SUPER LEAGUE clubs have announced some major attendance milestones for the 2023 season.
Hull KR announced during their last home game of the season against Salford Red Devils last Saturday night that they had averaged 8,770 across their 13 league fixtures at Sewell Group Craven Park in 2023. That is 13% up on 2022, making it not only their highest in the Super League and since they moved to the “new” Craven Park ground in 1989, but even beating the figures they set in winning consecutive Championships in 1984 and 1985.
It has been a similar story for the Leigh Leopards, who are currently averaging 6,999 and guaranteed to go well past 7,000 as their last home fixture of the season against Wigan Warriors is already sold out. That means they will beat the club’s record Super League crowd of 9,012, set for their first meeting with Wigan earlier this season, and will also comfortably surpass the average gate of 5,939 they posted at their old Hilton Park ground when they were crowned champions in 1981-2.
Salford Red Devils have also set a new record in 2023, with the crowd of 7,854 for the visit of Wigan Warriors the best they have attracted in 12 seasons since leaving The Willows for the Salford Stadium in 2012 – and their average home crowd from 12 matches of 5,384 representing a 19% improvement on 2022.
Other big improvements have been recorded by Catalans Dragons (averaging 9,062, up from 8,068 in 2022), St Helens (averaging 12,671, compared to 11,851 in 2022) and Warrington Wolves (averaging 10,887, an increase of almost 25% on last year’s figure of 8,719).
Wigan Warriors, who go into the last round of fixtures on top of the table on points difference, are leading the way off the field with an average attendance for 2023 of 13,497, again an impressive 10% increase on their 2022 figure.
And Hull FC have matched Hull KR’s off-field success in a bumper year for Super League in the city, with their average attendance at the MKM Stadium of 12,364, also up 13% on last year, and their highest since 2010.
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