Super Rugby side ACT Brumbies is "using free pies and parking to lure a big crowd" for the Super Rugby quarterfinal against the Otago Highlanders at Canberra Stadium on Friday night, according to David Polkinghorne of the CANBERRA TIMES. Brumbies interim CEO Phil Thomson was "unconcerned about recent poor crowds and was confident the magnitude of Friday's game would help turn that around." Former Brumbies boss Michael Jones had predicted the Super Rugby club would make a A$1M ($760,000) profit this financial year, but "his payout and lower-than-expected crowds" led to Chair Robert Kennedy admitting the club "would likely record a loss instead." Thomson said, "The last two crowds after the June break have been down a little bit, but weather conditions have probably played into that a little. It's been a lot colder. But I think Canberra just needs to realize it's an important game, it's a quarterfinal." SANZAAR's decision to schedule the game on Friday night, "despite the Brumbies asking Super Rugby's governing body for a Sunday afternoon game, has hurt the ACT club." Thomson said that the club "would give a free meat pie to the first 2,000 fans through the gate and were also offering free parking" before 4:30pm. Some ticket prices have "also been reduced" (CANBERRA TIMES, 7/17).
