Rugby fans are backing the Highlanders and going to the ground to support their team at Super 15 home games this year.
Highlanders marketing manager Doug McSweeney said yesterday there had been an average of 5000 extra fans at the ground for each game compared to last year.
"The support's been great and I'm sure it will continue on Friday."
At the end of the business day yesterday, a total of 14,000 tickets had been sold for the Super 15 match between the Blues and the Highlanders at the Forsyth Barr Stadium tomorrow night.
"We are reasonably happy with that," McSweeney said.
"The team is playing well at the moment and we had a good crowd for the Stormers game at Easter."
There is expected to be a good walk-up crowd of students to fill the Zoo at the Western end of the stadium.
It is a special game for both teams because the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy will be at stake. The former Otago, Highlanders and Blues coach died of cancer in 2002.
Poppy sellers will be at all the gates and there will be a short ceremony before the game to remember soldiers who served in the two World Wars.
There were complaints about the loudness of the music at the ground in the last two games and Highlanders management has taken steps to reduce the noise.
"We looked into that with the sound guys last week and have rectified the problems that occurred," McSweeney said.
The Highlanders travel to South Africa after the game to play the Cheetahs and Sharks.
The next game in Dunedin will be against the Hurricanes on May 12.
