Parramatta to sell out NRL season opener against Canterbury
As anticipation mounts that this could finally be their year, Parramatta are set to start season 2020 with a bang and possible 30,000 crowd for the round 1 clash with Canterbury.
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In what would be a historic celebration to kick-start the 2020 NRL season, Parramatta’s Bankwest Stadium is tracking for a sell-out which would double as the largest round one home crowd in the Eels’ 73-year history.
And it could ensure at least three sell-out matches for rugby league’s opening round.
The previous biggest round one crowd for an Eels home game — excluding double-headers in 1999-01 and 2004 at ANZ Stadium – was 25,114 against North Sydney in 1997.
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This year’s opening round match game between Parramatta and old rivals Canterbury is certain to eclipse that 1997 crowd figure and then become a sellout close to kick off.
It would then become the largest round one home crowd for Parramatta since the club was formed back in 1947. The have already been about 20,000 tickets sold for the Eels-Bulldogs match despite it being played in the family unfriendly Thursday night timeslot.
Premium and platinum seats have sold out and there are only limited tickets available in gold and silver seats. Parramatta will release a new batch of general admission tickets from Thursday.
With a week remaining before kick-off and the build-up having yet to begin, officials are certain the crowd will reach the high 20,000s if not spill over into a 30,000 sell out.
It would be a wonderful start to the season for the clubs, league-starved fans and the NRL, still stinging from heavy criticism over its television advertisement campaign.
Tickets are still available and a sellout would largely depend on how many Parramatta members attend.
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North Queensland’s match with Brisbane at the new $300 million North Queensland Stadium will be played before a capacity 25,000 crowd while Brookvale Oval will be full for Manly’s round one match against Melbourne.
St George Illawarra’s game against Wests Tigers on Sunday night in Wollongong should also attract a strong attendance, as will the match at the foot of the mountains on Saturday night between Penrith and the Sydney Roosters.
A 30,000 crowd at Bankwest Stadium would be the third largest Thursday night crowd for a Sydney match in rugby league history. This does not include Anzac Day games which fell on Thursday.
The Sydney Thursday night record belongs to a match between Sydney Roosters and Souths when 35,952 attended a round one game in 2013 at Allianz Stadium. Those same two teams played before a Thursday night crowd of 32,481 fans during the final round of 2014.
The largest ever Thursday evening crowd – 44,015 – watched Brisbane play Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium in round 26, 2015.
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“It will be a great occasion for both sets of fans – get out there and support both teams,” said Bulldogs coach Dean Pay said. “I’m sure it will be a great game.
“I’m sure everyone is looking forward to the start of the season. And there is no better way to start it than Canterbury playing Parramatta. The rivalry started way before I played at Canterbury but it has carried on through the years.”
Parramatta and the NRL hope the game will be hyped up through the media over the next week to further build interest. The long-term weather forecast for Thursday week is fine with a chance of a light shower.
Meanwhile Lottoland’s main grandstand, Jane Try Stand, has been sold out for the entire 2020 season, meaning the stand will be full for all of Manly’s 10 home games.
And only a few hundred reserved seats remain in the adjacent Ken Arthurson Stand and Fulton-Menzies Stand for this season.
“At the current rate of membership enquiry and sign up, we expect the Ken Arthurson and Fulton-Menzies Stands to also sell out to members,’’ said Manly CEO Stephen Humphreys.
Originally published as Parramatta to sell out NRL season opener against Canterbury