2025 Attendance Thread

[Tommygilf]

46 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

Ultimately Ken Davy hasn't consulted me on the size of the new stadium and I'm not sure he ever is going to pick up the phone. But my view would be that, having recorded an average of 7,800 in the last 20 years, setting a stadium capacity only 200 more than that isn't quite enough.

We know the current ground is detrimental to attendances, so there should be some expectation of a modest bump from playing in their own, purpose built stadium. 

Alright to put it the other way they have averaged under 7k 17 times in the last 20 seasons (including currently). And then on top of that they have had literally 2 games in the past 10 years over 8k.

That's with cheap tickets and all that.

A modest bump for Huddersfield would see their average attendances go up from around 4 to 5k to around 6 to 7k (with additional revenue from tickets being more normally priced).

[Snowys Backside]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

No it doesn't. It's more like realism based upon where Huddersfield are as a club versus plucking random figures from thin air just because.

Leigh have been in their stadium 17 years, for the vast majority of that time they averaged way less than 8k. Last year was the first year they have ever averaged any more than 8k and that was 8,391.

Again this is a proposed 8k with expansion possible to 12k. No one has said they shouldn't increase from 8k as demand allows. This is the approach Warrington took, albeit from a larger starting point, and is what makes most sense in this case.

To be fair, Leigh have spent many seasons in the Lower divisions and is a Town over 3 times smaller than Huddersfield. Leigh will not look past 10k until their home fan base reaches above 9k, but it will be to the detriment of the entertainment due to the reduced capacity.

Huddersfield should follow the Leigh model and start at 12k, looking at 3 sides for Home fans. If they continue to play some good stuff (and they are more than capable), Hudds can easily average 8k IMHO.

[Eddie]

7 minutes ago, Snowys Backside said:

To be fair, Leigh have spent many seasons in the Lower divisions and is a Town over 3 times smaller than Huddersfield. Leigh will not look past 10k until their home fan base reaches above 9k, but it will be to the detriment of the entertainment due to the reduced capacity.

Huddersfield should follow the Leigh model and start at 12k, looking at 3 sides for Home fans. If they continue to play some good stuff (and they are more than capable), Hudds can easily average 8k IMHO.

Easily? They’ve tried everything and get 4k in. Also Leigh is a rugby league town and Huddersfield is a football town, they’re not really comparable. 

[Damien]

7 minutes ago, Snowys Backside said:

To be fair, Leigh have spent many seasons in the Lower divisions and is a Town over 3 times smaller than Huddersfield. Leigh will not look past 10k until their home fan base reaches above 9k, but it will be to the detriment of the entertainment due to the reduced capacity.

Huddersfield should follow the Leigh model and start at 12k, looking at 3 sides for Home fans. If they continue to play some good stuff (and they are more than capable), Hudds can easily average 8k IMHO.

RL is far more popular in Leigh than Huddersfield. They should follow what is right for them based on what they can afford. 

Leigh have only crept past 10k once and can't even fill their 12k ground anyway (hence why they are happy to reduce capacity) so I'm not sure why it would be the model to follow. Huddersfield will also own the stadium rather than it being council owned like Leigh and can sweat that asset much more.

[daz39]

15 minutes ago, Snowys Backside said:

To be fair, Leigh have spent many seasons in the Lower divisions and is a Town over 3 times smaller than Huddersfield. Leigh will not look past 10k until their home fan base reaches above 9k, but it will be to the detriment of the entertainment due to the reduced capacity.

Huddersfield should follow the Leigh model and start at 12k, looking at 3 sides for Home fans. If they continue to play some good stuff (and they are more than capable), Hudds can easily average 8k IMHO.

We won the League leaders shield in 2013 playing some wonderful stuff and averaged 6,733, down nearly 500 on the previous season, the next season we finished 3rd and crowds went down by 300, 4th in 2015 and down again to under 6,000.

Easily averaging 8,000 when we couldn't do it at our best is a big, big ask.

 

[Snowys Backside]

30 minutes ago, Damien said:

RL is far more popular in Leigh than Huddersfield. They should follow what is right for them based on what they can afford. 

Leigh have only crept past 10k once and can't even fill their 12k ground anyway (hence why they are happy to reduce capacity) so I'm not sure why it would be the model to follow. Huddersfield will also own the stadium rather than it being council owned like Leigh and can sweat that asset much more.

