Jim from Oz

So on this thread topic, the IRL has promised us a 12-year international RL calendar for what seems like decades … are we EVER going to see it ????!!!!!! The wait has been longer than the Second Coming !!!

Where does Troy Grant say this?

So 236,446 in total (apologies to RayCee for slightly different number ! ) … well done to all those who attended, and everyone else who supported the RLWC in some way! Now for the Q/Fs, surely 60,000 is achievable? Or even a touch more to get us to 300,000 before the semis and final ? Regards RLWC attendance nerd

TOTAL FOR WEEK 1: 95,243 (average 11,905) TOTAL FOR WEEK 2: 68,875 (average 8,609) PNG v Wales: 6,968 TOTAL FOR WEEK 3: 72,198 (average 9,025) UPDATED TOTAL: 236,446 (average 9,851) TARGETS: 2000 RLWC: 263,921 (8,514 per match) 2017 RLWC: 382,080 (13,646 per match) 2013 RLWC: 458,483 (16,374 per match) 2022 WOMEN’S EURO: 574,865 (18,544 per match) ORIGINAL TARGET: 750,000

Australia being thrashed by France in RL in front of a full house at the SCG ?!? Something I dream about now !!!

Still not a single sellout in the tournament unfortunately

Ditto for me with Kayo streaming in Oz

TOTAL FOR WEEK 1: 95,243 (average 11,905) TOTAL FOR WEEK 2: 68,875 (average 8,609) Jamaica v Lebanon: 5,006 Tonga v Cook Islands: 8,342 Samoa vs France: 6,756 TOTAL SO FAR FOR WEEK 3: 65,230 (average 9,318) UPDATED TOTAL: 229,468 (average 9,976) TARGETS: 2000 RLWC: 263,921 (8,514 per match) 2017 RLWC: 382,080 (13,646 per match) 2013 RLWC: 458,483 (16,374 per match) 2022 WOMEN’S EURO: 574,865 (18,544 per match) ORIGINAL TARGET: 750,000

The 2021(22) RLWC has not had a single sell-out as yet … SURELY this game will see out, it's gonna be HUUUGE !!!!

So again, crowds for week 3 on the Saturday were better than I expected (except for the disappointing St Helens crowd), bringing the total after 4 games to 45,126. If we can get 25,000 for the remaining 4 games (and surely France v Samoa deserves a 5-figure crowd, at least), we can get to 70,000 total for week 3, and approximately 235,000 for all the pool games. Add my reasonably optimistic total of 225,000 for the Q/Fs onwards, and we are still looking at possibly JUST bettering the 2013 RLWC attendance – albeit its 458,483 was over 28 matches, but with two double headers making it 26 game events … five more than the 31 games of RLWC 2021(22). Let's hope all ticketing issues (and possible pricing reconfiguration??) can be sorted for the Q/Fs onwards !

TOTAL FOR WEEK 1: 95,243 (average 11,905) TOTAL FOR WEEK 2: 68,875 (average 8,609) England v Greece: 18,760 Australia v Italy: 5,586 Fiji v Scotland: 6,736 TOTAL SO FAR FOR WEEK 3: 45,126 (average 11,281) UPDATED TOTAL: 209,364 (average 10,468). TARGETS: 2000 RLWC: 263,921 (8,514 per match) 2017 RLWC: 382,080 (13,646 per match) 2013 RLWC: 458,483 (16,374 per match) 2022 WOMEN’S EURO: 574,865 (18,544 per match) ORIGINAL TARGET: 750,000

So I must say that – in the context of this tournament so far – I was very pleasantly surprised by the NZ v IRE attendance, it looked great on TV and, even better, for the first time the TV (well, via streaming on Kayo in Oz) sound seemed to properly capture the crowd noise and cheering more than, say, the referee … furthermore, the crowd seemed to have some characters (the Irish fans in green outfits and hats, etc) … so it all added up to great TV-watching experience. All up, one of my favourite games / watching experiences so far. LOVED the 2 Irish tries and thought JWH was very lucky not to be red carded for his head high (WHAT was he thinking??!!). I can't see him not copping a one-match ban at least for that. This game, plus the fact the ticketing website MAY be fixed, gives me hope we might beat my 50,000 prediction for round 3. So looking forward to Lebanon v Jamaica, Tonga v Cook Islands and – especially – Samoa v France !

