The record-breaking start to the 30th Super League season has hit new peaks with bumper attendances across the Easter weekend.
An aggregate of 86,080 across the six fixtures from Thursday to Saturday was a new record for a single six-match round of matches since the Super League was launched in 1996, beating 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 from the seasons when the competition consisted of 14 teams – Easter 2012, which had an aggregate gate of 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 30 seasons of Super League.
That has seen the cumulative attendance for the 2025 Betfred Super League season smash through the 500,000 mark after only eight rounds.
The total of 537,193 now represents an average gate for the season of 11,191, 21% higher than the average for the 2024 season of 9,221.
And with ticket sales accelerating rapidly for the return of the Magic Weekend to Newcastle across the May Bank Holiday in a fortnight, that trend is set to continue.
It wasn’t only the Betfred Super League which attracted significant attendances over Easter.
The West Yorkshire derby between Halifax Panthers and Bradford Bulls at The Shay was watched by 4,887, the best figure for a Betfred Championship fixture in England this season – while the crowd of 2,310 for the West Cumbrian derby between Workington Town and Whitehaven was the best Betfred League One gate so far in 2025.
Taking all three divisions into account, more than 106,000 fans watched Rugby League on the first half of the Easter weekend.
Rhodri Jones, the Managing Director of Rugby League Commercial, said:
“Not for the first time this season, we congratulate the Betfred Super League clubs – this time for a record-breaking Rivals Round, and possibly the best Easter weekend in the 30 seasons of Super League.
“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.
“We’ve worked with the clubs to focus on these big games and attract attendances which are historically significant for Rugby League.
“And congratulations also go to the Championship and League One clubs who have also had a bumper weekend.
“This success has maintained the momentum that’s been building throughout the 2025 season, from the record opening night for Wigan versus Leigh back in February, through the historic Round Three fixture between Wigan and Warrington in Las Vegas in March, and now with the 500,000 milestone reached in record time, and with a best-ever average attendance for Super League of over 14,000.
“The big weekends keep coming with Magic and the Betfred Challenge Cup Semi Finals in May, followed by the Finals of the Men’s and Women’s Challenge Cups and the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup at Wembley in June – and with everything building to the ABK Beer Rugby League Ashes in the autumn.”
The 30th Betfred Super League season resumes on Thursday with Warrington Wolves and St Helens both desperate to bounce back from Rivals Round defeats, before Leeds Rhinos host the league leaders Hull KR at AMT Headingley on Friday, and the champions Wigan Warriors go to high-flying Hull FC on Sunday afternoon.
There is also a big Friday night match in the Betfred Championship, as Brian Noble’s buoyant Bradford Bulls face Sean Long’s Oldham at Boundary Park.
Betfred Super League Rivals Round attendances – Match by Match
Thursday – Wakefield Trinity v Castleford Tigers 7,807
Friday – Hull FC v Hull KR 21,018
Friday – Wigan Warriors v St Helens 24,294
Friday – Leeds Rhinos v Huddersfield Giants 14,566
Saturday – Leigh Leopards v Warrington Wolves 9,627
Saturday – Catalans Dragons v Salford Red Devils 8,768
Total 86,080
Average 14,347
Betfred Championship – Halifax Panthers v Bradford Bulls 4,887 – best of the season in England (second overall to Toulouse Olympique v Hunslet, Round 4 – 5,390)
Betfred League One – Workington Town v Whitehaven 2,310 – best of the season
