All-time attendance record broken across NSW’s major venues

Following Sunday’s NRLW and NRL Grand Finals at Accor Stadium, the state’s major venues have smashed their all-time attendance record with over four million fans attending live events for the second year in a row. 

A new record of 4,493,536 fans have made memories in Venues NSW’s stadiums and entertainment centres across the year so far.

The demand for live sport and events has never been stronger, with Taylor Swift commencing 2024 with her four sold-out shows to 335,000 fans at Accor Stadium.

International pop star P!nk performed four shows across three venues, State of Origin men’s and women’s games drew large crowds to Sydney and Newcastle.

Fans enjoyed bumper NRL and NRLW seasons culminating in Sunday’s deciders held in front of 80,156 fans, the Sydney Swans drew over 500,000 attendees to the SCG for the first time in a season, and the New Year’s Pink Test raised record funds for the McGrath Foundation at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Matildas legacy continued at Accor Stadium with an Australian record 76,798 fans in attendance for their final game on home soil before the Paris Olympics, while the Bledisloe Cup returned to Sydney’s Olympic Stadium, which is celebrating its 25th birthday this year, for the first time in four years which was played in front of almost 70,000 fans.

The excitement is set to continue following Grand Final Sunday, with four Coldplay concerts, Travis Scott, The Weeknd, Monster Jam, Luke Combs, Stray Kids and the A-Leagues Unite Round just some of the events to look forward to. 

Major events are a significant driver of the local economy, with the Women’s World Cup contributing $2.98 billion alone, Taylor Swift’s concerts over $113 million, the Bledisloe Cup-NRL and AFL finals weekend a fortnight ago over $21 million, and the NRL and NRLW Grand Finals over $17 million. 

Venues NSW Chief Executive, Kerrie Mather commented “we’re incredibly excited to have welcomed over four million fans across our venues for the second straight year.

“There really is nothing quite like being there to watch your favourite team or artist from the grandstands and I think that’s reflected in the record crowds and the calibre of major events we have secured.”

Images: Accor Stadium before Sunday' NRL grand final (top, credit: Accot Stadium/Venues NSW) and Taylor Swift at the venue in February (below, credit: Tas Rights Management).