TOTAL FOR WEEK 1: 95,243 (average 11,905) TOTAL FOR WEEK 2: 68,875 (average 8,609) NZ v Ireland: 14,044 UPDATED TOTAL: 178,292 (average 10,487) TARGETS: 2000 RLWC: 263,921 (8,514 per match) 2017 RLWC: 382,080 (13,646 per match) 2013 RLWC: 458,483 (16,374 per match) 2022 WOMEN’S EURO: 574,865 (18,544 per match) ORIGINAL TARGET: 750,000

Whatever happens now and in the future, France should get its Elite 1 and/ or professional league on TV and sell the rights to a pay TV operator like Fox in Australia, which would provide the pay TV operator with rugby league content all through the Australian summer… Just play games at times in France that would be on prime time in Australia if possible. I know selling these rights would not be much money but it could start a cult following in Australia and just bit by bit you could grow the game in France

This is what I have been saying repeatedly, I think the ticket site is broken and the organisers don’t actually know how many tickets are being sold!

Absolutely !

So, looking at the above figures, and presuming week 3 (I reckon about 50,000) will have less people than weeks 1 and 2 (a combined 164,118), if we get (my reasonably optimistic estimate of) 225,000 for the Q/Fs on, we are now tracking at a total attendance of 420,000. That would be very disappointing. And while we are not looking (yet!) at the shocker that was the 2000 RLWC, we are tracking not much better than the underwhelming 2017 RLWC. In fact, 2021(22) RLWC reminds me (from afar in Oz, admittedly) very much like 2017 RLWC in quite a few ways (crowds, lack of excitement/feel). The two bright spots remain that 2021(22) RLWC is getting a great run on the BBC and should also make a good sum of $$$ for the IRL. Plus, watching all the 2021(22) RLWC games on Kayo streaming, I remain as enthusiastic for the RLWC in general as I ever have … in my (100% biased) mind it is the BEST sporting event on earth … I just wish we could pull it all together, organisation-wise ! And thanks always to the players of all nations who provide such great entertainment, and all the fans and supporters who watch at the grounds or on TV. Hopefully 2025 RLWC will finally realise the RLWC's potential ! Regards Biased of Sydney

TOTAL FOR WEEK 1: 95,243 (average 11,905) PNG v Cook Islands: 6,273 TOTAL FOR WEEK 2: 68,875 (average 8,609) UPDATED TOTAL: 164,118 (average 10,257) TARGETS: 2000 RLWC: 263,921 (8,514 per match) 2017 RLWC: 382,080 (13,646 per match) 2013 RLWC: 458,483 (16,374 per match) 2022 WOMEN’S EURO: 574,865 (18,544 per match) ORIGINAL TARGET: 750,000

It didn’t for the Australia Fiji game, which supposedly had all the seats sold out

I’ve mentioned this before but I am beginning to suspect the ticketing site is actually broken, as in actually not working properly… And this maybe why the organisers thought they would be getting better crowds and have been shocked/ unprepared for the low crowds… Remember for the NZ V LEB game how shocked Dutton was afterwards? Perhaps the ticketing website Indicated it was going to be a much better crowd…?

And also forward to the 2025 RLWC organisers in France !!!

And as an aside, WEEK 2 is now sitting at 62,643 … another crowd figure like Tonga v Wales will get us to 70,000 for the week in total. But can we get 70,000 total for week 3 with ENG v GRE being the biggest potential gate? Could be difficult … As ever, fingers crossed !

TOTAL after week 1: 95,243 (11,905 per match) Tonga v Wales: 7,753 UPDATED TOTAL: 157,886 (average 10,525) TARGETS: 2000 RLWC: 263,921 (8,514 per match) 2017 RLWC: 382,080 (13,646 per match) 2013 RLWC: 458,483 (16,374 per match) 2022 WOMEN’S EURO: 574,865 (18,544 per match) ORIGINAL TARGET: 750,000

I've been wondering (hoping!) that, too …

So with 6 out of 8 games of week 2 completed, we are tracking at about 65,000 - 70,000 for the week. If week 3 also gets 70,000, that will be approx. 235,000 after the group games. If we take a reasonably optimistic prospect of 225,000 for the Q/Fs onwards, we are tracking at JUST hitting the 2013 RLWC target of 458,483. However, the total possible ticket sales for the Q/Fs onwards is more or less 260,000, so at an absolute best-case scenario we are looking at a RLWC 2021(22) total attendance of 495,000. (This of course is for the men's tournament only) My fingers remain crossed !