Red faces look "set to be averted after a new, cheaper ticket category boosted sales and confidence that next week's historic opening State of Origin game will sell out," according to Laine Clark of the BRISBANE TIMES. Former rugby player and coach Wally Lewis had joined Queensland coach Mal Meninga in "slamming Origin ticket prices for Suncorp Stadium which dramatically rose" in '14, with some categories "almost doubling." It raised the "embarrassing" prospect of empty seats at the May 28 opener. However, Queensland Rugby League Managing Dir Robert Moore was confident of a "full house next week" after 1,400 of the remaining 7,500 general seating tickets were sold on Tuesday after the "introduction of a cheaper category." White category tickets at A$125 ($116) appear to have "proved the catalyst for the sales boost, much to the relief of Moore," who met with National Rugby League Commercial & Marketing Dir Paul Kind in Brisbane on Tuesday to address the issue (BRISBANE TIMES, 5/20). In Melbourne, Adrian Proszenko reported Sydney is not scheduled to host two games of an Origin series until '16 in a "further blow to NSW's chances of breaking Queensland’s stranglehold on the event." One of the "live" matches next year will be held in Victoria, where there is a "strong anti-NSW sentiment." It "effectively means" the Blues won’t have "home" advantage for two more years. The Australian Rugby League Commission is expected to "officially announce next year’s schedule as soon as this week" (THE AGE, 5/20).