OK, but if true, extremely disappointing considering its supposed to be where RL was 'born'.

I have good friends who are ST Holders who watch the Giants, and they too feel there is far more potential to increase attendances but feel the game day experience is Bland and far too cheap. They also watch Huddersfield Town.

As highlighted in Bold, Leigh have had numerous capacity crowds above 10k (and the Wigan game in a few weeks time only has a few hundred tickets left), but lets not forget that the good people of Leigh pay absolutely top whack for their tickets (and get top whack entertainment)

Owning your own stadium is great, but if you pay £10 to get in, you ain't going to pay 20 quid on a burger and a few pints, that's for sure. You have priced yourself out before you have started, but that is just my opinion.

Good luck anyways, but if Hudds cannot substantiate decent crowds (paying a decent price), then they will be in trouble for sure in the coming months / years.

[Damien]

44 minutes ago, Snowys Backside said:

OK, but if true, extremely disappointing considering its supposed to be where RL was 'born'.

I have good friends who are ST Holders who watch the Giants, and they too feel there is far more potential to increase attendances but feel the game day experience is Bland and far too cheap. They also watch Huddersfield Town.

As highlighted in Bold, Leigh have had numerous capacity crowds above 10k (and the Wigan game in a few weeks time only has a few hundred tickets left), but lets not forget that the good people of Leigh pay absolutely top whack for their tickets (and get top whack entertainment)

Owning your own stadium is great, but if you pay £10 to get in, you ain't going to pay 20 quid on a burger and a few pints, that's for sure. You have priced yourself out before you have started, but that is just my opinion.

Good luck anyways, but if Hudds cannot substantiate decent crowds (paying a decent price), then they will be in trouble for sure in the coming months / years.

Huddersfield is where clubs met in a hotel for handiness. I dont think that means they should be getting great crowds.

I see two 10,308 sell out crowds in SL, both against Wigan with away fans in big numbers. Is that really numerous? It's also way off the true 12k capacity.

I dont get the rest of your post, its the opposite of what you were saying and argues against a bigger ground. I'm not sure if anyone is saying Huddersfield should sell cheap tickets, quite the opposite. Considering though the only time they have come close to 8k crowds is on the back of sub £100 season tickets then that's even more reason not to be having a 12k ground. I completely agree if people are only enticed by very cheap tickets they are unlikely to spend much in the ground. That is why you wouldn't bother with that approach if you owned your own 8k ground where you can generate additional revenue and where you would be looking to get higher profits per ticket.

Edited June 17 by Damien

[Tommygilf]

Is their a viewing figures thread? 

 

 

[Dave T]

20 hours ago, LeytherRob said:

And the perception is entirely accurate. This was still in my google sheets from last time you claimed it was only a couple of years of cheap tickets. 2017 also had £99 tickets, but even the years that didn't were under £150 which is still way too cheap for an adult season ticket.

 

Year	Cheapest Adult price	Source
2023	£149	https://giantsrl.com/article/8203/huddersfield-giants-launch-2023-season-cards
2022	£180	https://www.giantsrl.com/article/7865/new-season-card-prices-%E2%80%93-buy-yours-for-%C2%A330-per-month
2021	£99	https://www.giantsrl.com/article/7533/giants-launch-2021-season-cards
2020	£149	https://www.johnsmithsstadium.com/huddersfield-giants-season-tickets/
2019	£139	https://twitter.com/Giantsrl/status/1071011603099852802
2018	£125	https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/news/huddersfield-giants-launch-great-season-13626132
2017	£99	https://twitter.com/Giantsrl/status/786899415181262848
2016	£120	https://twitter.com/Giantsrl/status/662297610443735040
2015	£120	https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/news/huddersfield-giants-reveal-season-ticket-7743568
2014	£99	https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/news/huddersfield-giants-announce-season-ticket-5820912
2013	£99	https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/news/huddersfield-giants-announce-season-ticket-5820912
2012	£50	https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/7840973
average	£110

What's quite clear from that is they havent really got a clue what the value is and what these tickets are worth.

[Just Browny]

11 minutes ago, Dave T said:

What's quite clear from that is they havent really got a clue what the value is and what these tickets are worth.

