The 2025 Betfred Super League season is set for another
significant milestone at the MKM Stadium on Saturday with aggregate attendances
on course to pass one million fans in the 100th match.
The current aggregate is 982,254 after 97 matches – and if, as
expected, the total breaches seven figures in Saturday’s Round 17 fixture
between Hull FC and St Helens, it will be only the second time in 30 Super
League seasons that the one million milestone has been reached in 100 fixtures
at an average of more than 10,000 per match – equalling the record set in 2008.
The Battle of the Borough between Leigh Leopards and Wigan
Warriors at the Leigh Sports Village which is one of two Friday night fixtures
in Round 17 is approaching another sell-out of around that 10,000 average, and
the positive trend is set to continue in the remaining two matches of the
round, with Wakefield Trinity already guaranteed their first 8,000-plus crowd
for a home match against Catalans Dragons on Saturday evening, and Hull KR set
for yet another 11,000-plus sell-out for a top three blockbuster against Leeds
Rhinos on Sunday afternoon.
The figure is even more impressive as Wigan Warriors, the 2024
champions who are leading the Super League attendance charts with an average in
excess of over 17,000, have only played six of their 13 home matches – and are
confident of another bumper gate when they celebrate the knighthood recently
awarded to Sir Billy Boston in the Round 18 fixture against Huddersfield Giants
next Friday (July 11).
Rhodri Jones, the Managing Director of Rugby League Commercial,
said:
“There have been a number of
significant off-field successes already in the 30th Super
League season, and we are confident that reaching an aggregate attendance of
one million fans in 100 matches will provide another reason to celebrate.
“It represents an outstanding team
effort across the 12 clubs, and reflects an immense amount of work and
innovation off the field as well as the consistent brilliance and courage of
the players on it.
“I can’t remember a Super League
season with as many peaks, from the record-breaking opening night at Wigan, and
including the historic Round Three fixture in Las Vegas, the return of Magic
Weekend to Newcastle in May, and historically significant attendances for Leigh
Leopards, Wakefield Trinity and both Hull clubs.
“We’re well into the second half of
the regular season and the battle for Play-Off places is taking shape – with
ticket sales for the 2025 Betfred Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford on
Saturday October 11 already strong, and the return of the Rugby League Ashes at
Wembley two weeks later.”