I took two RL newbies, one a curious RU fan and another a skeptical football fan. Both enjoyed the event (shame about the game itself) but would never be likely to go to a Broncos game.

Interesting - I've read a lot of comment on yeaterday's game and you are the first person to doubt that there were over 40k there - what inside information do you have that no one else does? Or you just making it up?

Yeah, I made up the ground being a quarter empty.

Believe the ground can hold 54,000. If around a quarter empty then 40,500. Doubt 44,000 (20% empty) would look that much different to the naked eye.

The west side of the ground was very sply populated.

Looked like some hospitality & not much else.

Not sure why anyone's irked at my estimate.

Circa 30,000 for League in London is good regardless.

Talking utter tosh

I accept people pull stunts - the gate Wigan declared at Millwall seemed high - non attending season ticket holders perhaps - I don't believe the RFL would inflate a figure by 50%. They would stand look idiotic if someone served a freedom of information request on the Metropolitan Police - as has been done re Premier League football and if I know that I'd hope the RFL do.

Before I get accused of libelling the RFL I don't doubt the declared attendance is the amount of tickets sold or otherwise issued.

But after many years of watching Broncos I know wide open spaces when I see them.

Well done for helping spread the word.
As has been touched on elsewhere on here, there is a big difference between a sport 'event' and a run of the mill fixture. Union used to stage the 'London Double Header' (always a bit of a joke considering that Harlequins were the only team playing in London for many years), which used to fill Twickenham every year. Having been a few times I can hand on heart say that I never met a single person who was a season ticket holder, or regular attendee of ordinary club fixtures. They were happy to go to the big event but not interested in regular attendance.

Good point.

Another point to consider on the attendance – community clubs were in a position to sell tickets pretty cheap. I know several families/couples who just didn’t turn up, probably looked at the appalling weather and the on cost of getting there and decided to write off the ticket costs. That’s the risk you run by selling tickets at ‘giveaway’ prices.

Guardian photographer in Photo Shop shocker. www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2 ... ional-live

Guardian photographer in Photo Shop shocker. www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2 ... ional-live