Premiership gets shot in arm as league attendances grow for most
Premiership Rugby has received a welcome shot in the arm after the average match attendance across the league grew by almost 300.
Excluding one-off matches at the likes of Twickenham and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the average attendance for regular home games – according to crowd data published by Premiership Rugby – rose from 12,569 in the 2022-23 season to 12,843 this year.
It may have been only a marginal increase but it was growth nonetheless, and much needed given the game’s financial problems. Stadium capacity occupation of 72 per cent was, however, down from last season and far short of the 98.8 per cent seen in the Premier League this year.
Premiership figures vary
Digging deeper into the figures, there are storylines across the board. Bristol’s average attendance of 18,936 was a record for the club despite a chequered season in the league, while Exeter and Saracens saw average attendances increase by 1020 and 643 respectively as each benefited from bigger stadiums with bolstered crowds.
Saracens also saw 61,214 attend their London derby against Harlequins at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, though this figure – like Harlequins’ two matches at Twickenham – has been excluded from the home stadium data to ensure the sample is judged fairly.
| Club | Average change |
| Exeter Chiefs | +1,019 |
| Northampton Saints | +728 |
| Saracens | +543 |
| Newcastle Falcons | +575 |
| Bristol Bears | +501 |
| Sale Sharks | +459 |
| Bath | -14 |
| Harlequins | -231 |
| Leicester Tigers | -410 |
| Gloucester | -877 |
Also on the up are Sale, who broke the 7,000-barrier for average attendance; Newcastle, who were up nearly 600 per match despite going the domestic season winless; and Northampton Saints, who saw demand rocket as results improved in the run-in.
Six of the 10 Premiership clubs, therefore, enjoyed better attendances on average across their nine home matches.
Given the situation of where the attendances were in the autumn, the small growth represents something encouraging
Ged Colleypriest of marketing agency Underdog Sport
Downward trend
Bath, a traditional stronghold of Premiership rugby, saw attendances dip slightly, largely because of an opening round-figure that sank below the 10,000 mark.
Harlequins’ crowds at the Stoop also fell from 13,000 to 12,769 – though their two matches at Twickenham bringing in 175,000 massively boosted their net number.
Leicester also saw a drop of around 410 per match this season, though their average gate at Welford Road remained the highest of any club at 21,393.
But it is Gloucester who had the biggest negative swing, with Premiership attendance data showing a drop of almost 900 per game for the Cherry and Whites, who have had a woeful domestic campaign in the West Country.
Attendance growth encouraging
“Given the situation of where the attendances were in the autumn, the small growth represents something encouraging,” Ged Colleypriest of marketing agency Underdog Sport said.
“Both 2022 and 2023 were showing some decline, so actually to show growth shows the stemming of the tide.”
It has been an unusual season, as it often is in a World Cup year. Cup games were skewed to the start of the season, with the second half seeing fewer games with larger gaps between them, which may have affected supporter appetite.
“As much as you’d think Rugby World Cup could be a vehicle to drive more club ticket sales, it doesn’t always work out this way and there could have been a degree of rugby fatigue,” adds Colleypriest
“In terms of the individual clubs, Gloucester have a big ground and have had a stinking season, so a drop off there is understandable but they’ll be desperate to address this for next season.
“Exeter will be very pleased to have grown, I think it’s testament to the young exciting squad they’ve assembled. Although it’s not mega growth, the direction of travel is encouraging and if the league continues to be exciting and competitive I’d expect to see it grow further next season.”