Rugby fans harder than football fans?

[alan partridge]

If you took an aggregate average attendance figure across all soccer and rugby divisions then admittedly the soccer figure would be higher but that is hardly the point. The top clubs in rugby regularly draw very healthy crowds for a sport that is nowhere near as well funded and high profile as football in this country

What are we talking about out of interest? Rugby Union? I confess I really don't know much at all about it but have always been under the impression that Rugby fans don't really show up in numbers country wide. I remember reading that when England won the world cup in Australia a mere 10 million people watched it on the telly. More people watch Eastenders.

What is the main league called? I stuck Rugby league in google and got, unsurprisingly, links to Rugby League.

 

[Bluejuice]

Rugby Union draws more spectators that Rugby League. The top division is the Guinness Premiership. Have a look at Scrum.com | Rugby Union news | Six Nations news, live scores, fixtures and results

Don't forget that when we won the World Cup the matches were on early in the morning as it was played down under. I was working in a bar at the time and we opened up early to show the final which drew a great crowd.

If it didn't draw good viewing figures Sky wouldn't be so interested in it

 

[alan partridge]

Rugby Union draws more spectators that Rugby League. The top division is the Guinness Premiership. Have a look at Scrum.com | Rugby Union news | Six Nations news, live scores, fixtures and results

Don't forget that when we won the World Cup the matches were on early in the morning as it was played down under. I was working in a bar at the time and we opened up early to show the final which drew a great crowd.

If it didn't draw good viewing figures Sky wouldn't be so interested in it

cheers, I'll have a look

BUT, do you really think an early kick off time for the WORLD CUP FINAL would have meant anything to anyone if it had been the real World Cup?

 

[Bluejuice]

I'd never pretend that the Rugby World Cup is even close to the Football World Cup. There aren't nearly as many competing nations for one thing BUT I'm just pointing out that since going professional the sport has steadily increased its audience figures year on year, culminating recently in the record crowd that saw Wasps beat Harlequins in a league game.

I also remember the last Rugby World Cup final, where England lost to South Africa despite being totally unfancied in the tournament, was watched by huge crowds. I went to a pub in town and had to sit on the floor to watch it, so rammed was the place.