Rugby League fans were quick to lash out at the poor attendance for the Super League Grand Final on Saturday night. An official crowd of 60,783 watched St Helens clinch their fourth successive title with a 24-12 win over Leeds Rhinos.
A big increase on last year's 45,177 crowd as Saints defeated French side Catalans Dragons, it still fell well below previous Grand Final attendances, with Castleford v Leeds in 2017 drawing an impressive crowd of 72,827 and Leeds v Wigan in 2015 a huge figure of 73,512.
In 2006, a 72,575 crowd watched St Helens defeat Hull FC, and in 2011, Old Trafford still drew in 69,107 fans despite Leeds facing the Red V for what was then a fourth final between the two sides in five years.
Read more: St Helens' Curtis Sironen admits nerves got the better of him at Old Trafford
This year's figure was also lower than 2019's gate, which saw the Saints defeat Salford Red Devils in the last final before the Covid pandemic. The attendance that night was 64,102. It follows the alarming drop off in major finals, including the Challenge Cup, in recent years.
It's no surprise either given both the outrage to Morgan Knowles' double appeal and the lethargic feel to the Grand Final promotion this week, as rugby league sits in limbo for IMG's big overhaul of the game.
One user @AlexG6 said: "We've seen the end results of Rimmer and Moorhouse's failed tenure this week. Use their departures as a springboard to overhaul processes, people and strategies to get this game on the track it deserves."
Another user, @craigp_ added: "This is really poor for Super League's showpiece event. Some hard work to be done by everyone involved in the sport."
@kenyonjacob2 tweeted: "Shocking attendance, and no that’s not a dig at Saints fans or Leeds fans. The root problem is the way our sport is being killed in various ways. Change is needed."
@kitchlarrr tweeted: "This attendance just shows you how rugby league is dying in this country."
@Tashaasiyanixx posted: "Two of the biggest teams in Super League and one of the lowest attendances in years… shows how terrible the sport is going."
One fan @jahmez_HKR sarcastically posted: "Fortunate that Catalans weren’t playing in the #grandfinal as people would have gone into meltdown about the crowd. Good job we’ve got 2 of the iconic Super League era teams playing tonight to boost the attendance."
Finally, a couple of rugby league fans took a more light-hearted look at the figure. One user, @ikeiscool1986, tweeted: "15k increase on last year." Another, @AirlyBird, cheekily, given it was played in the height of the pandemic behind closed doors, added: "60k increase on 2020."
Read next
Super League Grand Final player ratings as Jonny Lomax stars
Everything Rohan Smith said after Leeds Rhinos' Grand Final defeat to St Helens
St Helens' Jonny Lomax crowned Harry Sunderland winner following sublime display over Leeds Rhinos
St Helens attain immortality as fourth straight win cements their greatness
Leeds Rhinos' Rhyse Martin sets new Super League record for consecutive goals
