Australian Super Rugby crowd figures

[Lance Free]

Some stats from South Africa from May 2010:

SA leads Super 14 Attendance Figures

By grootblousmile, on 19 May 2010, at 11:21 am

Super 14 drew an overall 1,832,867 bums on seats at an average of 20,141 per game, with South Africa leading at just under 26,000 per game (despite the low crowds at Coca-Cola Park.)

Country records and breakdowns:

1. South Africa: 856,930 (46% capacity) at 25,967 per game

2. Australia: 513,852 (28%) at 19,763 per game.

3. New Zealand: New Zealand total 462,085 (25%) at 14,440 per game.

As expected, the local derby games raised more interest than overseas teams. Not too much in the preferences for games against SANZAR partners, but then, that would depend on the local stadium size.

Team records:

Team most supported: Stormers 296,674 at 42,382 per game.

Team least supported: Highlanders 35,060 at 5,843 per game.

Most attended game: 50,000 for the Bulls v Sharks at Loftus.

Least attended game: 3,527 for the Lions v Blues at Ellis park (I’m also sure this counted the cleaning, vending and security staff).

Most watched away team: Brumbies 171,475 at 28,579 per game.

Most unwatched away team: Force 89,572 at 12,796 per game.

So here it, the Super 14 supporter log:

1. Stormers – 7 at home. Total: 296,674. Average: 42,382. Stadium: 83%
2. Bulls – 7 at home. Total: 240,035. Average: 34,290. Stadium: 66%
3. Sharks – 6 at home. Total: 152,002. Average: 25, 333. Stadium: 46%
4. Waratahs – 6 at home. Total: 145, 227. Average: 24, 204. Stadium: 59%
5. Reds – 7 at home. Total: 159,707. Average: 22,815. Stadium 43%
6. Crusaders – 7 at home. Total: 150,068. Average: 21,438. Stadium: 59%
7. Blues – 6 at home. Total: 106, 400. Average: 17,733. Stadium: 29% *
8. Force – 6 at home. Total: 102, 121. Average: 17,020. Stadium 83%
9. Brumbies – 7 at home. Total: 106,797. Average: 15,256. Stadium 62%
10. Hurricanes – 6 at home. Total: 89,157. Average: 14,859. Stadium 43%
11. Cheetahs – 7 at home. Total: 101,384. Average: 14,483. Stadium: 32%
12. Chiefs – 7 at home. Total: 81,400. Average: 11,628. Stadium 42%
13 Lions – 6 at home. Total: 66835. Average: 11,139. Stadium 19%
14. Highlanders – 6 at home. Total: 35,060. Average: 5,843. Stadium 29%
* not aware of reduced capacity seating numbers.

Look at the capacity utilised and you can get an appreciation for the, at times, vast rows of empty seating in games which are actually reasonably attended.

For instance, the average crowd at the ME stadium in Perth would disappear at Eden Park.

Speaking of the Force, despite being one of the most unloved teams away, they attract a near capacity crowd on average.

Overall, though, it would seem crowds and interest are up from previous years. This is probably in large part to the return of an attack orientated game and the resurgence of the Reds on the back of it.

 

[Lance Free]

Note we were 4, 5, 8 & 9 in the 2010 Super 14 attendance listings.

 

[Bullrush]

Super Rugby Attendances (from a NZ Perspective 28/4/11 - and we think we've got a problem?)

The Stats Don't Lie (Much)

The crowd averages for the Super Rugby season thus far...

New Zealand: 12,732 (down 12%)
Australia: 19,312 (down 3%)
South Africa: 32,175 (up 24%)

So South Africa, who isn't hosting the RWC and has a bunch of teams who are mainly either shit, or underperforming are attracting crowds that NZ couldn't even dream about.

A few notes on the figures. The NZ figure doesn't include the Crusaders crowd from London for obvious reasons. Factors that have also influenced NZ crowds are clearly the Crusaders being unable to play at AMI Stadium (did AMI insure the stadium?). This would have been offset to some extent by Eden Park now being fully open whereas last year half of it was a construction site.

