RLWC Attendance-O-Meter

[Maximus Decimus]

2 hours ago, Leonard said:

Following the win, Rugby League World Cup officials have seen a substantial spike in ticket sales with less than 3,000 tickets now remaining for the clash at the University of Bolton Stadium, which holds around 29,000. Such has been the demand, the World Cup are set to release restricted view seats for purchase, such is the demand.

It's another positive piece of news for the organisers, who were pleased with England's opening game drawing a crowd of more than 43,000 to St James' Park in Newcastle. Tickets sales over the weekend were the competition's best two days of sales for a couple of years.

 

Weren't there only 5,000 left anyway?

Of course it's their job to do so, but they love a bit of hyperbole in my experience.

[FearTheVee]

2 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

Weren't there only 5,000 left anyway?

Of course it's their job to do so, but they love a bit of hyperbole in my experience.

I think we need to be balanced - selling out the reebok at proper ticket prices for a game against France is a good effort.  It’s one of the things that deserves a bit of celebration I’d say as France games aren’t the easiest sell based on recent history. 

Edited October 17, 2022 by FearTheVee

[N2022]

1 minute ago, ShropshireBull said:

 Hence why growing the internationals vs not pacific nations has to be the aim. If that pie can grow and maybe get some of them on Channel 4 so they will pay for it long term, or at least sell adverts which BBC can´t, the sport can diversify its income streams at least.

I do think that some more regular internationals (of a decent standard) could be a massive boost for league's profile. I enjoy various football codes (soccer, league, union, American and Canadian football) as and when I get the chance to watch them, and for me one of the big differences between league and union in terms of 'popular awareness' with general sports fans is that union has the 6 nations as an annual focus. Sadly, league has nothing resembling that structure to bring it to the attention of anyone outside the sport on an annual basis. Eng v Fra not competitive enough?

[Maximus Decimus]

1 hour ago, GeordieSaint said:

Yes it was - similar figure for the Fiji game at Hull as well. 

Outside of the England QF (only got 20k in 2013), I don’t see the other 3 games getting close to 15k… 

I think you're being harsh with the likely Tonga vs Samoa quarter-final. 

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

Weren't there only 5,000 left anyway?

Of course it's their job to do so, but they love a bit of hyperbole in my experience.

I avoided making that comment intentionally, but yes, it was 5k remaining two weeks ago. Last week it was fewer than 5k. Now it's fewer than 3k.

[Maximus Decimus]

Just now, FearTheVee said:

I think we need to be balanced - selling out the reebok at proper ticket prices for a game against France is a good effort.

Of course, but it always was. I was just critiquing the 'huge upsurge' media releases of the RLWC organisers.

Don't forget, we got 16,000 for a semi-final vs New Zealand there in 2000.

We shouldn't go overboard in critiquing things, there will be successes but obviously still failures.

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, FearTheVee said:

I think we need to be balanced - selling out the reebok at proper ticket prices for a game against France is a good effort.  It’s one of the things that deserves a bit of celebration I’d say as France games aren’t the easiest sell based on recent history. 

At the prices charged, selling this, or even getting 90% is excellent imo. And it probably indicates what would have been a better strategy - premium prices for premium events and bargains for some of the other, tougher sells. 

They have partly done that, but still playing in the higher end of value. 

[Maximus Decimus]

1 hour ago, Wendigo7 said:

It really would help having the sport coming together to have a global international schedule.

Run the RL6Ns alongside their counterparts in Union: 1. England 2. Wales 3. Ireland 4. Scotland 5. France 6. Italy

Find space for the 2nd tier european sides to get game time.

Do the same for the teams down south. Make it consistent, aka you know when the 6 nations is on, you know when the Summer and Autumn Internationals is on. Then market it. I've never, never understood (well I do get it but it's still a shame) why the game didn't have a yearly international set of games at a prime time that those outside of the sport could know and come to see.

People in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and even arguably France don't play Rugby League enough to justify this.

There'd be no interest in England, especially when we'd win it easy every year.

 

[gingerjon]

3 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

People in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and even arguably France don't play Rugby League enough to justify this.

There'd be no interest in England, especially when we'd win it easy every year.

 

It does seem pertinent to say that there is an Rugby League Europe European Championship that already happens and that the plans for 2023 onwards feature games for all the European nations including England (I assume who will feature as England Knights).

[GeordieSaint]

15 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I think you're being harsh with the likely Tonga vs Samoa quarter-final. 

I would be delighted to be proved wrong. 

(In fact, isn’t the Wire max attendance 15k?)

[Tommygilf]

This doesn't look pretty at Donny

[londonrlfan]

5 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

It does seem pertinent to say that there is an Rugby League Europe European Championship that already happens and that the plans for 2023 onwards feature games for all the European nations including England (I assume who will feature as England Knights).

