Match tickets reward for fans
THE North Queensland Cowboys have decided how the return of crowds will operate, with full season members, corporate partners and sponsors to be at the forefront.
Following the State Government announcement that up to 2000 spectators would be permitted to attend NRL fixtures, Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel said it was important to honour the commitment of those who had supported them throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
The 8 per cent capacity for Queensland Country Bank Stadium has been met with both criticism and excitement.
However with just shy of 7000 full season members there would inevitably be some who missed out.
All year-long members will have the chance to enter a random ballot to be selected to be able to come to the next home game at QCB Stadium against the Newcastle Knights on June 27. Reibel said it was also important to consider the players’ families who deserved the opportunity to watch their loved ones play.
Ultimately – after corporate partners, sponsors and families are taken into account – he said 1500 to 1600 other people would be able to attend.
Those randomly selected members will also have the opportunity to bring one guest to the game.
“Our members will be contacted by Monday, we’ll have a ballot style system … and a randomly computer generated number for those tickets,” Reibel said.
“We’re working in pairs from a social distance perspective. “The member’s name drawn out of this ballot, they’ll have the opportunity to come along to the game plus one guest and the way people will be seated will be in pairs.
“There’ll certainly be no tickets available at the gate, this is all for the people who have invested in us for the year.
“It’s a return to the footy, which everyone is so thankful for, but it’s not a game day as we know it. Entry procedures will be different, the seats allocated will be different … even food and beverage options at the stadium won’t be the full range.”
The Opposition has argued more people should be able to enter QCB Stadium.
Ms Palaszczuk said Saturday would mark two weeks since the Black Lives Matter protests and the State Government was monitoring how many positive bases came from the demonstration across the country and this was a “trial” to see if large gatherings could be done safely.