I have the crowd numbers for 61 out of 65 games so they pretty accurate. I am missing the crowds for two of the three Cheetahs games. Namely the last two which were their smallest, the Lions are missing two of their five as well, and they too will be too embarrassed to tell anybody how pathetically small their support now is. It was a ghost town in their ground last time out. And the Chiefs are missing the crowd for the Blues game which I saw on TV had sweet fuck all at it which is odd since it's supposed to be a derby game.

Stats (brackets is the total number up or down to date)

Stormers: 36447 (-5935)
Bulls: 35211 (+920)
Sharks: 30840 (+5173)
Lions: 28521 (+17382) *more like 20,000.
Reds: 26734 (+3907)
Waratahs: 23472 (-733)
Cheetahs: 23012 (+8671) * missing smaller crowds, probably 18,000.
Blues: 18321 (+504)
Rebels: 18086
Crusaders: 15419 (-6217) *includes London crowd
Force: 15405 (-1615)
Brumbies: 14524 (-733)
Hurricanes: 11494 (-3461)
Highlanders: 10847 (+5004)
Chiefs: 10,142 (-1486)

The obvious questions are why do the South African crowds grow significantly when they already have the biggest crowds? And why do our crowds continue to suck dogs balls?

Yes there is a financial 'crisis' but that is a global one and it has had little effect on Aussie and SA. Also the NRL crowds are as high as ever so far this year and in the past two years. The AFL average attendance last year was the highest ever.

That is a bullshit excuse, and I have heard people use it. The fact is people have lost interest plain and simple. The roots lie in the rest and rotation of the ABs in 2008. In 2007 the average crowd in NZ was 20172. In 2008 it was 15805. In the world of professional sport that is a COLLOSAL drop. It means 1 out of every 4 people thought "fuck this" and stopped going. And they've never gone since.

Other factors I think in the continued stagnation/drop are the number of people who now have Sky, especially MY Sky, who will now question why they would pay $85 a month to watch sport on TV and then go and blow anything from $40 to $100 plus if you have a family on getting ripped by parking, tickets, and food for ONE game that you could be watching from the comfort of home. Also if people are struggling to make ends meet then how come Sky subscriptions are going up, not being cancelled?

The ticket prices in South Africa are tiny compared to here. Yes it is a poorer country, and yes it is more heavily populated, but not by the white folk who go to the games. Tickets there are in the range of $5 for a crappy seat (in modern stadiums) to about $20 for the best seats in the house. People don't go the Cheetahs or Lions games (aside from season openers) because they are shithouse, but by god do they go to Stormers, Bulls and Sharks games. Despite the fact that they lie 3rd, 6th and 8th on the ladder.

In case the NZRU hasn't noticed, NZers a) aren't really fucking wealthy and b) spend their money on a shit load of other things these days.

You are in competition for their $$$'s which means that you either put on a better show (which you don't) or else you lower the prices (which you don't). Fortunately for them the Highlanders are going well this year which has meant that their is noticeably more support down south, but it's hard to see that squad carrying that on for much beyond this year.

The other concerning fact is that NZ has the strongest performing teams in the competition and yet it still doesn't translate into improved attendances overall.

NZ teams: 25 wins, 3 draws, 17 losses (147 comp points)
Aussie teams: 21 wins, 1 draw, 22 losses (127 comp points)
SA teams: 19 wins, 26 losses --- (118 comp points)

If the ABs crap out in this years WC and we get that stream of our Super Rugby players continuing overseas, and the NZ teams drop down in performance to the Aussie and SA sides then god help us in 2012 and beyond.

*The economic situation in NZ has changed DRASTICALLY since 2007. And like it or not, Australia came out of the GFC in a FAR better way than NZ did. That's why I moved here and when you look at the cost of living in NZ, I won't be going back. I'm not surprised Aussies still go to sporting events post-GFC - they have more $$ in their pockets. And if you're only paying $5-$20 a ticket in SA then why wouldn't you still go? $20 is lucky to get you on the terraces at Eden Park.

