Comparing every Super League club’s average attendance in 2024 to 2023: Castleford Tigers, Leigh Leopards excelling
Clockwise from top left: Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos, Salford Red Devils and Warrington Wolves supporters pictured during games in 2024
We’re comfortably into the final third of the Super League season, and it’s now evident how clubs are faring when it comes to the crowds they’re able to attract.
Some people do view rugby league’s constant focus on crowds are a bit of an obsession: but it’s certainly interesting this season to see which clubs are up, and which clubs are down, with IMG’s iron fist set to come into play at the end of the season.
Here, we’ve put together a comparison for the 12 top flight clubs between the average attendance they ended the regular 2023 season with, and the average figure they’ve had through the gates in their Super League home games to date this term.
Please note, Challenge Cup games have not been counted towards these tallies.
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Castleford Tigers’ 2024 average: 7,946*
2023: 7,186 (+760)
As far as we know, despite a largely challenging year on the field, Cas have seen an increase of more than 10% in foot traffic at The Jungle.
It’s worth noting that two of their attendances so far this season however do remain unconfirmed – Round 7 v Salford and Round 20 v Leigh.
Accordingly, our average is based upon the total attendees across the nine home league games we do have a figure for, and we’ve divided that total figure by nine.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Warrington, Leigh
Catalans Dragons’ 2024 average: 9,015
2023 average: 9,123 (-108)
2023 Grand Finalists Catalans figures have been very similar this term to last, but there is a slight drop of 108 supporters per game on average.
With Wigan next up at the Stade Gilbert Brutus, the Dragons will hope to flip that into an increase.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Wigan, London
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Huddersfield Giants’ 2024 average: 4,993
2023 average: 5,247 (-254)
Huddersfield still have five home games left in 2024, so this could change, but the Giants have had a drop of 254 supporters per game on average when you compare this year so far to last.
The John Smith’s Stadium hasn’t exactly been a happy place so far this season, with Huddersfield winning just two of the home league games they’ve played to date. It took until May 31 for the first of those, too.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Catalans, St Helens, London, Warrington, Castleford
Hull FC’s 2024 average: 11,374
2023 average: 12,355 (-981)
The second-biggest drop – again, on average – belongs to Hull FC. It’s been a torrid year on the field for the Airlie Birds, and their supporters have shown exactly that with the increased number of empty seats on show at the MKM Stadium.
What makes this worse is that they had over 20,000 in the building for their season opener against Hull KR. Had that tally not been so high, their average would comfortably have dropped below 10,000.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Castleford, Salford, Catalans
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Hull KR’s 2024 average: Unknown
2023 average: 8,770 (Difference unknown)
We can’t tell you what KR’s average gate is at in 2024 for definite, but we can have a good go at it courtesy of our friends over at the Rugby League Record Keepers’ Club.
The Robins – who recorded an average home attendance of 8,770 last year – achieved an average of 9,967 across their first seven home league games of the campaign.
Since then, no attendance figure has been handed out for clashes against Huddersfield, Catalans and London, which are likely to have brought it down. We’d still expect a rise on average overall come the end of the year, though.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Castleford, Salford, Leeds
Leeds Rhinos’ 2024 average: 14,284
2023 average: 13,805 (+479)
Leeds haven’t been much better on the pitch this year than they were in 2023, which is a damning indication of the sad state of affairs at Headingley at the moment. BUT, somehow, the Rhinos have still had an increase in their average attendance.
479 more supporters, on average, have been at Headingley this season than last. Wigan still have to make the trip to Headingley, too, and you’d fancy there to be a decent crowd as those two clash on Saturday.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Wigan, Catalans, Hull FC
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Leigh Leopards’ 2024 average: 8,103
2023 average: 7,254 (+849)
After the success they enjoyed in their first season back in Super League last year, more supporters have jumped on the Leopards’ ‘hype-train’.
Adrian Lam’s side are still in pursuit of the play-offs, and have some monumentally important home games to come. They’re going to need those supporters in full voice if they’re to break into that top six.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Hull FC, Warrington, Hull KR, St Helens
London Broncos’ 2024 average: 3,282
2023 average: 1,079* (+2,203)
The biggest increase belongs to London, who have enjoyed an increase of more than 100% in their average attendance after returning to Super League for the first time since 2019.
In the Championship last year, they were struggling to hit 1,000 some weeks. With more visiting supporters, and some pretty smart initiatives from the Broncos themselves, they’ve ensured that was never going to be the case in the top flight. All three home games they have left should bring a decent number in through the gates at Plough Lane, too.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Warrington, Leigh, Leeds
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Salford Red Devils’ 2024 average: 4,742
2023 average: 5,291 (-549)
This one seems a bit of an anomaly to us, with Salford seeing their average attendance drop. Sure, 549 – on average – isn’t a huge decrease, but Paul Rowley’s side have been superb to watch yet again in 2024.
They look good value to make the top six in Super League, and are everybody’s favourite underdog. We’re not sure anybody would fancy going there in the play-offs, anyway!
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Huddersfield, Catalans
St Helens’ 2024 average: 12,239
2023 average: 12,695 (-456)
Saints‘ average attendance has also dropped, which might have been expected given the rough patch they’ve experienced over the last month or so.
Less than 10,000 were in attendance for their defeat to Castleford in Round 16, and the Tigers visit the Totally Wicked Stadium again before the end of the campaign – which will be a worry where foot traffic is concerned.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Salford, Hull KR, Castleford
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Warrington Wolves’ 2024 average: 9,875
2023 average: 10,894 (-1,019)
This is actually the biggest drop in average attendance of any side in Super League, and we are dumbfounded by it. We’re not sure on the breakdown of season ticket sales, but we’d understand if they were down from last year following a dismal season in 2023 and some apprehension as to how Warrington were going to do in 2024.
But Sam Burgess’ side have been scintillating at times. They are genuine contenders for a Super League title for the first time in a long time, and – from what we’ve seen – the club seems to have engaged with its community superbly over the course of this season. If anyone could explain why the Wolves’ attendance has dropped so drastically, we’d love to hear it.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: St Helens, London
Wigan Warriors’ 2024 average: 15,097
2023 average: 13,494 (+1,603)
Including Tuesday night (August 6)’s rescheduled Round 2 clash with Leigh at The Brick Community Stadium, Wigan still have five home games remaining in 2024, but have already seen more than 1,600 extra supporters at their home games this year than last on average.
With who they’re facing in those five remaining home games, you’d fancy some pretty decent crowds – so that tally may well increase even more.
A quality side on the field, and a club doing everything right off it to get as many bums on seats as possible. They are the benchmark for this sort of stuff, really.
Home games remaining in 2024 against: Leigh (re-arranged from Round 2), Hull FC, Hull KR, Leeds, Salford
With thanks to RL Project
