(22 Nov 2022, 9:28 am)Andreos1 wrote I think that's why operators are struggling to be honest and why they're on that apparent downward spiral.

As you mention, there's the commercial opportunity. That goes without saying. 
However, theres 52,000 who will need shifting to/from the match and a vast proportion won't be on the Metro network. 
They're either going to drive in or they're going to bus it in.

If it's the former, then the regular punters will be inconvenienced due to the inevitable bedlam on the roads, cancelled services and so on. 
If it's the latter, than it goes without saying, that a proportion of them will be wanting to return home.

I agree that there's a duty of care needed from the club, but the operators have a duty of care towards their passengers.
It's the only way those passengers are going to keep using the service.

If they have a bad experience this time, there's the chance they won't risk that next time and will make the modal switch.
Adding to the traffic, making the inevitable delays worse and assisting with that downward spiral operators are on.

Why would they have a bad experience this time?

The match will likely finish around 16:50. Last buses from Newcastle NYE 2021 (at least for Arriva) seemed to be between 1830-1900. That gives folks an hour and a half of daytime frequency buses to get home - for example it would be around 6 X10/11s based on their half hourly frequency. 

Compare that to an evening midweek game, which tends to finish around 21:40. They've got a smaller amount of time until the last bus and frequencies are already reduced - around 3 X10/11s in that amount of time. Midweek service levels back from Newcastle are always fine, everyone gets home, so why would this be any different?