The Highlanders are hoping for a crowd of at least 18,000 for the first Super rugby playoff game in Dunedin this millennium, in a boon to the city's tourism off season.
The Highlanders will host the Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night and tickets will go on public sale tomorrow at 8am, after the team thumped the Blues 44-7 on Friday night.
Season ticket holders and Dunedin Venue Management Ltd ground members have until 8pm today to pick up an exclusive option to buy tickets. By yesterday, 3500 tickets had been sold.
Highlanders general manager Roger Clark said he hoped to get a big crowd to the game, which the team would appreciate.
Because of university holidays, the Zoo section at the western end of the stadium is not likely to be open, though this may be revisited later in the week.
Mr Clark said the franchise was looking to sell out the south and north stands, which together had a capacity of 18,000.
''We'll see how we go. We might look at opening the Zoo end of the stadium if demand says we should. But we'll probably be looking at that around Wednesday,'' Mr Clark said.
''We're working hard and talking to provincial unions to see if they can change their game times on Saturday. I know we've had a lot of calls from Central Otago, from South Otago, about coming through for the game.''
The playoff game was supposed to be played on Friday night but Sanzar changed it to Saturday late last week, which Mr Clark said was great for the franchise.
Tickets can be bought online through the team's website or Ticket Direct, or at the stadium ticket office.
Mr Clark was eyeing massive support for the Highlanders in their first home playoff game since the 1999 final.
''I would be disappointed if we do not get a minimum of 18,000. It's the first time in 16 years. Sort of like a one off test match. With the boys playing so well, interest has really picked up.''
The biggest crowd for a Highlanders game at the stadium was the 22,500 that attended the first Super game there in 2012. The team has averaged about 13,000 this season.
There was no plan to open the eastern end of the stadium as it took too long to put the seats up and the cost of erecting the seats was high.
Ticket prices had increased by $10 from regular season games. Mr Clark said he thought this was a reasonable rise given it was a playoff game.
Dunedin City Council regional tourism organisation director John Christie said last night there was an obvious economic benefit from ''a game of that significance''.
Mr Christie did not anticipate any problems with visitors for the game getting accommodation, as it was ''a quietish time of the year - not the height of the tourism season''.
Mr Christie said he would talk to his team today to consider what the city might do from a marketing perspective.
''We'll be engaged as fully as we can be.''
He expected a strong crowd of people from regional Otago and Southland.
''It all adds economically to the city.''
Visitors would benefit the likes of accommodation providers, bars and restaurants, and sundry sales of the likes food and petrol.
