Participation Rates
League 555,266k
Union 615,809k
Revenue total 314.3 million
Broadcast revenue 221.3 million
non broad cast revenue 90 million

included in the broadcast money is soo which raised 19.4 million revenue with out soo 70.6
sponsorship 25.7 million
crowd average 15.940k
Union total
total 145.729 million
Broadcast revenue 41,447 million
non broad cast revenue 104.282 million
sponsorship 27,1 million
crowd average 28.075k
the participation rates are strong but union is 60k ahead
the revenue raised from the non broad casting has the union ahead, by 34 million when taking out soo from the NRL
sponsorship union is ahead
so out side of the broadcast money league cannot raise a dollar
so really thanks to the packers & later on murdoch to bump up the broadcast deal, league has nothing else

there we have it, its rather easy so say that union is more popular than league

http://www.rugby.com.au/annualreport/2013/#/6
Rugby union annual report 2013
http://e-brochures.com.au/nrl/annualreport2013/
NRL annual report 2013