Championship Attendances 2022

It's a bit frustrating following attendances in the Championship (Division 2) as many clubs aren't providing the crowd numbers. The first chart below is for rounds 1-22 when I gave up all hope of getting a complete list (an updated list for the full season has since been posted below now I have the data). 

Now for the article I wrote after round 22, 2022:

Measured against 2019 (the last full season) total numbers are down 24%. The Summer Bash is like Magic Weekend in Super League and this time was taken from Blackpool (a seaside town) to a city well away from surf and sand, ie Leeds. To say it was a flop is an understatement, with the attendance -29%! 

Of the teams in the Championship during 2019 and in 2022, three have publicised so little in terms of attendees, that it would be pointless listing them. Of the other six, a few estimates were needed as well. Featherstone has a more than commendable return of +35%. Widnes was not so long back a Super League team but the longer they are not part of the top flight, the worse the crowds are becoming. 

Two clubs were in the lower League 1 in 2019 and both are up as you would expect. The one club that dropped from SL is down 44% with a lowly 1,127 average at matches in the capital. Overall, not a good result spectatorwise, a shame as there are some decent matches played in this division.  

Final chart:

League One Attendances 2022 : Rounds 1-18

I didn't finalise the list as I was without too many attendance figures. I have since updated them for the full season as seen below. The previous chart I retained as it pertains to what I wrote below.

The lowest level of the national UK setup is League 1 (Division 3) and funding has all but dried up for the basement dwelling clubs. It would be logical to assume that it would adversely affect them financially which it must be doing. However, in terms of people going through the turnstiles, it's the only division of the three that has recorded an increase. 

Of the eight clubs in this division for both 2019 and 2022, five have enjoyed an increase in spectators. Keighley and North Wales led the way with 79% and 63% gains respectively. For the latter, the move from Wrexham to Colwyn Bay has been a success.  

Of the three that are down, the Midland Hurricanes moved from Coventry to Birmingham and for now at least, numbers are down 16%. The London Skolars lost players and were on shaky ground but seem to somehow be surviving and the team is getting some encouraging results too. 

Swinton and Rochdale came down from the Championship, both down as one would expect although Rochdale has been hit very hard. The new club in Cornwall is a success story so far. Despite struggling to be competitive on the field (as you would expect), crowd numbers on average exceeding 1,000 is very encouraging for the new venture. 

Final standings:

Rounds 1-18:

Wheelchair RL

 

Wheelchair RL has arrived and with a bang (sometimes literally). It has men, women, able and disabled playing. As the game at the top develops, the physicality is increasing and that tends to favour men. There have to be at least two disabled on the court at any time so that is important to keep to the point of why it was started in the first place. 

So is the game going too far in the physical side of things? Below the top flight, there is much less intensity and more about having some fun so that is still catered for. As long as remains so, then it will thrive. Get too rough in lower levels and something would need to be done.

 Here are my top trivia picks:

1) England has made all four finals, winning two of them.

2) France and England share the most trophy wins with two apiece. 

3) 34,400 spectators came to watch the WC games in 2021, a record. 

4) Three nations have been at all four WCs, Australia, England and France. 

5) New Zealand is a strong RL nation but has yet to attend a Wheelchair WC.

6) The winners have scored the following percentages per match: 2013 - 84%, 2017 - 74% and 2021 - 79%.

7) Scotland is the only side not to win a game with nine losses over three tournaments.