Perth Wildcats could be locked out of home arena for first week of postseason thanks to Kylie Minogue concert

Australia’s sweetheart Kylie Minogue is going head-to-head with the parochial members of the NBL’s most-dedicated fanbase as her Tensions tour threatens to lock the Perth Wildcats out of their arena for the first week of the NBL postseason.

Kylie Minogue and the Perth Wildcats are at odds about the first week of the NBL playoffs.

Aussie pop princess Kylie Minogue is on a collision course with more than 10,000 parochial members of the NBL’s most-dedicated fanbase as her Tension tour threatens to lock Perth Wildcats out of their home court in the first week of the postseason — in what might be one of the legendary Bryce Cotton’s last home games for the club.

The Wildcats can finish anywhere from second to fifth ahead of a blockbuster final round of the NBL but, if they beat Adelaide on Friday night, they will most likely land in third, with the advantage of a home qualifier against fourth place.

Problem is, Minogue has RAC Arena booked out for herself for the entire week leading into her February 15 concert, leaving the Wildcats scrambling for a contingency plan — and owner Mark Arena furious.

The first week of NBL postseason could be Bryce Cotton’s final game in front of his home crowd. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images

In heated discussions with Arena management, the Wildcats have agitated for a Tuesday, February 11, play-in — five days before the concert — but Minogue’s people are standing their ground, which could force the Wildcats to play the game at Perth HPC in Claremont, a venue they haven’t used in over a decade.

Over 50,000 fans have attended the past four Wildcats’ home games combined. at an average of more than 13,000. A move to the old Challenge Stadium would be a brutal blow for the Red Army’s legion of loyal fans, given its capacity is just 4000.

“RAC Arena, in their infinite wisdom, has decided ‘we’re going to book the whole of the first week of finals out (for Minogue)’,” Arena said on Triple M Perth.

“I’m super disappointed, super mad. We’re the anchor tenant there.

“The amount of members that might miss out on this, I feel really bad for them and I’m just as mad as they are.

“It was quite a heated conversation with RAC Arena (management).

“I’m super frustrated with it, we’re supposed to be the anchor tenant there and I don’t feel like we’re being treated that way.”

Kylie Minogue is in Australia for her Tension tour. Picture: Instagram

Cotton, a five-time MVP and three-time NBL champion who is one of Perth’s — and the NBL’s — greatest ever players, has a massive offer in front of him to stay at the Wildcats, but has parked talks until the end of next season and is no certainty to return next season.

“We have a substantial home court advantage generated by a large home crowd, but, worse than that, loyal members will miss out on a finals game and possibly one of the last opportunities to see Bryce play,” Wildcats superfan Nick Tan told Code Sports.

A loss in the play-in could mean just one more home game for Cotton in red, given it would leave Perth facing an elimination against the winner for 5v6 to stay alive in the playoffs.

A spokesperson for VenuesWest confirmed the RAC Arena owner was aware of the potential scheduling conflict.

“VenuesWest is working with its partners and hirers to accommodate an alternative venue to ensure the Wildcats can still play a potential home final,” the spokesperson said.