Attendances increase for Super League's opening weekend
Thursday 11 February 2016 15:31, UK
Super League's opening weekend saw an eight per cent growth in attendances compared to last season.
The combined figure for the six Round 1 matches, played over four days last week, was up 5,068 on the figure for the corresponding round in 2015.
The highest attendance was at Headingley on Thursday evening with a crowd of 16,168 for the season-opener between Leeds and Warrington, which the Wolves edged 12-10.
There was also a healthy turnout at the DW Stadium on Friday with 13,436 watching the Warriors defeat the Catalans Dragons 12-6, the same fixture attracted a crowd of 12,162 last year.
The fans were also out in force in Hull with 12,265 coming through the KC Stadium turnstiles on Friday to watch Hull FC beat Salford 42-20 - up from 9,385 in 2015, while Hull KR's 16-16 draw with Castleford on Sunday drew a crowd of 11,011, an increase of almost 4,000 from last year's fixture between the two sides.
Another five-figure crowd flocked to Langtree Park on Friday with 10,408 watching St Helens see off Huddersfield 30-16.
Wakefield are considering buying back their Belle Vue ground from the Bank of Ireland and that is likely to please the bulk of the 5,214 (up from 3,312) who attended the Wildcats' 24-16 defeat to Widnes on Sunday.
