Netball: Magic call on fans to raise roof

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are gunning for a capacity crowd to help them gain their first win of the season when they play Canterbury Tactix in Rotorua on Monday night.

Diminishing crowds at Rotorua matches in the past couple of seasons have seen the city's Magic home game allocation reduced to just one in this year's ANZ Championship.

Magic are alone at the bottom of the points table after four losses from four rounds and Tactix have just one win to their name to date.

Having suffered four consecutive losses for their worst start to an ANZ Championship, Magic are desperately in need of a win with just a slim chance of a top-four placing remaining.

About 1200 of the 2500 tickets available for the Rotorua game have already been sold which, according to the franchise, is "not bad" for the local fan base.

Magic marketing manager Chris Buckley said the franchise had sought to engage with Rotorua fans through social networking which was gaining a good response.

Promotion of home games had also been increased following criticism last year that fans were unaware of matches in their location, she said.

Meanwhile, she said membership packages offered for Magic's 2012 campaign had been altered from covering all home games to packages offering three.

The franchise had found that fans were choosing their allocations based on the calibre of games, rather than the location, she said.

Magic's first game at its new Hamilton base in Claudelands, against Northern Mystics, was practically sold out.

That venue has a capacity of 3600 while the new Tauranga venue, Tect Arena, where Magic will play West Coast Fever next Sunday, has a capacity of just under 3000 and good crowds are expected there.

Buckley said ticket sales so far for the Rotorua game were better than would usually be the case this far out. Rotorua normally had a sizeable walk-up crowd and the franchise typically expected a last-minute rush on ticket sales over the weekend and on Monday.

"Obviously we want the fans to bring the roof down - this team has come so incredibly close [to winning] some of the most difficult games it will face this season and a good crowd would really lift them, give them the confidence to go from strength to strength," Buckley said.

Tickets for Monday's game are available from the Rotorua Convention Centre or any Ticket Direct outlet, including online. Tickets will also be available from the Rotorua netball pavilion in Westbrook tomorrow and Sunday.