Steve Langford scored 18 tickets. Photo / Greg Bowker
Tickets to the Warriors' home playoff became the hottest item in town yesterday as more than a third of the 30,000 available were snapped up by league lovers.
About 5500 extra seats are being added to Mt Smart Stadium to accommodate a likely sellout match against Parramatta on
Friday night.
The match kicks off at 8.30pm.
The long-suffering Warriors season ticket holders and sponsors - who have not seen finals football in Auckland since 2002 - had first dibs at tickets, and by yesterday afternoon had bought 10,000.
About 15,000 tickets will go on sale to the public from tomorrow.
The Auckland Regional Council is installing extra seating on the northern embankment, and corporate places are nearly all gone after high interest last week became concrete bookings following the Warriors' 24-20 win over Penrith on Saturday.
Steve Langford, one of hundreds of Warriors supporters queued outside Mt Smart Stadium yesterday, bought 18 tickets.
The 53-year-old building company owner - a Warriors season ticket holder since the team's arrival in the NRL in 1995 - said his faith had been tested but repaid.
"There was a time when we were running off the rails, but a good supporter will stay with the team through the good and the bad.
"The club will never succeed without support and that was the good thing today, seeing all these real league people queuing up for their tickets."
Tickets are selling for up to $55.
The club had budgeted for a loss this year but winning this game, which gives another playoff at home, may change that.
The NRL takes the gate proceeds, but the Warriors will profit through broadcasting, merchandising, food and beverage rights.
"The more important thing is that it returns something to our long-term fans and it brings back people who were fans," said Vodafone Warriors CEO Wayne Scurrah.
"It will give us a real boost in terms of sponsorship and other support next year."
The Warriors' ambassador, Peter "The Mad Butcher" Leitch, sees another advantage in the team's success - it will, he says, give rugby league an opportunity to promote itself before the Rugby World Cup.
