‘We are definitely going to be up on ball numbers this year’: Sportsbet takes a punt on the Darwin Cup ball
Preparations are underway to expand the capacity of the site of this year’s Darwin Cup Ball to accommodate more than 1500 revellers.
Northern Territory
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PREPARATIONS are underway to expand the capacity of the site of this year’s Darwin Cup Ball to accommodate more than 1500 revellers.
The ball will again be held on the lawns at the Darwin Turf Club between Silks and the TAB Pavillion, with tickets $350 for members and $370 for non-members. And after some three decades of Qantas sponsorship the Gala Ball now has one of Australia’s largest corporate bookmakers, Sportsbet, as the naming rights sponsor.
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Darwin Turf Club chief executive Brad Morgan said high early demand for tickets had prompted the changes to the site to allow for doubling of the number of people who attended last year’s gala ball.
Mr Morgan said tickets were being snapped up by interstate buyers coming to the carnival and he expected locals to do likewise.
“We are definitely going to be up on ball numbers this year and we are delighted to have been able to keep the tickets at the price they are,” Mr Morgan said.
Club chairman Brett Dixon said Sportsbet’s partnership demonstrated a strong commitment to the Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival and also emphasised the importance of such announcements in the wider community.
“It’s not just a sign of confidence in us, but it’s a sign of confidence that the Territory is worth investing in, which we believe is a significant element to this agreement,” he said.
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Sportsbet government relations manager NT Brad Fanning said the corporate bookmaker jumped at the opportunity to sponsor such a high-profile event.
“Sportsbet is a strong supporter of jobs and investment in the Territory and is thrilled to partner with this iconic event,” he said. “We are very much looking forward to a long relationship with the Darwin Turf Club and the first ever Sportsbet Darwin Turf Club Gala Ball in 2021.”
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