26 rounds of grueling Top 14 domestic French rugby came to an end over the weekend. It’s only fair we take a look back over this season and see if there has been any growth in crowds over this season.
The quarter finals, semi finals and the final are yet to be played, but be assured, its been another record year in crowds for the French Top 14.
First lets look at the crowds by a team by team basis:
Team Average crowd
Agen 10022
Bayonne 16181
Biarritz 12498
Bourgoin 8352
Brive 10324
Castres 9590
Clermont 15635
Rochelle 12328
Montpellier 12407
Perpignan 13282
Racing 14750
Stade Fr 25087
Toulon 18622
Toulouse 22746
From these stats we can see that Stade Francias is one the best supported clubs with an average of 25,087. This season they had one crowd of over 69,000 and two crowds of 73, 999.
Second, we have Toulouse who have an average of 22,746. They seem to be playing more and more at Stade Toulouse and usually get near sell outs for matches there.
Toulon is third with an average of 18,622 match. They regularly sell out Stade Mayol and they played two matches at Stade Velodrome and had a crowd of 45k and 51k for these two matches.
Bayonne is fourth with averages of 16,181 per match. Even though they did not make the playoffs they usually get near or sellout crowds at 16,934 capacity Stade Jean Dauger.
Fifth on the list is Clermont with 15,635 per match. They play at the 16,000 capacity Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin. Perhaps an expansion of the grounds is due.
Racing Metro had 76,353 show up for their match against Toulouse in Round 22 at the Stade De France. With a new 40,000 Stadium being built for them in the Future, they are sure to be the next glamour club along with Toulon.
Another stand out for me was La Rochelle who sold out every match and are averaging 12,328 permatch in the 12,356 Stadia Marcel-Deflandre. Even though they have been relegated for next season, their crowds have been top notch.
For the future of next season we have Lyon coming into the Top 14, who by the way drew two 32,000 crowds in the ProD2 competition. Let’s hope they stay in the French top flight because they certainly have a willing support base.
Total crowds so far:
At the end of 182 pool matches – Total Attendance = 2,610,006 (14,341 per match)
For the 2009-2010 Season, total crowds at end of pool rounds = 2,414,887 (13,269 permatch)
So an increase in crowds this season of 195,119 or an 8% increase, with the finals to go!
Couple this together with the recent report from the French Rugby Union where they have reported registered player numbers growth to 345,000+, it shows that Rugby is in good health in France, and the nation is quickly becoming the centre of club rugby for the Rugby world.
Should we hope they win a world cup soon to solidify their place as a true passionate rugby nation? Welcome discussion, fellow Roarers.
Dave
Guest
its totally free if your a rugby league fan its the way they have been fed online by other fans
Carl Unger
Roar Pro
Competitions like these can really grow when there are only 2 major football competitions in the country. Unlike Australia with NRL, AFL, Super Rugby and A-League. Too many competitions for the amount of people.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Rugby in France has a lot of room to expand in too: remember the population of France is the same as England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and rugby is only really huge in the south. The greater geographical spread of the teams in the Top 14 these days is only good news as a result.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
I agree it does build awareness of the game and I think it would be good to see USAP increase and maintain an active presence. What concerns me is not the actions of USAP but the decisions of those at the top of the Catalonian Rugby Union. They seem to believe that USAP will embrace them in their bussom and develop the game there. They might but it neglect the development of Rugby in Spain. They were guaranteed financing and exposure (via TV) to participate in a regional (semi) pro league buit rallied with other regional unions to stop it.
CizzyRascal
Roar Guru
I can see that and maybe after a few years they should stop them playing there but at this stage, this is the best way we have of people hearing about the game in Spain.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Cizzy Some have floated the idea of Lyon merging with Bourgoin to assume their youth structures. It would also supply Bourgoin with financial stability. They have tried this before but have been unsuccessful mainly due to the fact Bourgoin were in the Top 14 and Lyon ProD2 and thewy didn't think they needed to in the end. How times change.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Playing in Barcelona is great in terms of crowds but it has had a distruptive influence on the local push for a national pro competition. The President of the Catalonain Rugby Union is relying rather heavily on USAP's involvement in the region to provide a alternative rather than participating.
CizzyRascal
Roar Guru
They were to play that game at Camp Nou but Pep Guardiola vetoed it, but it seems as though FC Barcelona want to be part of this rugby growth.
CizzyRascal
Roar Guru
La Rochelle's stats are fantastic and when they came up, they didn't overspend so you would foresee any financial problems next season and they might return straight away. I'm worried for Bourgoin though. They have really struggled financially. They are just a very small town and I really can't see them making it back up again at least for a few seasons. They have been a wonderful nursery for rugby in France and lets hope that even though there isn't top class rugby there, they can still continue that.
CizzyRascal
Roar Guru
Games aren't totally free. Tickets are something like €5-10.
Daniel Robinson
Guest
I can remember when goiong to the rugby cost 20 dollars (NZ) for my dad and 10 dollars for me.. we would regularly get 30 000 to Athletic park to watch Wellington play in the NPC over the years the price has gone up and up and up and the crowds have stayed away. Solution reduce the cost of the gate entry to be affordable for families to take in the game once more.
kovana
Guest
average of 10,676 'there'. Jeez.. Spelling is off.
kovana
Guest
"Lets not forget many of these big crowds at Stad Francais are totally free " Are you sure? Either way.. Its called good promotion.. Its working wonders. :D " their normal home games at a 12,000 seat stadium only get 7-8,000" Their Home ground, Stade Bouin is under construction and is to be expanded to a 20K seater. They only played One match in the stadium UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION this year and drew a crowd of 7011. They played 9 Matches at the 20K Stade Charlety, which is not their home ground and drew an average of 10,676 their.
Saliosi
Guest
They are not free they are reduced 10 euros and 25 for family plus stade don't play at Jean bouin anymore because they are building a new 20000 seater there they are playing at stade charlety which is in the middle of nowhere however having said that stade are struggling they finished below agen
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Fixed, thanks.
kovana
Guest
You are welcome SWG..... Send my regards to PR.
kovana
Guest
Faafetai tavita ;). Se kaumafaiga vaivai lea si ou uso. Well.. Im also hoping that Lyon get to play out of Stade Gerland.
kovana
Guest
"i expect Perpignan to play more games in Barecelona which will hugely increase their corwds." Lets hope so.. They already sold out one match at Barcelona and lets hope that they will get the Ok to play at Camp Nou for next season.
Matt S
Guest
Lets not forget many of these big crowds at Stad Francais are totally free and you can win free cars etc by attending. Same with Lyon. Great promotion but in reality in the UK & Australia there are not too many wealthy owners who can bankroll the comps like they do in France. It is kind of like a FALSE economy. Take stad francais, their normal home games at a 12,000 seat stadium only get 7-8,000 when the spectators have to pay and no giveways/prizes on offer. If it works out then great but godness help the clubs if their benefactors leave or go broke. It happened for a while the Snglish comp where the Aviva premiership is re adjusting after a boom. Newscastle & Sale are good examples of owners not prepared to bankroll them without a return. Now they are struggling. Ironically Sale could end up playing at Salford's new stadium. A club lime Leicester is an ideal model.
kovana
Guest
I think the editor missed out a '1' for Biarittz. They are averaging "12,498" per match.