I suspect they don't even have a table as neat as LeytherRob's. 

I often wonder if there isn't potential for a consultancy business within our little tribe of TRL nerds.

[LeytherRob]

1 hour ago, Just Browny said:

I suspect they don't even have a table as neat as LeytherRob's. 

I often wonder if there isn't potential for a consultancy business within our little tribe of TRL nerds.

I really do have too much time on my hands at work sometimes, I was just surprised I hadn't included a pivot table of some sort when I loaded it up.

[League of Ireland]

A lot of debate about whether Huddersfield should go for 8,000 or 10,000 capacity stadium, with compelling arguments for both. For me, 9,000 is therefore the logical way forward. It may sound an ‘odd’ proposition, but I’ve seen it done ‘even’.

[Eddie]

4 hours ago, League of Ireland said:

A lot of debate about whether Huddersfield should go for 8,000 or 10,000 capacity stadium, with compelling arguments for both. For me, 9,000 is therefore the logical way forward. It may sound an ‘odd’ proposition, but I’ve seen it done ‘even’.

8,500 for me. 

[Wellsy4HullFC]

In terms of the capacity issue, surely it would make sense to have 8k-ish and if there is ever any rumblings in the future of a big crowd, look to hold an event game at the John Smith's Stadium once a year to boost their overall average? Best of both worlds then. 

I'd love Hull to get their own 15k ground in the future, and just hold the odd derby hand at the MKM.

[Sports Prophet]

Round 14

Knights v SEagles 16,027

Storm v Cows 19,096

Phins v Drags 19,513

Fins v Wahs 13,727

Broncs v Tights 39,884

Raiders v Bunnies 19,438

Tiggers v Pant’s 17,708

Dogs v Eels 59,878

Reflecting on my scoring, I have given ticks to three matches which were less than the 2024 season average. Maybe I am feeling a little generous. That Dogs v Eels match is a fantastic demonstration of what the club game can achieve.

Broncos as usual, brilliant.

Knights and Tiggers get a pass, could have been a fail, but like I say, I am feeling optimistic.

Sharks fail again, although they would struggle to have fit five more people in that day. The completed redevelopment and immediate increase to capacity cannot come soon enough for the shire boys.

Edited June 21 by Sports Prophet

[Sports Prophet]

Round 15

Fins v Drags 8,573

Tights v SEagles 13,708

Knights v Rorters 24,849

Cows v Phins 18,343

Bunnies v Dogs 23,871

The optimism lasted until the following Thursday. The NRL justly rewarded with a dreadful sub 9k crowd for a derby which should never have been scheduled on a Thursday night. 

Camera crew then flew up to the GC and it didn’t get much better on Friday, another very poor crowd.

Knights and Bunnies can hold their heads high. The latter probably getting a decent crowd, not of their own doing, but by playing at the home ground of their opponents.

Cow’s a sub 20k. I will give that one a pass. Just.

[Leyther_Matt]

Le locals definitely seemed to be voting with their feet tonight 

[Eddie]

2 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Le locals definitely seemed to be voting with their feet tonight 

I appreciate it’s probably the photo but that looks ok to me. 

[Eddie]

Anglian Vipers v Elmbridge Eagles - hot day and tough conditions for the players but a very healthy crowd of 150+ at Wymomdham. 

[Leyther_Matt]

8 hours ago, Eddie said:

I appreciate it’s probably the photo but that looks ok to me. 

Yeah I had to reduce the size of it so maybe doesn’t show up very well, but the main stand (on the right of the picture) had thousands of empty seats which is unheard of in my experience. 

[gingerjon]

11 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Le locals definitely seemed to be voting with their feet tonight 

Attendance announced as 9,134

[Leyther_Matt]

39 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Attendance announced as 9,134

Cheers, must say that’s surprising (I’ve zoomed in on the original image so this might give a better indication of what I’d said previously)

 

[daz39]

14 hours ago, Eddie said:

I appreciate it’s probably the photo but that looks ok to me. 

Yup, looks about normal for Catalans home games.

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

Widnes v York 2,677.  Probably 77 from York.  For a team going so well they don't seem to travel.

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said:

Widnes v York 2,677.  Probably 77 from York.  For a team going so well they don't seem to travel.

Good that Widnes’ crowds are holding up, albeit around the two and a half thousand level.