How Wakefield Trinity’s 2024 crowds compare to Super League rivals ahead of possible top-flight return

Aaron Bower
Be Well Support Stadium Wakefield Trinity Belle Vue Alamy

Nothing has been confirmed yet, but the mood music appears to suggest that Wakefield Trinity are bound for a return to Super League in 2025 under IMG’s remodelling of rugby league.

Trinity have enjoyed great success on the field since being relegated to the Championship, losing just one game all season at the time of writing and winning the 1895 Cup at Wembley Stadium, too.

But off the field, Daryl Powell’s side have made great strides, too. With the club’s previous ownership delivering an improved and upgraded Belle Vue before a sale of the club was completed in the off-season, Trinity appear to be ready for a return to Super League in all aspects.

Their crowds have caught the eye in the Championship this season, as has their redeveloped stadium. With those numbers likely to go up even further if they do return to Super League, how do Wakefield stack up to other top-flight teams?

The numbers

Wakefield have played six Championship games at home so far in 2024. The opponents, in chronological order, and the Belle Vue attendances for each game, are:

  • Bradford Bulls: 7,221
  • Swinton Lions: 5,268
  • Halifax Panthers: 6,138
  • Toulouse Olympique: 6,743
  • Batley Bulldogs: 5,112
  • Featherstone Rovers: 6,453

That gives Trinity a home average attendance for league fixtures of 6,155. Clearly the biggest in the Championship, but where does it put them in and amongst Super League?

The answer: above three of the current 12 inside Super League. London Broncos have an average gate of 3,282 for league fixtures, Huddersfield’s is 4,624 while Salford’s is 4,742.

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They are then just behind the likes of Castleford (7,561) and Leigh (7,721) before the numbers start to jump up significantly towards the 10,000 mark for most other teams.

How do Wakefield’s numbers compare to previous years?

Encouragingly.

Last season, their average crowd was, according to Rugby League Project, just 4,124 – but that should be caveated by explaining that Belle Vue was under major renovation for most of that season, and the capacity was hugely capped.

But in 2022, they only averaged 4,552 and that number has constantly floated around the 5,000 mark for well over a decade.

In fact, you have to go all the way back to 2013 for the last time Wakefield Trinity had a seasonal average higher than the current figure of 6,155.

That means that if, as many believe is possible, they return to the top flight in 2025, then they will do so with a much greater platform and potential for success than perhaps ever before in the summer era.

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Championship Super League

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