The most popular tickets to the Australian Open "will be jacked up" A$9 ($7) each "amid a series of price hikes for the Melbourne tennis showcase." The cost of an adult ground pass, the best-value ticket to the two-week tournament, will rise from A$40 to A$49 ($38) next year. In a "hit to the hip-pocket of sports fans," the cost of ground passes to the middle weekend of the Grand Slam will rise to A$55 ($43), up A$4 ($3) (HERALD SUN, 10/5).
FIBA moved all 2019 Basketball World Cup European qualification matches in November and February "back by one day in a bid to help resolve the bitter dispute with Euroleague" over the int'l calendar. FIBA's Exec Committee decided to switch games from Thursday to Friday "after they proposed all Euroleague games would take place on Tuesdays during the November and February windows." This would then "free up Friday to Sunday" for int'l matches (INSIDE THE GAMES, 10/4).
Barcelona said that that none of its supporters will attend their upcoming La Liga visit to Atlético Madrid due to the home side's allocation of tickets for away fans, "amid the continuing political turmoil in Spain related to a push toward Catalan independence." However, an Atlético source said that the club has made "no special moves" to stop traveling fans from attending the match at the Wanda Metropolitano on Oct. 14 (ESPN.com, 10/5).
A block of hardcore Hong Kong fans booed the national anthem, "despite a recent law in China forbidding such actions," during a Friendly against Laos. A section of fans "made their feelings known" when the anthem was played. Some were "even seen pointing their middle finger during the ceremony," irking football officials who "were afraid another episode like this would happen again" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 10/5).