*I don't think the R&R of the AB's in 2007 is STILL to be blamed for poor crowds in 2011. I don't think that just because Ritchie McCaw wasn't playing for the Crusaders in 2007 that 4 years later, people now don't want to go see him play. That just doesn't make any sense at all.

*If people really have lost interest, then I would expect that SKY and MySKY subscriptions would be dropping as well as crowd numbers. There are quite a few people in NZ who get SKY simply so they can watch rugby. And bars and pubs still count on Super Rugby games showing live at their premises to pull crowds. My rugby team was sponsored by a bar in Kingsland - not far from Eden Park - and post-2007 the owner still had full-houses on game days. No interest lost there.

*Don't forget that there is a RWC being played in NZ later this year. There will be people who are biding their time to go out and watch games, get drunk with the boys, go into town etc till then.

From an Auckland rugby supporters point-of-view, here's why I wouldn't go to a lot of games live:

1. Traffic. Getting to and from Eden Park can be a MISSION. Caught public transport when the Lions played Auckland in 2005 - took about 2hrs to get home.

2. Price. Agree with the sentiments on pricing in the article/post. Tickets, food and drink are just too expensive. While MySKY may cost me $85 a month, at least I get all the games to watch plus more. $85 will be gone in 90min at a live game.

3. Weather. Bring back afternoon kick-offs. And/or Sunday games. It would be nice if there were at least few games each season where you didn't have to take to worry about the cold. It's not so bad in Auckland but in the other centres it probably is. Especially if you've got a couple of kiddies.

 

[Slim 293]

But didn't the global financial crisis not hit until October 2008 (I know because I was overseas at the time)?

Several months after the completion of the Super 14 that year...

So that doesn't explain the significant drop in the 2008 attendances...

 

[Bullrush]

But didn't the global financial crisis not hit until October 2008 (I know because I was overseas at the time)?

Several months after the completion of the Super 14 that year...

So that doesn't explain the significant drop in the 2008 attendances...

The R&R of 2007 may still have been a factor in 2008 - I doubt it really is in 2011.

Also, in 2008 we were still smarting from the RWC loss only a few months earlier and there were also some very bitter feeling around Graham Henry's re-appointment. Some, in Caterbury in particular, were talking about never going to another AB game again and supporting the Wallabies.

 

[Lance Free]

I wonder whether 'saturation' is also a factor? I lived there for a time (although it was a while ago) and that's all they ever talked about, all of the time. Even the chicks knew about the intricacies of the game, which was most disconcerting.

It's on TV constantly - even their own rugby channel - the media is dominated by it and maybe people are getting a bit blase about it? As you say Bullrush, the hassle getting there, ticket prices and it is on TV (and you don't have to get rugged up in that awful NZ winter weather - I lived in Wellington for a time and it was absolutely freezing).

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I reckon the TV factor would have to be a big one in NZ. Cheaper and more convenient than going to a game, especially in the depths of an NZ winter.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

All is not completely rosy in League land either:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/...-with-their-feet/story-fn2mcuj6-1226061065478

A bizarre situation unfolded in the Harbour City on Sunday, when the Sydney Roosters-Newcastle Knights game at Sydney Football Stadium drew just over 10,000 fans through the turnstiles.

That crowd figure in itself was not overly surprising; the average crowd for the four matches so far in round 11 is around 14,000.

Meanwhile, 33,136 AFL fans flocked to the Sydney Swans-Hawthorn game next door at the SCG.

Anyone know the attendance at the Tahs game on Saturday night?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Further to the article, have a look at the comments. Where have we heard these complaints?

Peter Tucker of Cambelltown Catholic Club of Coogee says… Today at 1:44 PM

For starters it costs too much to get in. You end up sitting next to some loser yelling stupid comments in your ear. You line up for a beer (in plastic cups) and miss half the game. You watch your team lose and then watch them spend 10mins after the game laughing and hugging there opponents. You wait in line for a cab while other supporters run down the road and hop in them..... I'll stay at home thanks.....

