Sixers reap off-court rewards for on-court form with a surge in membership
ADELAIDE 36ers membership is already up on last season’s total despite a 20 per cent price increase and corporate boxes are sold out as fans ride a wave of excitement from last year’s grand final and into this weekend’s historic NBA clash with Utah.
- Ingles in doubt as 36ers fly out
- 36ers match against Utah Jazz to be shown on free to air
- Kings get shot at Clippers
- Opals no match for Team USA
- No mercy as Jazz hand Perth a b-ball lesson
ADELAIDE 36ers membership is already up on last season’s total despite a 20 per cent price increase and corporate boxes are sold out as fans ride a wave of excitement from last year’s grand final and into this weekend’s historic NBA clash with Utah.
The 36ers averaged crowds of 7000 people per home game last season from a membership base of 2300 which as of last week had been surpassed.
Only one corporate suite was still available while courtside boxes and courtside seats were all snapped up ahead of Adelaide’s first home game against Perth on Thursday, October 11.
“We’ve been blown away by the take up of both membership and corporate hospitality for the upcoming season,” chief executive Ben Kavenagh said before flying to the US on Monday.
“It looks like we’ve bought in a couple of excitement machines in (Jacob) Wiley and (Adris) DeLeon to compliment a pretty capable squad, so I’m confident the fans are going to get great value for their money.”
The 36ers flew out of Adelaide on Monday morning ahead of Saturday’s much-hyped NBA game against the Jazz and trained in Utah on Tuesday before watching the Jazz play Toronto.
Kavenagh believes last season’s five-game grand final series, an encouraging pre-season and league-wide momentum from Andrew Bogut’s return to Australia with the Sydney Kings had created another surge in interest in the sport.
In a new initiative at the Sixers this season, South Australian sports LED lighting company VALO has come on board as a major partner and is subsidising junior memberships.
The company has been involved in lighting up home games at Adelaide Arena for the past five years and now wants to make the game more accessible for kids.
The deal will halve the cost of 200 junior bronze memberships meaning basketball fans under the age of 18 can go to every home game for $7 per game.
“After last season’s strong performance from the Sixers, VALO are proud to increase our support to become major partner of the club,” VALO’s Aaron Hickmann said.
“We trust with the new direction and management of the club, we can bring home a championship in the future.”
reece.homfray@news.com.au