Extra seats for sold-out Auckland Nines
NRL
7:32am Sat 25th January, 2014
Extra temporary seating will be installed at Eden Park for the Auckland Nines after the original 88,000 tickets for the February 15-16 event sold out.
Extra temporary seating will be installed at Eden Park to accommodate a further 1600 fans for the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines.
The move comes after the original 88,000 ticket allocation for the February 15-16 event sold out.
The temporary 'Diamond Seating' is in prime position – side-line in front of the North Stand and will go on sale through Ticketek on Tuesday 28 January at 9am (NZ time).
"The demand for tickets is showing no signs of slowing," said the tournament's Managing Director, Duco Events' David Higgins.
"So we have been working with Eden Park to put in extra seating.
"The position of the seats in front of the North Stand will provide some of the best viewing in the stadium so we urge people who want to purchase tickets to get in quickly."
The NRL's 16 clubs are competing for a record NZ $2.6 million in prize-money at the Eden Park event.
Mayor of Auckland, Len Brown, is thrilled to hear the latest event sales figures.
"A sell-out event in year one is remarkable. We've clearly struck a chord with the fans.
"What a great result for Duco Events, the NRL and Auckland in the first year of the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines.
The Mayor said that "Auckland's major event strategy provides the perfect platform to create a new event, and with the backing of the city, get it right the first time."
The ticket revenue already banked from the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines is a record for a rugby league event in New Zealand.
It is also the first time that Eden Park has sold out for a non All Blacks test match since 1991.
Mr Higgins said that's testament to the fact the concept was a winner from day one.
"The NRL and its teams have done some terrific work in Auckland for many years.
"Canberra was the first – way back in the 80s and 90s – to forge a relationship with Aucklanders. Then the likes of the Bulldogs and Manly followed. And then of course the Warriors came along..."
New Zealand's ties with NRL aren't, of course, just in Auckland
More than 10,000 supporters from outside of the City of Sails (including more than 5000 from Australia) have already bought tickets to the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines – the combination of the best rugby league talent playing in a meaningful tournament for a record prize pool whetting the appetite of fans on both sides of the Tasman.
• NOTE The new 1600 Diamond Seating allocation will go on sale on Tuesday 28 January at 9.00am (NZ time) through Ticketek.
