Battle of Brisbane just got bigger
In time for the highly-anticipated Battle of Brisbane bout between Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn, Suncorp Stadium has secured permission to expand its capacity to exceed the current 52,500.
Tourism and Major Events Minister Kate Jones said the WBO Welterweight World Title match was set to be a record-breaking event for Brisbane’s iconic Suncorp Stadium.
“We’ve been tipping crowds of up to 55,000 people for this fight, and that would make this the biggest ever sporting event Suncorp Stadium has ever seen.
“The largest crowd at Suncorp Stadium was in 2015 for a sell-out for State of Origin Game Three.
“We know we will see a knockout crowd come along to see the local school teacher take on the world champ from the Philippines.”
Ms Jones said more than 43,000 tickets had already been sold for the event on Sunday 2 July.
“The huge national and international interest in the Battle of Brisbane means we had no other option but to expand capacity at Suncorp Stadium.
“This shows the true scale of this event and the value it brings Queensland.
“The event will pump more than $23 million into our economy and gives us an opportunity to showcase the best of our beautiful state to a global audience, including tens of millions of people across South East Asia. “
Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said he was pleased to see the strong support for the landmark Battle of Brisbane event.
“The high demand for Battle of Brisbane tickets is a testament to Brisbane’s reputation as a destination for tourism and entertainment, and our capability to host large-scale live events,” Cr Quirk said.
“Suncorp Stadium is a world-class venue renowned for hosting sporting and entertainment events to the highest standard, and is ideally positioned with multiple public transport and dining options within walking distance.
“The record-breaking match is a huge drawcard in the city’s event calendar, raising the profile of our city to international markets and delivering wider economic benefits for Brisbane’s tourism and hospitality businesses, including hotels, restaurants, retailers and service providers.
“I look forward to welcoming visitors to Brisbane and to show off our vibrant New World City to the global audience expected to tune into the broadcast.”
Suncorp Stadium General Manager Alan Graham said having capacity increased was a huge plus for both event promoters and fans.
“This allows the stadium to continue to ‘punch above its weight’ when competing with larger venues for premium events,” Mr Graham said.
“We’ve done our homework with all of the relevant authorities to ensure the safety and comfort of fans in the larger configuration. With a few minor adjustments to our traffic and transport plans, we can move the extra numbers with a minimum of fuss.”
Mr Graham said he thanked the State Government, Brisbane City Council, Queensland Police Service and transport authorities for their co-operation and support in achieving this result in time for the Horn v Pacquiao fight, giving the event the chance to break the stadium’s long-standing attendance record.
Duco Events director Dean Lonergan said the stage was set for an historic bout.
“The Battle of Brisbane is already the biggest event in Australian boxing history and it is getting bigger by the day,” Mr Lonergan said.
“On July 2, Australia and the rest of the world is going to witness the birth of a new Australian boxing sporting superstar in Jeff Horn.”
The final round of tickets for the Battle of Brisbane will go on sale at 10am Friday 16 June, from Ticketek. Ticket prices start at $39.
The Palaszczuk Government secured the WBO Welterweight World Title match through Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) in partnership with the Brisbane City Council through Brisbane Marketing and Suncorp Stadium.
Tickets available at www.ticketek.com.au/pachorn
For fight updates go to:
Use the hashtag #PacHorn to join the conversation on Twitter.