2024 attendance thread

[Archie Gordon]

16 minutes ago, RayCee said:

Thanks Bod. There was a post that talked about tickets sold and actual attendees which left me wondering which figure is counted. So switching from attendees to tickets sold is as below but still not balanced. Oh well.  We will wait and see.

List Total	76,824
Hull FC	20,014
Leeds	15,126
St Helens	14,058
Castleford	10,170
Catalans	8,876
Leigh	8,580
Correction	-125
Corr Total	76,699

See https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/3965/bumper-crowds-for-betfred-super-league-kick-off-

[Worzel]

3 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Broncos aim is for 7000 for the Wolves match on St Patrick's day.

We are taking 100 for the VIP hospitality all major blue chip companies ,should be a cracking St Patrick's day hopefully our flight won't be late as will have been at the Dragons the night before.

That would be quite an achievement. Hopefully the Broncos can find a way to dig in this season, not get battered even if they struggle to fully compete on their budget. 

[meast]

5 hours ago, Tre Cool said:

I remember 8k ish for the first game (?) as harelquins against Saints i think. And a big crowd against Manly for a friendly at the Stoop.

It was, I was there.

Harlequins v Plymouth Albion, beforehand, it was dreadful, not that I saw much of it as the play was in the far corner for 55 minutes and then at the other side of the pitch for the second 58 minutes trying to get a scrum formed!

[langpark]

This sounds positive...

 

 

[RayCee]

In London's last year in SL (2019), they averaged 2,100. Over the last couple of years in the Championship it was in the 1,000 to 1,100 region. The team they have replaced in SL (Wakefield) averaged 4,300 in 2023 but over a full season that would be unlikely for London. I would think 3,600 would be a decent goal (70% up in their last SL season). 

Edited February 19 by RayCee

[Yakstorm]

8 minutes ago, RayCee said:

In London's last year in SL (2019), they averaged 2,100. Over the last couple of years in the Championship it was in the 1,000 to 1,100 region. The team they have replaced in SL (Wakefield) averaged 4,300 in 2023 but over a full season that would be unlikely for London. I would think 3,600 would be a decent goal (70% up in their last SL season). 

Hopefully, with them playing a number of matches at home early in the season, it allows them to get off to a good start crowd wise.

After Catalans, they have Hull FC away, then Wigan, Warrington & Huddersfield at home, before Hull KR away & Salford at home again. 

Wigan & Warrington should both bring decent away numbers (and have a solid following in the capital anyway), which gives the Broncos their best chance of big crowds early on.

Ideal scenario is after those 2 + Catalans they would be between 15K-18K aggregate (Catalans 4.5K + Warrington 7K + Wigan 5.5K) which makes that 3.6K target a lot more achievable. 

[Archie Gordon]

I think some of these projected London crowds are fantasy. They have given away thousands of tickets for Catalan - good on them - but they have an uncompetitive squad and essentially nothing for a new fan to get behind. It looks as if they are re-running their first Championship season at Plough Lane - 2.2k vs Widnes before it all fell away. Much more investment is required if London really are keen to accumulate IMG points during their year in the sun.

I hope I'm wrong.

[Bedford Roughyed]

 

[Dave T]

58 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I think some of these projected London crowds are fantasy. They have given away thousands of tickets for Catalan - good on them - but they have an uncompetitive squad and essentially nothing for a new fan to get behind. It looks as if they are re-running their first Championship season at Plough Lane - 2.2k vs Widnes before it all fell away. Much more investment is required if London really are keen to accumulate IMG points during their year in the sun.

I hope I'm wrong.

Yeah, good luck to them, but it would be odd that they suddenly know how to get a crowd in when they are likely to lose most, if not every game. 

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

13 hours ago, doc said:

Difficult game for Widnes. Even the ref must have got fed with the dropped ball, dumb penalties and duff play the balls. 

###### to get off the car park as well.

Car park problem wasn't helped by a few people thinking that there was another exit at the other end and having to find somewhere to turn round in a very narrow space.

[Tre Cool]

2 hours ago, Archie Gordon said:

I think some of these projected London crowds are fantasy. They have given away thousands of tickets for Catalan - good on them - but they have an uncompetitive squad and essentially nothing for a new fan to get behind. It looks as if they are re-running their first Championship season at Plough Lane - 2.2k vs Widnes before it all fell away. Much more investment is required if London really are keen to accumulate IMG points during their year in the sun.

I hope I'm wrong.

But with relegation guaranteed how can we expect Hughes to throw money at the squad?  

[Archie Gordon]

2 hours ago, Tre Cool said:

But with relegation guaranteed how can we expect Hughes to throw money at the squad?  

I guess if you have a 1-year plan, you don't spend a penny more than you need to. But if you have a 5-year plan (or even a 2-year plan), surely you are thinking about recruiting and retaining sponsors and fans beyond this September.

[Tre Cool]

28 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I guess if you have a 1-year plan, you don't spend a penny more than you need to. But if you have a 5-year plan (or even a 2-year plan), surely you are thinking about recruiting and retaining sponsors and fans beyond this September.

A 5 year plan with still a very small chance of meeting IMGs requirements no matter what he spends. Especially considering the very unfair catchment area and youth development points London are (not) given.