 

[Stands]

"Anyone know the attendance at the Tahs game on Saturday night?"

They announced 14,000 during the telecast.

 

[PaarlBok]

Super Rugby Attendances (from a NZ Perspective 28/4/11 - and we think we've got a problem?)

The Stats Don't Lie (Much)

The crowd averages for the Super Rugby season thus far...

New Zealand: 12,732 (down 12%)
Australia: 19,312 (down 3%)
South Africa: 32,175 (up 24%)

So South Africa, who isn't hosting the RWC and has a bunch of teams who are mainly either shit, or underperforming are attracting crowds that NZ couldn't even dream about.

I am not to sure about that. Pretty sure both the Tin Ears and Liosn are doing much better compare to previous years. At the moment Aus teams look like the shite ones on the log.

A few notes on the figures. The NZ figure doesn't include the Crusaders crowd from London for obvious reasons.

35094

. I am missing the crowds for two of the three Cheetahs games. Namely the last two which were their smallest,

Not true I think Osfontein had their best crowds the last two games.

Stats (brackets is the total number up or down to date)

Stormers: 36447 (-5935)
Bulls: 35211 (+920)
Sharks: 30840 (+5173)
Lions: 28521 (+17382) *more like 20,000.
Reds: 26734 (+3907)
Waratahs: 23472 (-733)
Cheetahs: 23012 (+8671) * missing smaller crowds, probably 18,000.
Blues: 18321 (+504)
Rebels: 18086
Crusaders: 15419 (-6217) *includes London crowd
Force: 15405 (-1615)
Brumbies: 14524 (-733)
Hurricanes: 11494 (-3461)
Highlanders: 10847 (+5004)
Chiefs: 10,142 (-1486)

The obvious questions are why do the South African crowds grow significantly when they already have the biggest crowds? And why do our crowds continue to suck dogs balls?

Yes there is a financial 'crisis' but that is a global one and it has had little effect on Aussie and SA. Also the NRL crowds are as high as ever so far this year and in the past two years. The AFL average attendance last year was the highest ever.

That is a bullshit excuse, and I have heard people use it. The fact is people have lost interest plain and simple. The roots lie in the rest and rotation of the ABs in 2008. In 2007 the average crowd in NZ was 20172. In 2008 it was 15805. In the world of professional sport that is a COLLOSAL drop. It means 1 out of every 4 people thought "fuck this" and stopped going. And they've never gone since.

Other factors I think in the continued stagnation/drop are the number of people who now have Sky, especially MY Sky, who will now question why they would pay $85 a month to watch sport on TV and then go and blow anything from $40 to $100 plus if you have a family on getting ripped by parking, tickets, and food for ONE game that you could be watching from the comfort of home. Also if people are struggling to make ends meet then how come Sky subscriptions are going up, not being cancelled?

The ticket prices in South Africa are tiny compared to here. Yes it is a poorer country, and yes it is more heavily populated, but not by the white folk who go to the games. Tickets there are in the range of $5 for a crappy seat (in modern stadiums) to about $20 for the best seats in the house. People don't go the Cheetahs or Lions games (aside from season openers) because they are shithouse, but by god do they go to Stormers, Bulls and Sharks games. Despite the fact that they lie 3rd, 6th and 8th on the ladder.

In case the NZRU hasn't noticed, NZers a) aren't really fucking wealthy and b) spend their money on a shit load of other things these days.

You are in competition for their $$$'s which means that you either put on a better show (which you don't) or else you lower the prices (which you don't). Fortunately for them the Highlanders are going well this year which has meant that their is noticeably more support down south, but it's hard to see that squad carrying that on for much beyond this year.

The other concerning fact is that NZ has the strongest performing teams in the competition and yet it still doesn't translate into improved attendances overall.

