RLWC Attendance-O-Meter

[Tosh]

4 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Two people next to us were ex pat Kiwis. Guys in front were from London, one was ex pat Samoa. Lots of SH ex pats all around.

London is probably the most cosmopolitan city on the planet. Maybe even more so than New York.

This is why big international RL games need to be staged in the city.

 

[Guest]

Just now, Leonard said:

Yes, Bolton and DW were sold out apart from 2k seats. And they looked it on camera and non of those were free tickets where they?

I think you can take those numbers with a pinch of salt. 

I was there and no way 40k yesterday either. And "sold" seems to be a moving feast this tournament with things like 20k tickets to key workers and the such.

[Tommygilf]

4 minutes ago, moorside roughyed said:

Or we could just accept that the game isn't that popular and use smaller venues so it doesn't look as embarrassing.

Oh yeah, and use a smaller ground like the Etihad then?

We've had better crowds than we got yesterday in London. The London crowd is still going to be third only to the final and the opener.

[north yorks trinity]

26 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I don't think anyone on here has delusions of the popularity of the game (or otherwise), but it is fair to be disappointed with a tournament that has delivered a lower attendance than 2013, with some clear missteps that were obvious to everyone but the organisers.

Even putting prices to one side, I wonder how much more popular the WC would have been if buying tickets was easier. I suspect we lost many many thousands of spectators across the tournament because of this. 

I agree we're not football but I don't think RLWC attendances are a true reflection of popularity or lack of it.

[The Masked Poster]

9 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Why did you buy a ticket before the semis then?

i didn’t say you weren’t dedicated i said you were throwing your toys out of the pram.

Dont go, your ticket will still be counted and its an extra empty seat for seat counters to spot.

I'm not throwing anything anywhere. I'm just fed up of this being the scenario every time and choosing to not go. I've had enough, sorry. 

[Tommygilf]

Just now, north yorks trinity said:

Even putting prices to one side, I wonder how much more popular the WC would have been if buying tickets was easier. I suspect we lost many many thousands of spectators across the tournament because of this. 

I agree we're not football but I don't think RLWC attendances are a true reflection of popularity or lack of it.

I think there has been so many errors with this world cup on an organisational level it would need an inquiry to examine the corpse!

No doubt the message we will hear will be "increased ticket revenue per ticket" and other such things, but they have failed to attract a pretty captive audience.

[The Masked Poster]

10 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Your choice. Why not extend your boycott to post-match commenting on the final, too?

I probably will as I'm unlikely to watch it anyway. But if I do see it and want to comment, I'll run it by you first ok? Cheers. 

[Chrispmartha]

England can still make a Final don’t forget!

Anyway, where’s your ticket for in the stadium? Do you want  to sell it?

[Dave T]

29 minutes ago, Leonard said:

To be fair, whilst I doubt the number of people there was anywhere near 40k, the cat a section I was in was rammed. I also I know someone who was in corporate. So not all bad. Atmosphere was immense second half where I was. 

Can I ask which section you were in, because tbh it didn't look like any Cat A section was rammed. 

I've just watched back on TV and it actually looks far worse than it did at the ground. 

[Dave T]

33 minutes ago, meast said:

The fans from the heartlands haven't supported this tournament, yesterday was a mainly southern based crowd I think.

Time to get away from the heartlands if we want to expand the international game.

Sick of seeing and hearing fans from the heartlands whine and moan about crowds but then don't go to these games themselves.

If the fans in the heartlands can't be bothered then why should others?

Existing fans were priced out of this tournament. 

[JonM]

1 minute ago, Dave T said:

Can I ask which section you were in, because tbh it didn't look like any Cat A section was rammed. 

I've just watched back on TV and it actually looks far worse than it did at the ground. 

I would've said 40K there yesterday, based on a capacity of a little over 60K. Only a handful of empty seats in the section were were in, in the East stand.

[moorside roughyed]

12 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Oh yeah, and use a smaller ground like the Etihad then?

We've had better crowds than we got yesterday in London. The London crowd is still going to be third only to the final and the opener.

No. I mean smaller grounds in London as you alluded to like Chelsea,that's a nice ground that's not quite as big as arsenal. I just think the crowds at Emirates looked bad.

