The Bryce Cotton effect triggers extraordinary surge of interested members for 36ers, may force hand for bigger stadium in Adelaide

The Bryce Cotton effect is alive and well in Adelaide with the club already eyeing membership records and corporate hospitality almost fully booked without an NBL fixture.

Bryce Cotton has only been an Adelaide 36er for three weeks but the five-time NBL MVP is already helping the Sixers shatter membership records.

In the minutes after the 36ers officially announced Cotton’s signature, the club was inundated with phone calls from new clients keen to sign on.

The signing of Bryce Cotton to the Adelaide 36ers has triggered record-breaking membership interest. Picture: Supplied

Prior to the ex-Perth Wildcats guard shocking the NBL world to join Adelaide, the 36ers had just 300 expressions of interest for new memberships.

This number has surged to almost 5,000 following Cotton’s historic coup.

36ers officials believe the re-signing of polarising former NBA big man Montrezl Harrell has also contributed to this rise, but the bulk of the new eyeballs want to see the NBL’s little master in a Sixers singlet.

The polarising Montrezl Harrell has re-signed with Adelaide. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Following Cotton’s signing, Adelaide is already at 85 per cent capacity of its available corporate hospitality.

And all of this is without an NBL26 fixture being available.

36ers GM of Basketball Operations Matt Weston is excited to see the club’s growth next season on the back of one of the league’s biggest ever signings in Cotton.

“I knew Bryce would be a big signing, but I didn’t expect the interest to be like this,” Weston told CODE Sports.

“I remember driving to the office not long after announcing the signing and I got a call from a client saying a friend of mine wants to buy a corporate box.

“That is where we are at – Bryce has a big effect.

“We’ve had 21 sellouts at home in a row and we’ve just brought in the NBL’s biggest ticket item.

“We could be close to capacity on memberships alone.”

The 36ers are yet go on sale with its memberships for NBL26 however there are approximately 7,000 members from last year.

This is capped due to the capacity at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre and the club’s desire to make some tickets available for purchase to each game to allow for new audiences, who will get first option to renew once we have the NBL’s fixture and memberships go on sale.

While memberships have not been on sale, the club has opened an expression of interest for new members, who will be offered spots should existing members opt out.

The Adelaide Entertainment centre has a capacity of 9,600 and the 36ers have consistently attracted 9,500 fans for the past season.

Adelaide 36ers fans pouring into the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

The Sixers set a club record in January this year when they had 9,588 people at their home clash against Melbourne United.

For the all support, the reality is Adelaide needs a bigger stadium to cater for all their new fans following Cotton’s historic signing.

CODE Sports understands a bigger basketball venue isn’t currently on the radar for the South Australian government, but this could change if the 36ers faithful continue to vote with their feet and attend NBL games.

In further boost for Adelaide, Weston said it’s the club’s plan to secure the majority of the squad on long-term deals in a bid to build sustained success.

Isaac White has signed with the 36ers from the Brisbane Bullets. Picture: Emily Barker/Getty Images

Dejan Vasiljevic, Isaac Humphries and new signing Isaac White are all on two-year deals, while fellow recruits Flynn Cameron and Cotton are on three-year contracts.

“So, now you can start to build into something,” Weston said.

“Not only do we have the ability to be a really good top four team now, but we’re in a position to be one for the next three years.

“It’s very hard to win the championship, but you’ve got to put yourself in the position to win it and generally you’ve got to be in the top four.

“That is what we’re aiming to do.”

Originally published as The Bryce Cotton effect triggers extraordinary surge of interested members for 36ers, may force hand for bigger stadium in Adelaide