Super Rugby side ACT Brumbies Dir of Rugby Laurie Fisher believes Super Rugby needs to expand its fan base beyond the "hardcore supporters" with the club's lowest crowd in 15 years set to cost the outfit up to A$30,000 ($27,000). Just 7,129 fans watched the Brumbies beat the Auckland Blues 26-9 on Friday night, "as dismal weather contributed to the lowest attendance" at a Canberra Stadium Super Rugby contest since a tiny 4,000 in '99 (CANBERRA TIMES, 4/6). ... Cricket fans "were left frustrated" on Sunday after the supermarket sale of tickets for Indian Premier League matches was delayed because of “technical difficulties.” The tickets, which start at Dh20 ($5.45), "were due to be made available at Lulu hypermarkets but fans were told the sale had been pushed back 24 hours" (THE NATIONAL, 4/6). ... The FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica has "been a major success" for CONCACAF and FIFA. The 24 first-round matches drew a total attendance of 209,658 in the host cities of Alajuela, Liberia, Tibas and San Jose, setting a new competition record. And "it is unlikely to stop there" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 4/4).
