Rugby League fans are being urged to buy tickets now if they want to be guaranteed entry to the New Zealand Warriors' season-opening NRL clash against Parramatta at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday night.
By the close of business on Thursday more than 16,500 tickets had been sold, indicating the game was on track to be a rare sell-out.
The only time that has previously happened for the first home game of the season was predictably on March 10, 1995 when the Auckland Warriors made their debut appearance in the competition against Brisbane.
With some seating removed since the end of the 2008 season, the ground's capacity has been reduced to about 23,200 for Saturday night's match.
