Australasia Attendances : 2017

The NRL attendance average was the worst since 2004. It was down just 2.2% in 2017, but the last few years have been below the best of days. The game needs better administrators. For more on that, simply click here. So on to the breakdown by club:

Brisbane is clearly the best supported club but it took a 7% hit in 2017. Melbourne has slowly but steadily been moving up and a 4% gain has it placed second. An excellent result for a club in a state where RL isn't a traditional sport. North Queensland is third although down 1%.

The list below is coloured to show where the club is based. Maroon is Queensland, blue Sydney and all others green. There are too many sides in Sydney but the NRL isn't doing anything on that for now.

	Rk	Club	Attendance	+/-
	1	Brisbane	31,394	-7.0%
	2	Melbourne	16,536	4.0%
	3	North Queensland	16,528	-1.0%
	4	Newcastle	15,619	8.0%
	5	Sydney Roosters	15,387	50.3%
	6	Canberra	14,350	17.8%
	7	Paramatta	14,004	0.5%
	8	Canterbury	13,996	-6.8%
	9	Gold Coast	13,691	-8.1%
	10	Wests Tigers	13,546	-12.0%
	11	St George	13,241	-2.9%
	12	Penrith	12,922	0.4%
	13	Cronulla	12,615	-13.5%
	14	New Zealand	11,754	-17.8%
	15	Manly	11,654	-4.9%
	16	South Sydney	10,903	-23.9%
		Total Average	15,219	-2.2%
		Total	2,922,086

This list shows which clubs increased the most down to which ones decreased the most. I was surprised Cronulla were down when the team has been playing quite well. Wests, NZ and Souths sides are really not going well so their results were expected. The big tick goes to Newcastle supporters who kept coming in greater numbers despite the third consecutive bottom place.

	Rk	Club	Attendance	+/-
	1	Sydney Roosters	15,387	50.3%
	2	Canberra	14,350	17.8%
	3	Newcastle	15,619	8.0%
	4	Melbourne	16,536	4.0%
	5	Paramatta	14,004	0.5%
	6	Penrith	12,922	0.4%
	7	North Queensland	16,528	-1.0%
	8	St George	13,241	-2.9%
	9	Manly	11,654	-4.9%
	10	Canterbury	13,996	-6.8%
	11	Brisbane	31,394	-7.0%
	12	Gold Coast	13,691	-8.1%
	13	Wests Tigers	13,546	-12.0%
	14	Cronulla	12,615	-13.5%
	15	New Zealand	11,754	-17.8%
	16	South Sydney	10,903	-23.9%