England should play in it too. So what if we win it comfortably, get building a winning mentality.

[Guest]

Just now, Tommygilf said:

This doesn't look pretty at Donny

3 figure crowd? If only it was in a small venue with cheaper pricing.

[Guest]

Doncaster must have had photos of someone during the selection process.

[Guest]

Match thread says 3.5k sold.

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, Leonard said:

3 figure crowd? If only it was in a small venue with cheaper pricing.

It will be more than that, just. 

I think it is more that there are 3 games in Doncaster that is the major issue here. 

[gingerjon]

7 minutes ago, londonrlfan said:

England should play in it too. So what if we win it comfortably, get building a winning mentality.

Because we need to be making money for the whole game by playing Tests against bigger nations in full venues.

[Maximus Decimus]

1 minute ago, GeordieSaint said:

I would be delighted to be proved wrong. 

(In fact, isn’t the Wire max attendance 15k?)

There are different types of RL fans. Many on here fit into the category of supporting the game at any cost, and are happy to attend any game even if it is two heritage teams or likely to be 80-0.

Then there are RL fans who want to see a decent game. The only game I had planned to go to was the QF at Wire (I can't now as I'm away ). My brothers are going and my nephews might be. None of them are attending any other game. It's important to point out that aside from England, we haven't spoke about the RLWC very much and definitely haven't deliberately said we aren't going other games.

Much was made of NZ vs Samoa in 2013 after last night, but this absolutely fits into the idea of attractive meaningful games. To someone like me, it is a world of difference from a game like NZ vs Lebanon.

Had Saturday been closer, I'd have been confident of a very decent crowd. People now might write off Samoa, which might make it seem less attractive.

[gingerjon]

3 minutes ago, Leonard said:

Match thread says 3.5k sold.

15,000 capacity ground so that looks a likely crowd.

[meast]

2 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

It will be more than that, just. 

I think it is more that there are 3 games in Doncaster that is the major issue here. 

5 of us going to Doncaster on Sunday for Samoa v Greece, including my friend and her daughter who are travelling from the Kent coast and looking forward to it!

My friend had never seen a game of rugby in either code until last September when she came to the womens finals day at Headingley and loved it, her 16 yr old daughter plays football for her local womens team and this will be her first ever live rugby game.

They have bought tickets for 4 other games including one of the womens double headers!

Is that defined as a success? a positive or a negative because 15,000 locals won't be tempted by it?

[Tommygilf]

19 minutes ago, meast said:

5 of us going to Doncaster on Sunday for Samoa v Greece, including my friend and her daughter who are travelling from the Kent coast and looking forward to it!

My friend had never seen a game of rugby in either code until last September when she came to the womens finals day at Headingley and loved it, her 16 yr old daughter plays football for her local womens team and this will be her first ever live rugby game.

They have bought tickets for 4 other games including one of the womens double headers!

Is that defined as a success? a positive or a negative because 15,000 locals won't be tempted by it?

I think it is really positive and I hope you all have a great time. 

Its a shame your friend hasn't got many closer games to attend. I don't think its controversial to say that bustling stadiums have better experiences for spectators. Ireland vs Jamaica was good, it would have been great with a few thousand more people in (as PNG vs New Zealand was in 2013).

[Bolton Leyther]

1 hour ago, Wendigo7 said:

It really would help having the sport coming together to have a global international schedule.

Run the RL6Ns alongside their counterparts in Union: 1. England 2. Wales 3. Ireland 4. Scotland 5. France 6. Italy

Find space for the 2nd tier european sides to get game time.

Do the same for the teams down south. Make it consistent, aka you know when the 6 nations is on, you know when the Summer and Autumn Internationals is on. Then market it. I've never, never understood (well I do get it but it's still a shame) why the game didn't have a yearly international set of games at a prime time that those outside of the sport could know and come to see.

The only regular international calendar worth considering currently, financially and competitively, would be a Four Nations tournament between England, Australia, New Zealand and Tonga.

Perhaps make it a Five or possibly Six Nations with Samoa and Fiji.

[Eddie]

37 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

It will be more than that, just. 

I think it is more that there are 3 games in Doncaster that is the major issue here. 

Tbf the crowd is larger and noisier than I’d anticipated. Middlesborough is going to be the real excruciating one. 

[2blackrooks]

Agree financially England Aus NZ Tonga maybe France, has previously shown to attract good crowds and the cash, as for the home nations I’m in favour of having a knights team play Sco Ire Wal, and a development team from France even bring in a Lebanon or Italy Samoa Fiji to spice it up 

A note to future WC RL organisers, play lesser group stage games in smaller stadiums and bring in the larger capacity grounds in the quarters onwards 

[Spidey]

4 Nations including France in 2024 is a must to promote the 2025 World Cup

England, France, Tonga & New Zealand would be good

The Aussies can stay at home