AN AGGREGATE of 86,080 spectators in Rivals Round was a new record for a single six-match round of matches since the Super League was launched in 1996.
It beat the previous best of 83,357, which was set over Easter two years ago.
It was the second-best attended round of fixtures in those 30 seasons, behind only one seven-match round when the competition consisted of 14 teams – Easter 2012, which drew 88,455.
But whereas that represented an average crowd of 12,636 across seven matches, this weekend’s average was 14,347 – the best in Super League history.
The cumulative attendance for the 2025 Super League season has gone through the 500,000 mark after only eight rounds.
The running total of 537,193 for the first eight rounds represents an average gate for the season of 11,191, which is 21 per cent higher than the average for the 2024 season of 9,221.
The encouraging trend in attendances wasn’t just seen in Super League.
The West Yorkshire derby between Halifax Panthers and Bradford Bulls at The Shay was watched by 4,887, the best figure for a Championship fixture in England this season.
And the crowd of 2,310 for the West Cumbrian derby between Workington Town and Whitehaven was the best League One gate so far in 2025.
Taking all three divisions into account, more than 106,000 fans watched Rugby League at the Easter weekend.
Rhodri Jones, the Managing Director of Rugby League Commercial, is delighted with the growth in attendances.
“Not for the first time this season, we congratulate the Super League clubs – this time for a record-breaking Rivals Round, and possibly the best Easter weekend in the 30 seasons of Super League,” said Jones.
“It’s always a special weekend for Rugby League with the range of local rivalries, including the original derby fixture between Wigan and St Helens.”
Last week it was announced that both the second and third Tests of the forthcoming Ashes series at Everton and Headingley respectively have been sold out.
Meanwhile a surge in attendances is also happening in the NRL, with Good Friday’s game between Canterbury and South Sydney at Accor Stadium setting a new individual match record of 65,305 spectators.
The seven matches played so far over the Easter weekend have drawn a total of 192,688 spectators, meaning that a crowd in excess of 20,037 attending tomorrow’s (Monday) clash between Wests Tigers and Parramatta at Commbank Stadium will beat the previous record of 212,725 for a single round of matches, which was registered in Round 26 of last season.
