The Bulletin | 7th July 2011

FORGET State of Origin or Saturday’s Super 15 Rugby Union grand final, the Republik Nightclub Rockhampton Rockets could well be the hottest sporting ticket to get your hands on.

Tickets for tomorrow night’s traditional grudge match against Cairns were snapped up in hours when they went on sale in Rockhampton this week.

While it wasn’t quite the 45 minutes it took to sell out Suncorp Stadium yesterday for Saturday’s clash between the Queensland Reds and Crusaders, Rockhampton basketball fans made sure they weren’t going to miss out on what promises to be the biggest regular season game of the year.

It’s rare to find a spare seat at Hegvoldt Stadium these days.

Rockhampton basketball competitions and development manager Pete Trenerry said tickets sold within six hours when they went on sale on Monday.

The stadium holds between 700 and 750 people, with three price brackets for tickets ($10, $14 and $55 for a mezzanine ticket in the upstairs area, which includes food and drinks).

There is a waiting list for the corporate boxes.

“They went pretty quick,” Pete said yesterday.

“Normally when Cairns come here there’s a rush, but this has been quicker.”

While other sporting codes are struggling to get fans in the door, the Rockets sold all but five of the tickets available for the whole of the 2010 season.

Pete, who coaches the women’s side, the Hog’s Breath Cafe Cyclones, said the club was tracking the same this time around.

“Rockhampton is the hardest place for a team to come and play in Queensland,” Pete said.

“It’s worth a good 10 points each time.”

He said tomorrow’s game for the Cyclones, who also face Cairns, was a must-win for the side.

The Cyclones play at 6pm with the Rockets tipping-off at 8pm.

 

Rocket Rod:

Did you know Queensland Reds winger Rod Davies is a former Rockhampton junior basketball representative.

Davies stunned Suncorp Stadium last week when he scored a hat-trick of tries for the Reds against the Blues, who weren’t able to handle his electric speed.