[Archie Gordon]

2 minutes ago, Tre Cool said:

A 5 year plan with still a very small chance of meeting IMGs requirements no matter what he spends. Especially considering the very unfair catchment area and youth development points London are (not) given.

That's true.

It's also true that Hughes voted for this so presumably that 'very small chance' is what he's aiming for.

[Tre Cool]

23 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

That's true.

It's also true that Hughes voted for this so presumably that 'very small chance' is what he's aiming for.

well no, he's recently made a statement on his reasons for voting for IMG and that he now thinks some changes need to be considered.

[Taffy Tiger]

Haven't IMG said that they will be doing spot checks at grounds during the season and will then check the club's announced attendance for any anomalies . If this is the case how will they be able to check clubs who aren't announcing their home attendances ?

Edited February 19 by Taffy Tiger

[Toby Chopra]

2 hours ago, Tre Cool said:

well no, he's recently made a statement on his reasons for voting for IMG and that he now thinks some changes need to be considered.

It's still deflection though. Even if London were given maximum points for catchment, and if academy was included in foundation spend they'd still be miles off a place.

It pains me to say this because as a southerner I'd love the Broncos to be successful, but the facts on the state of the game in the south are hard to argue with.

But we'll make the most of this year as it is - so far I'm going to be going to four games this season - and I think many southern rugby league fans will give it a go too, just to see top flight RL, if not the Broncos. So hopefully there will be some decent crowds and Plough Lane is a great little stadium, much better than Ealing for SL.

But long term we need a proper plan for London RL.

[Tre Cool]

1 hour ago, Toby Chopra said:

It's still deflection though. Even if London were given maximum points for catchment, and if academy was included in foundation spend they'd still be miles off a place.

It pains me to say this because as a southerner I'd love the Broncos to be successful, but the facts on the state of the game in the south are hard to argue with.

But we'll make the most of this year as it is - so far I'm going to be going to four games this season - and I think many southern rugby league fans will give it a go too, just to see top flight RL, if not the Broncos. So hopefully there will be some decent crowds and Plough Lane is a great little stadium, much better than Ealing for SL.

But long term we need a proper plan for London RL.

Yes i agree with this, im going to my first game for a while and im a former ST holder. But they need some serious investment and direction to have any hope for SL.

Edited February 19 by Tre Cool

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

8 hours ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

Car park problem wasn't helped by a few people thinking that there was another exit at the other end and having to find somewhere to turn round in a very narrow space.

I left the stadium 3 mins or so after the game finished. At that point there were a few cars queuing to leave, there were stewards on the gates but the gates were shut. Remember thinking that I was glad I hadn't parked there because it looked rammed.  Had a two minute walk to my car and drove back to the main road expecting to see cars flowing out of the car park. Nothing was happening, why did they wait so long to open the gates?

[JT RL]

Maybe Londoners are using this season as their last chance to catch high level rugby league relatively locally .. Closing down sale sort of thing.

[Leyther_Matt]

2 hours ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said:

I left the stadium 3 mins or so after the game finished. At that point there were a few cars queuing to leave, there were stewards on the gates but the gates were shut. Remember thinking that I was glad I hadn't parked there because it looked rammed.  Had a two minute walk to my car and drove back to the main road expecting to see cars flowing out of the car park. Nothing was happening, why did they wait so long to open the gates?

Presume they were waiting for pedestrians to clear? In fairness, as a venue, they deal with 15k crowds a few times a year so 1,100 won’t have been too much of a shock. In the summer of 2022 I was there in consecutive weeks - 800 on for Crusaders v Keighley and then 15,000 for Feeder and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds!

[Yakstorm]

17 hours ago, Taffy Tiger said:

Haven't IMG said that they will be doing spot checks at grounds during the season and will then check the club's announced attendance for any anomalies . If this is the case how will they be able to check clubs who aren't announcing their home attendances ?

Unless those clubs are happy to forfeit all those points associated with crowds, they'll still announce attendances.

That announcement may only be to RLC & IMG, but it will be announced and verified. 

[Coggo]

I'm sure Broncos v Catalans will be a very healthy attendance even if many will be on a freebie.

In typically carp Broncos fashion, they aren't selling Wigan tickets in the Plough Lane west stand, which is the biggest stand by far and effectively caps the attendance to 5k.

I'm sure Londoners would be keen to see the best rugby league team in the northern hemisphere (and possibly the world champions) in bigger numbers than that.

[Tre Cool]

4 minutes ago, Coggo said:

I'm sure Broncos v Catalans will be a very healthy attendance even if many will be on a freebie.

In typically carp Broncos fashion, they aren't selling Wigan tickets in the Plough Lane west stand, which is the biggest stand by far and effectively caps the attendance to 5k.

I'm sure Londoners would be keen to see the best rugby league team in the northern hemisphere (and possibly the world champions) in bigger numbers than that.

Are Penrith playing at Plough Lane that day too??

[Taffy Tiger]

5 hours ago, Yakstorm said:

Unless those clubs are happy to forfeit all those points associated with crowds, they'll still announce attendances.

That announcement may only be to RLC & IMG, but it will be announced and verified. 

Thanks Yakstorm , yeah it would make sense that they will announce it to RLC and IMG , and wait til end of season to announce publicly.