Many of you may have read the article in The Cairns Post earlier this month in regard to the NRL crowd attendance at their last regional match in Cairns. The headline said it all – “NRL crowd number in Cairns could end up in no return visits”. South Sydney will now crunch the numbers before making a decision on their future in Cairns, though the dwindling crowds may have already made up the NRL premier’s mind.
The same could be the outcome for the AFL Premiership match in Cairns if numbers don’t stack up. It’s pretty simple, if the general public don’t ‘talk with their feet’ and attend the match, there are various other regional centres knocking on the door at the AFL hoping to secure any game that might be up for grabs. At present, with stadium contracts and Clubs’ other commitments, such as overseas deals, there are no other games available to be taken into the regional centres.
The Mayor of Townsville publicly stated that she’s keen to chase a Premiership match in her city. Whilst she added she wasn’t trying to steal Cairns’ match, there just aren’t any other games available. We must have a big turn out or the match might go elsewhere.
Cairns and Cazalys Stadium are very fortunate to have one of these very few matches. AFL Cairns along with Cairns Regional Council and Tourism and Events Queensland have worked hard to obtain and retain this match. However, to retain it, we must show as a city and a sporting community that ‘It’s ours, we want it, and we can fill our stadium!’ That’s our best chance of keeping it!
We are calling on the entire AFL Cairns community to get behind the event, attend the game, bring your family, friends and a colleague along as we want a sell out crowd.
It’s not about beating the NRL’s numbers, or any other events for that matter, it’s about showing as a city that we want these major events, sporting and the like, and, in turn, we will support them by turning up in great numbers. Cairns is a very desirable destination and our visitation rates for these events is good, but it’s the locals who attend that put the icing on the cake and ensure that these events continue to come here.
We only get one match a year, be there to enjoy it!
Tickets are on sale for the match, and can be purchased at www.ticketdirect.com.au at Cazalys Social Club Reception or by phoning 1300 798 550
Last Modified on 20/05/2015 14:28