[Dave T]

25 minutes ago, moorside roughyed said:

Or we could just accept that the game isn't that popular and use smaller venues so it doesn't look as embarrassing.

Appropriate grounds should always be used. Stadium choice was more appropriate in general in 2013. 

[The Masked Poster]

6 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

England can still make a Final don’t forget!

Anyway, where’s your ticket for in the stadium? Do you want  to sell it?

If you want it, (and I definitely don't go) you can have it for free. Ferguson stand block NN407 I. think.

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Can I ask which section you were in, because tbh it didn't look like any Cat A section was rammed. 

I've just watched back on TV and it actually looks far worse than it did at the ground. 

Opposite the tunnels, other side. Block 517. 4 of us and was busy. A fair bit was covered by the overhang of the upper tier. They were all £100 plus tickets. 

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, JonM said:

I would've said 40K there yesterday, based on a capacity of a little over 60K. Only a handful of empty seats in the section were were in, in the East stand.

I think it can be difficult to tell tbh. I thought 35k, but seeing it on TV today I can understand why people think lower, sections near me were far emptier than it felt. 

[The Masked Poster]

Have a look at both the price AND your chances of getting a ticket for the Peter Kay tour next year. Seems like there are people out there willing to pay money for things they are interested in. 

[Chrispmartha]

3 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

If you want it, (and I definitely don't go) you can have it for free. Ferguson stand block NN407 I. think.

You’ll end up going

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Leonard said:

Opposite the tunnels, other side. Block 517. 4 of us and was busy. A fair bit was covered by the overhang of the upper tier. They were all £100 plus tickets. 

I can speak for 4 in Cat A, 3 I know in Cat D who I think were also there with friends and 1 in corporate. Only me a regular RL fan and half newbies. 

[crashmon]

49 minutes ago, moorside roughyed said:

I can't understand why they chose the Emirates at Arsenal. They'd have filled the Etihad in Manchester. It's just too expensive for some to go to London. Look at the recent attendances for the challenge cup finals. 

So your response to expanding the game is......... take the one game played in London and move it to Manchester

this thinking will have RL dead in less than 10 years

2013 some of the best games was to be had at places like Bristol.

[Chrispmartha]

1 minute ago, The Masked Poster said:

Have a look at both the price AND your chances of getting a ticket for the Peter Kay tour next year. Seems like there are people out there willing to pay money for things they are interested in. 

I’ve been baffled by the clamour for Peter Kay tickets TBH! Just watch one of his old stand ups it’ll be the same

he’s done dome brilliant TV, That Peter Kay thing , Phoenix Nights and Car Share, but seems to inly have ever done 2 sets of stand up in 25 years.

 

Anyway, sorry as you were …

[Guest]

I might actually go on sat now. Double header and cheer Samoa. No doub there will be no trains after 6pm though, which will ruin that 

SJP and Kingston Park both great 

Tonga v PNG was great too 

And really enjoyed both semis, so a lot to enjoy when you add on PDRL, wheelchair and women's. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bromleybulldog]

Walking to the ground from Finsbury Park an hour before kick off I was pleasantly surprised at the number of fans I saw. Pubs en route were rammed, crowds drinking on the pavement outside. I began to feel very optimistic about the attendance. Crowds outside the ground as well. Inside at 13.45, nothing. Went to my seat, upper tier west side, Clock end- almost empty. At kick off I moved from opposite to the goal line to right on the centre line and had a block almost to myself. (It was high up). I would guess max 35k there, probably less. Atmosphere only picked up at the end of the second half when admittedly it was electric. Did the fans stay in the pubs to watch on TV? Samoa deserved their win, we looked way off the pace for most of the game. Hope they can give Australia a good game nexr week, though not holding my breath.

[moorside roughyed]

2 minutes ago, crashmon said:

So your response to expanding the game is......... take the one game played in London and move it to Manchester

this thinking will have RL dead in less than 10 years

2013 some of the best games was to be had at places like Bristol.

As I've said before look at the attendances at the challenge cup finals over the years. They've been in free fall. I was there a couple of seasons ago and there wasn't much of an atmosphere. Probably because the stadium was half empty. We used to fill Wembley on cup final day.

[The Masked Poster]

11 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

You’ll end up going

I'll see how it goes.....but I doubt it.