NZ teams: 25 wins, 3 draws, 17 losses (147 comp points)
Aussie teams: 21 wins, 1 draw, 22 losses (127 comp points)
SA teams: 19 wins, 26 losses --- (118 comp points)

If the ABs crap out in this years WC and we get that stream of our Super Rugby players continuing overseas, and the NZ teams drop down in performance to the Aussie and SA sides then god help us in 2012 and beyond.

Quite surprise to see Aus crowds dropping. Altho SA is up my concern is about the best supportive S15 Stadium, Newlands drop. The competition starting to early maybe the reason and less NZ teams playing here probably the reason.

Also think NZ must get afternoon matches. They have kak weather compare to us and the families like afternoon games.

 

[Rob42]

Anyone know the attendance at the Tahs game on Saturday night?

14,130 according to Rugbyheaven. Lowest Tahs attendance ever.

 

[Lance Free]

Paarl - I got the Stats Don't Lie (Much) blog above from some Kiwi website posted on 28 April. So the figures will probably be a month or so out. I'd imagine the Cheetahs would be getting some bigger crowds now that they are on a winning streak. The last time I saw a home Lions game was against the Force and the crowd looked very poor indeed. I guess the bottom line is that the SA teams are bucking the trend and expanding, whereas the NZ ones are falling off significantly. Oz are declining but at a far lesser rate. It would be nice to turn it around and I guess at the end of the tournament the numbers will be increased on the back of the revamped Super Rugby. I think in Australia the fact is, if you're not winning you're leaking fans. In the case of NSW, you need to win positively to arrest that decline.

 

[PaarlBok]

Paarl - I got the Stats Don't Lie (Much) blog above from some Kiwi website posted on 28 April. So the figures will probably be a month or so out. I'd imagine the Cheetahs would be getting some bigger crowds now that they are on a winning streak. The last time I saw a home Lions game was against the Force and the crowd looked very poor indeed. I guess the bottom line is that the SA teams are bucking the trend and expanding, whereas the NZ ones are falling off significantly. Oz are declining but at a far lesser rate. It would be nice to turn it around and I guess at the end of the tournament the numbers will be increased on the back of the revamped Super Rugby. I think in Australia the fact is, if you're not winning you're leaking fans. In the case of NSW, you need to win positively to arrest that decline.

Pretty much an SA problem aswell. Newlands will never be packed like this if we dont play that well as in the last two years. Pretty sure in seasons gone by they were poorer but then we still have a very strong rugby culture and sporting base in the Western Cape. I'll take a look at this and will report them back.

 

[PaarlBok]

2009 Newlands:
vs Force 24,340
vs Chiefs 25,400
vs Lions 32,004
vs Blues 39,777
vs Reds 33,022
vs Sharks 47,604

Started from the bottom and surely fall away when they ended 10th on the log. Average = 33,691. Still better then any of other franchises. Newlands and the Bull Ring has always been SA best performers in the supporting matches stakes. Had to do with the culture coming from many a year. Dont matter if its Craven Week or whatever level, when North and South meet, they'll support.

 

[PaarlBok]

This also brings me to the NZ one. There are still plenty of Kiwis not supporting SupeRugby the same way they support their NPC or ITM or whatever they call their CC provinces competition because of their central contracting and pool system. Players all over the show plus small boet vs big boet syndrome and hatred. Add no afternoon matches plus to many rugby stacked in a year and you get the sum and part of their rugby declining. We still have afternoon matches and our provinces culture blood in supeRugby but the amount of rugby will catch up on us, my view.

 

[PaarlBok]

and the Aussies is simply spoiled brats, not supporting their teams watching live rugby. To much of American way of life, its to much PT going to the Stadium.

 

[TOCC]

yep pb, you must be right..........

 

[Lance Free]

and the Aussies is simply spoiled brats, not supporting their teams watching live rugby. To much of American way of life, its to much PT going to the Stadium.

However, this weekend you might be proved wrong......

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

and the Aussies is simply spoiled brats, not supporting their teams watching live rugby. To much of American way of life, its to much PT going to the Stadium.

You forgot the wee man with his fishing rod, Paarl