Ranked: Every Super League club’s average attendance in 2023 as crowds rise with records aplenty broken
Fans at Headingley ahead of Leeds Rhinos' clash with Leigh Leopards - Alamy
Round 27 saw Super League clubs break the 1.5 million mark for cumulative attendances over the season, the first time in five years that figure has been reached and the highest by far since the competition reduced the number of games per campaign in 2019.
Across 162 games and 27 rounds in 2023, the average crowd attending each fixture has fallen just shy of 9260. That’s only the fifth time that the average has surpassed the 9000 barrier since the birth of Super League back in 1996. It’s also an increase of above 10% when compared to last term.
Now, we break down the average attendance for each Super League club’s 13 home games individually. Of course, Magic Weekend isn’t counted towards this, but the annual trip to the North East was a roaring success back in June. A total crowd of 63,269 packed into St James’ Park over the two days – 36,943 on the Saturday was the fourth highest ever for a single day at the event.
The Sunday attracted 26,326 meanwhile, following the trend of most years with the majority of match-goers preferring the first day.
Attendance records aplenty broken by ‘season like no other’
Over the Easter weekend this year, Super League’s ‘Rivals Round’ took place, Round 8 in layman’s terms. Good Friday, as always, saw Wigan Warriors take on St Helens.
24,275 flocked to the DW Stadium to see that clash, with that the highest attendance of all 162 regular season match-ups. It also contributed to a record-breaking figure for a six-match round in Super League, with a grand total of 83,357 spectators attending a game in Rivals Round.
Hull FC – against Hull KR – and Catalans Dragons – against Warrington Wolves – both attracted their highest crowd of the season that weekend too, with 20,985 and 10,786 at the MKM Stadium and Stade Gilbert Brutus respectively.
On the flip side, there have also been games this year that have attracted some drab crowds. The lowest of the lot was a Round 25 clash at Belle Vue between Wakefield Trinity and Catalans. Mark Applegarth’s side – already on their way down – felt the loss of a real away following as just 3,348 watched their 18-10 defeat in person.
Trinity four times sold out a 4710 capacity Belle Vue this year, and came just five tickets away from doing so on another occasion, but still sit bottom of the average attendances list which can be seen below.
It’s worth noting that Hull KR did not give out attendances throughout the campaign, instead providing an average attendance for the year at Craven Park of 8,770 following their final home regular season game against Salford Red Devils earlier this month.
The Robins did however eventually confirm match-by-match attendances to the Rugby League Record Keepers’ Club, so the ‘highest’ and ‘lowest’ stated below for KR are taken from that independent website.
Ranked: Every Super League club’s average attendance in 2023, including highest and lowest
1. Leeds Rhinos – 13,805; Highest: 16,140 v Hull FC (R2); Lowest: 11,717 v Wakefield (R4)
2. Wigan Warriors – 13,494; Highest: 24,275 v St Helens (R8); Lowest: 11,451 v Catalans (R4)
3. St Helens – 12,695; Highest: 17,088 v Wigan (R15); Lowest: 9,218 v Hull FC (R5)
4. Hull FC – 12,355; Highest: 20,985 v Hull KR (R5); Lowest: 9,937 v St Helens (R16)
5. Warrington Wolves – 10,894; Highest: 15,026 v Wigan (R9); Lowest: 8,981 v Leeds (R17)
6. Catalans Dragons – 9,123; Highest: 10,786 v Warrington (R8); Lowest: 6,933 v Hull FC (R3)
7. Hull KR – 8,770; Highest: 10,050 v Hull FC (R18); Lowest: 8,013 v Leigh (R23)
8. Leigh Leopards – 7,254; Highest: 10,308 v Wigan (R27); Lowest: 5,423 v Castleford (R11)
9. Castleford Tigers – 7,186; Highest: 10,042 v St Helens (R2); Lowest: 5,788 v Catalans (R12)
10. Salford Red Devils – 5,291; Highest: 6,892 v Leigh (R19); Lowest: 3,836 v Wakefield (R23)
11. Huddersfield Giants – 5,247; Highest: 7,771 v Warrington (R2); Lowest: 4,071 v Castleford (R4)
12. Wakefield Trinity – 4,319; Highest: 4,710 v Leigh (R9), Leeds (R15), Castleford (R22) and Hull KR (R27); Lowest: 3,348 v Catalans (R25)