RLWC Attendance-O-Meter

[gingerjon]

Just now, The Rocket said:

I think we have to cut the RFL a bit of slack though. You announce an ambitious ticket pricing policy,

That's fine - really, it is - for England games, semi finals and the final. They may be too high, just, but the general pitch is broadly right.

But we've hundred of pages (and observed reality at matches) showing that it is delivering below par sales at other matches.

[Chrispmartha]

34 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Fair enough, in that case it was foolish of them. 

Why? it was a tournament of a minority sport that was deemed a success

 

[jacksy]

If we beat the 2013 and 2017 attendance figures that is a success for me.

[Dave T]

3 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I know this is an attendance thread but I'd like to echo how many positives comments I've seen/heard about the pre-match rituals and, in particular, the Fijian hymn.

It's quite amazing that much of the marketing has been based around % of stands sold rather than these pre-match rituals. 

[Chrispmartha]

24 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I'd disagree with that. Because the RLWC strategy was never ever, get fewer customers, but charge more. And the reason we know that is because they told us their targets. 

So I absolutely agree that comparisons are not like-for-like, the target has always, at every single stage, been to exceed the crowd numbers from 2013 by a substantial number.

And your point on which is 'better' is spot on, it can't just be a case of one being seen as better, that is subjective, but the crowd targets are one of the few targets that are published, and regularly updated on. It isn't just us fans who talk about it.

Customer numbers is an absolutely crucial measure.

When did they set their targets/strategy?

 

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, jacksy said:

If we beat the 2013 and 2017 attendance figures that is a success for me.

I think it would be tough not to beat the 2017 tournament, I think we will smash that now. 2013, less certain.

[Jim from Oz]

42 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Why does everyone keep comparing our World Cup to the Women’s World Cup? They are completely different and given the national obsession with football, the reach it has over the entire country, the saturation media coverage and the number of girls playing these days I wouldn’t expect our ticket sales to match theirs. 

Because the organisers of this rugby league World Cup kept saying that the women’s Euro total attendance was one of their targets.

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, Chrispmartha said:

When did they set their targets/strategy?

 

Which one? The 1m, or the 750k, or the 458k, or the 570k?

But even if we do accept that the 750k one is too high because of covid, this was from 2 months ago:

The main milestones are to surpass the 476,000 sales in 2013 - that's the first number and we are confident we will do that," Dutton told Rugby League Live. "The women's Euros attracted around 571,000 ticket sales and we're confident we can achieve that too. Then 750,000 is the stretch target.

I think getting 570k for the men's tournament would absolutely be seen as a success in the current climate. Looking at the numbers and fixtures I think we are approaching the stage of that becoming very very unlikely, almost impossible.

[Tommygilf]

5 minutes ago, JonM said:

I met up with some old mates back in Cambridge this week. All of them had watched the womens euros avidly. I seriously doubt that 99% of men are not interested.

People watching that tournament expected that lots of games will be played in small stadia, and not necessarily in front of sold out crowds, but that the England games and later rounds will get big crowds. People have the same expectation for rugby league world cup - people already know it's not that big of a sport.

None of the people I've spoken to about RLWC have mentioned crowd size, heritage players, locations of games or anything like that - it's all been about how good the games have been, didn't England do well, loved the Samoan war dance, the Fijiian hymn, didn't know Greece played rugby league and so on.

Definitely some major positives, perhaps the main shame is accessibility (or rather the lack of) for people in vast swathes of the country.

[Damien]

8 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Which one? The 1m, or the 750k, or the 458k, or the 570k?

But even if we do accept that the 750k one is too high because of covid, this was from 2 months ago:

The main milestones are to surpass the 476,000 sales in 2013 - that's the first number and we are confident we will do that," Dutton told Rugby League Live. "The women's Euros attracted around 571,000 ticket sales and we're confident we can achieve that too. Then 750,000 is the stretch target.

I think getting 570k for the men's tournament would absolutely be seen as a success in the current climate. Looking at the numbers and fixtures I think we are approaching the stage of that becoming very very unlikely, almost impossible.

I'd be delighted with 570k at these ticket prices and what should be bumper profits. You can't discount the impact either of the vastly increased television coverage on the BBC too compared to 2013.

The organisers have been a little silly really though with the various targets they have announced because they obviously never sat down and thought about what they actually need to get in individual games to reach that target.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Damien said:

I'd be delighted with 570k at these ticket prices and what should be bumper profits. You can't discount the impact either of the vastly increased television coverage on the BBC too compared to 2013.

The organisers have been a little silly really though with the various targets they have announced because they obviously never sat down and thought about what they actually need to get in individual games to reach that target.

Yup - I'm not bothered if we miss out on 10k tickets in Bath at £10 a go.

