The cost of bringing Perth Redbacks and Perry Lakes Hawks to play their NBL1 West clashes in Albany hits $70k

The much-anticipated NBL1 West clash between Perth Redbacks and Perry Lakes Hawks has cost about $70,000 to bring to Albany. Albany Basketball Association president Darren Berry said that was the price of attracting the four State league teams to the city and staging the showpiece event at the Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre this Saturday. Redbacks and Hawks are bringing both men’s and women’s sides. With 600 tickets sold by Tuesday night, Mr Berry was hoping for a crowd of 800-1000 and said corporate and regular sponsors, plus a $30,000 grant from the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport (formerly Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries) should ensure the event broke even. “With two teams from each club, and around 20 people in each team, it is going to cost a bit,” he said. “There’s transport and accommodation as well as all the expenses around the venue. “It has been an interesting challenge, but the government funding came in at the end of last week, so that was a relief.” Preparation of the venue was due to begin on Thursday with scaffolding being erected for the grandstands inside the venue. As well as the two matches on Saturday, the ABA has organised clinics for junior players and coaches. Mr Berry said the one-off extravaganza would boost the sport in Albany, 26 years after the city’s Rainbow Cost Raiders exited from what was then the State Basketball League. “The older members of the audience will remember the SBL days, and the younger kids can experience what else is on offer to them once they leave the junior ranks,” he said. “There are some local players in the teams, and so our young players can see that there is a stepping stone between playing in Albany and playing for the Wildcats.” The women’s match starts at 5pm with the men on court from 7pm.