AFL & NRL Crowds - 2026

[makingnrlfansgowacko]

i see the NRL and Storm making large dents in the Melbourne sporting market

i went to Melbourne earlier this year to see some of the Tennis and noticed the Melbourne Rectangular sports venue is in the same sporting prescient as the MCG and Tennis centres, so its not like the venue is impossible to get to

[Beaussie]

i see the NRL and Storm making large dents in the Melbourne sporting market

An 18k crowd for their season opener is a major disappointment for the Storm and the NRL, with no AFL to compete against in Melbourne too.

Compare that to a soldout packed Swans season opener in Sydney. Both games broadcast live into their respective markets on primary channels too. TV ratings as follows:

Sydney

SEVEN’S AFL: THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SEVEN 71,000


Melbourne

THURSDAY NIGHT NRL LIVE NINE 49,000

[makingnrlfansgowacko]

i see the NRL and Storm making large dents in the Melbourne sporting market

An 18k crowd for their season opener is a major disappointment for the Storm and the NRL, with no AFL to compete against in Melbourne too.

Compare that to a soldout packed Swans season opener in Sydney. Both games broadcast live into their respective markets on primary channels too. TV ratings as follows:

Sydney

SEVEN’S AFL: THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SEVEN 71,000


Melbourne

THURSDAY NIGHT NRL LIVE NINE 49,000

isnt the numbers nearly average for the Storm?

[Beaussie]

isnt the numbers nearly average for the Storm?

The season opener crowd was down on the Storm average of last season.

1. 24,063 (24 games) NRL 2025
2. 22,155 (24 games) NRL 2024
3. 20,924 (24 games) NRL 2023
4. 18,383 (24 games) NRL 2022
5. 18,374 (24 games) NRL 2017
6. 18,230 (24 games) NRL 2019
7. 18,079 (24 games) NRL 2016
8. 17,293 (24 games) NRL 2018
9. 16,305 (24 games) NRL 2013
10. 14,894 (24 games) NRL 2014

https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/team ... cords.html

[Beaussie]

[leeroy*NRL*]

Melbourne Storm are in uncharted territory
6 losses in a row, and losing badly..
sitting 2nd last

how much can there crowds drop..

[Fred]

I think they have a decent rusted on supporter base - but yes, losing for any team usually sees crowds drop off.

[Beaussie]

I think they have a decent rusted on supporter base - but yes, losing for any team usually sees crowds drop off.

Yep 20-25k appears to be the base of Storm members/supporters. Will be interesting to see how that base holds up with crowds, if on field performance does not improve.

[Beaussie]

Wow, not one NRL game breaking 20,000 this round.

Thu 19:50 DOL v CBY Suncorp 16,143
Fri 18:00 SYD v GLD polytec 12,226
Fri 20:00 NQL v PAR QLD C. Bank 17,626
Sat 15:00 SGI v NEW WIN 10,916
Sat 17:30 SOU v CRO Accor 16,714
Sat 19:35 MAN v BRI 4 Pines 17,269
Sun 14:00 MEL v WST AAMI 15,684
Sun 16:05 CAN v PEN GIO 18,018

[makingnrlfansgowacko]

The Storm fans haven't bothered sticking around! Lose a few gsmes, fall from the top 8 then fans head off to the next click bait entertainment

[Beaussie]

The Storm fans haven't bothered sticking around! Lose a few gsmes, fall from the top 8 then fans head off to the next click bait entertainment

Mother’s Day effect or bandwagon dropping off?

In fairness to the Storm, the other NRL crowds this past weekend across NSW and QLD were just as embarrassing.

[Beaussie]

AFL R9 Crowds

Fremantle v Hawthorn - 54,140
Brisbane Lions v Carlton - 31,147
Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs - 33,883
North Melbourne v Sydney Swans - 28,156
GWS Giants v Essendon - 9,416
Gold Coast Suns v St Kilda - 10,672
Geelong Cats v Collingwood - 83,166
Melbourne v West Coast Eagles - 16,650
Richmond v Adelaide Crows - 22,123

Total: 289,353
Average: 32,150
Season Avg: 38,841

[makingnrlfansgowacko]

The Storm fans haven't bothered sticking around! Lose a few gsmes, fall from the top 8 then fans head off to the next click bait entertainment

Mother’s Day effect or bandwagon dropping off?

In fairness to the Storm, the other NRL crowds this past weekend across NSW and QLD were just as embarrassing.

if they loose a few more games instead of winning most of the time we will see the wheels fall off the wagon. i mean they have no local players to support

[Beaussie]

Wow, 4 million fans attending AFL games compared to 2 million for the NRL

[makingnrlfansgowacko]

so after playing in the last few Grand finals, the storm are not winning so much this year and fallen outside the 8 the fans seem to have beginning to walk away Attendance: 16,268