wire, Sts, Catalan (3 * French matches, so no away attendance)
1 Sunday v Salford and 1 Monday (Easter) v Wakey

So our season ticket sales appear to have held up with an average of around 10k for all league fixtures, irrelevant of away support.

14k v Catalan was a good effort from the club to get a decent crowd on
Leeds and Wire were both dire last year, so hopefully better away support this year as the attendances seem to be lower than we have had previously

You would hope based on the style of rugby played last season that season ticket sales are similar (if not slightly increased) and then the club can attract the casual supporter to more games and get that average attendance up for 2023

its also good to put the scousers in their place, given they like to crow about absolutely everything.
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