Taking 4 non-league fans to Emirates now.

[Dave T]

7 minutes ago, Damien said:

I'd be delighted with 570k at these ticket prices and what should be bumper profits. You can't discount the impact either of the vastly increased television coverage on the BBC too compared to 2013.

The organisers have been a little silly really though with the various targets they have announced because they obviously never sat down and thought about what they actually need to get in individual games to reach that target.

Yeah, I think that's the biggest error. Irrespective of the current climate, delivering 750k with the prices and schedule we have gone with was always unlikely. 

A tournament that broadly looked like 2013 (packed grounds with a real buzz) where people have paid 2 or 3 times as much, with the added features of Womens, Wheelchair and PDRL tournaments - would have demonstrated real growth. It is likely we will get there financially, but the downside is that the grounds being slightly too big does really affect the atmosphere and enjoyment. 

I've genuinely loved all four games I've been to, but three of them have had a bit of an exhibition feel to them - that wasn't the case in 2013.

Hopefully we just crack on for the next two week and the Quarters onwards has the makings of being really great.

[OriginalMrC]

Sorry but this thread is just awful. I am interested in the attendances but having to read through 4 pages of whinging each time might not be worth it

Anyway went to the civic reception for Australia and Scotland in Coventry last night. There's loads of positivity about the event. While I think a stadium the size of the CBS should have had an England game I expect it will easily outsell last weekends Australia game. Aparently ticket sales have been strong 

[bamfordsbeans]

I remember the 750,000 target being widely reported.

That would mean an average attendance of 24,193 per game.

Total pie in the sky and makes you wonder if the people in charge have got a realistic handle of the way RL fans think.

I applaud the coverage by the BBC but history tells us a televised game reduces the crowd by between 25 and 50%.

[bamfordsbeans]

Just had a Warrington season ticket holder on "Popmaster" on Radio 2.,who was plugging the World Cup.

Did better than his team this year.

 

 

[Archie Gordon]

The evidence suggests that there is no effect on game day attendance that arises from televising the game. Or, perhaps, there is a lack of evidence that it does. Either way, the claim of an effect can't be backed up.

Edited October 20, 2022 by Archie Gordon

[Guest]

Televising all the games has made me book more tickets.

 

It's the best advertising you can get for free.

Edited October 20, 2022 by Leonard

[GeordieSaint]

38 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

Apparently ticket sales have been strong 

Any indication of scale?

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Chrispmartha said:

Why? it was a tournament of a minority sport that was deemed a success

 

Football isn’t a minority sport, and the media attention is huge. 

[bamfordsbeans]

You only have to watch any Sky game particularly on a Thursday and any Challenge Cup game on the BBC to back my case up.

[gingerjon]

6 minutes ago, bamfordsbeans said:

You only have to watch any Sky game particularly on a Thursday and any Challenge Cup game on the BBC to back my case up.

Midweek games in all sports, televised or not, draw lower crowds than comparable fixtures played on the weekend.

The Challenge Cup, like all non season ticket games, draws lower crowds until it gets to the televised final which is the second best attended club game in the country. The best attended is also televised.

[Dave T]

7 minutes ago, bamfordsbeans said:

You only have to watch any Sky game particularly on a Thursday and any Challenge Cup game on the BBC to back my case up.

But televising on a Friday doesn't have that effect? So it shows that it is maybe more than that. And some Cup games perform well. 

There are probably half a dozen factors at least that line up to impact crowds. 

[Dave T]

28 minutes ago, Leonard said:

Televising all the games has made me book more tickets.

 

It's the best advertising you can get for free.

100% agree. I think there may be some impact on certain games, but the benefits should outweigh the negatives. 

That England v Samoa game was a 4hr advert live on BBC One, and the reaction was hugely positive. 

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Dave T said:

100% agree. I think there may be some impact on certain games, but the benefits should outweigh the negatives. 

That England v Samoa game was a 4hr advert live on BBC One, and the reaction was hugely positive. 

Yes - they even said they had the best sales in 2 years after the game.

[Dave T]

6 minutes ago, Leonard said:

Yes - they even said they had the best sales in 2 years after the game.

We saw it in 1995 when we staged the first WC like this, sales were poor at Wembley, the tournament was struggling for traction, and apparently England beating Oz live on the BBC carried the tournament and we saw strong crowds at the group games and beyond. 

I hope another good win on Saturday and one against Greece brings us a strong uplift for the Quarters onwards. 

The group games are almost at the stage of they'll be what they'll be, but 4 quarter finals on the BBC over that weekend should be a focus for healthy crowds, and great atmosphere, because the players certainly won't let us down. 

Edited October 20, 2022 by Dave T