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On the back of a sold out and incredible first edition of the Sydney Derby for this season, yesterday both the remaining Sydney Derbies sold out in a matter of minutes.
With only a few thousand tickets left due to the Wanderers’ incredible season ticket holder numbers, tickets were in incredibly high demand.
Sydney FC fans took to social media to express frustrations at their allocation of tickets for away support was so small, but due to season ticket numbers, there was simply no other option.
Given the success, and the fact the Sydney Derby is now a guaranteed sell out, I think it is time to take the fixture to ANZ Stadium from next season onwards.
In the past I have been against clubs taking games to ANZ, such as the Swans’ recent AFL finals fixtures, and I was extremely happy to hear the Wanderers decided to keep their ACL home game at Wanderland.
The Sydney Derby, however, is a completely different beast.
The fact that there are three derbies each season makes it incredibly easy to move the third game to the Olympic Stadium.
Allianz Stadium would then host one fixture, with Pirtek Stadium hosting the second. The third would take place at the 82,000 seat stadium and would allow for a record A-League crowd.
Surely both teams could work out a profit share and ticket allocation. If I had to make a decision today I’d say allocate both sets of fans exactly half the amount of tickets as they do for the FA Cup final in Wembley.
Split it right down the middle. One half of the stadium would be red and black, the other would be sky blue.
I have no doubt at all the crowd would surpass 50,000 supporters. In a few years time, if both sides continue to grow, it’s not unlikely that the game could sell out.
In terms of profit share, next season’s lion share should go to Sydney FC as it would technically be their turn to host two derbies. From then on in, 50-50 split.
If one team fails to sell their allocation of tickets with a week or two to go, they become fair game for opposition supporters. Fans would absolutely revel in the fact their supporters encroach on enemy territory.
Now I’m well aware that ANZ Stadium is situated in Western Sydney, and some would refer to it as an unfair advantage to play a second game out west every season.
I’d argue that South Sydney went ok this year, playing all of their home games west of their traditional home of Southern Sydney.
The atmosphere at both Allianz and Pirtek for the derbies has been absolutely incredible. Can you imagine adding potentially more than 30,000 to that noise?
You could play the Sydney Derby out of any stadium in the city and it would still be a marvellous occasion.
Let’s allow it to shine to its fullest potential by moving one game next season, even as a trial, to the biggest stadium available.
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