Kings Frequently Asked Questions II

The Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings in conjunction with Qudos Bank Arena pride ourselves on providing a world class fan experience. Following our first two home games held in February we received several emails, calls and comments sharing feedback which we have read and listened to.

We thank everyone for taking the time to let us know about the experience you had, and we take all of this feedback and comments very seriously. Without our loyal fans and members in attendance, there would be no Sydney Kings.

Following the feedback we received, we have met with the venue to find solutions and try to provide some answers below. It is our priority to ensure that the venue is first and foremost safe, as well as balancing the protocols put in place by the NBL and NSW Health, and delivering a great fan experience.

Your ongoing understanding and co-operation is appreciated.

GAME DAY EXPERIENCE / TICKETS

Why has the gameday experience changed from last season?

COVID-19 has had a significant financial impact on the Club which has resulted in us limiting certain elements of the gameday experience, such as the pyrotechnics (flames) and cheerleaders. It is also important to note, that until only recently, live performers were not expected to be allowed on the court.  

Please be aware that number of restrictions have been imposed on live events by the state health bodies which only further limits what we are able to do during games. For example, not being able to encourage chanting, cheering or standing means we have had to remove dance cams, kiss cams, noise meters, among other activations.

We believe we still have the best live entertainment product in Australia, and expect to be able to bring back some of these elements when restrictions ease.

Why is there no longer game day activations or things for the kids to play with?

As part of the venues COVID-safe plan to reduce the number of people congregating in the main foyer area and minimise touchpoints, the activations inside and outside the venue are temporarily unavailable to Kings fans. We hope to bring these back in the future.    

We drove to the game on Sunday and found that there were limited cheap family tickets available. Why was this?

As has always been the case, if you are thinking of attending a Kings game it is best to get in early to secure your seats – or even better still grab a membership to save on walk up ticket prices (memberships are significantly cheaper than buying tickets each week).

During our first two home games we had a number of families who showed up on the day of the game looking for the cheapest bronze family ticket options and were disappointed to find there were none left. This was due to crowd capacity restrictions on the venue, combined with the fact that this was a high demand game (against Illawarra and on a Sunday afternoon).

The only remaining family tickets that were left on game day were some of our best seats close to the court, hence the higher price tag. Our advice is always to not leave it until game day if you have your heart set on attending the game, just in case sections of tickets sell out.  

VENUE

What do I need to scan to enter the venue?

All members and fans will need a ticket or member card to scan into the venue, as per all Kings games last season.

In addition to this, we strongly encourage everyone to check in via the QR code and Service NSW app prior to entering the venue. Security will be reminding all patrons to do so at entry check in points on the way in. While this is not mandatory, it will be strongly encouraged.

There were inconsistencies from when we came to the venue on Friday to Sunday on what we could bring in (bag size specific), why?

We’ve had several members who expressed inconsistencies with bags they brought into one game being allowed in, and then not being allowed in for the following game two days later. We’ve raised this issue with the venue to ensure there is a more consistent approach taken. Exceptions will be made (and were during our previous games) for medical and or personal reasons whereby bag will be tagged with a ‘Security Check” tag.

For clarity, no backpacks or bags larger than A5 size are permitted. This minimizes touch points and reduces dwelling times in lines, in order to move queues along in line with NSW Health. No bag check tables will be required as guards will not be placing any large bags on tables, avoiding contact, asking patrons to open their own bags for visual inspection.

Security staff at the entrance had to shout to be heard, can this be addressed with the venue?

We have raised this feedback with the venue and they will ensure all guards are briefed accordingly. Any announcements are to be made via an External Speaker to avoid any staff having to “shout out” to patrons which may give the wrong impression.

A reminder also to fans and members that we are under very strict protocols from the NSW Government to ensure the venues Conditions of Entry are adhered to for the health, safety and security of all attending the game.

There was no cloakroom available?

To avoid any contact between staff, and patron’s belongings due to COVID, there will be no cloaking facilities advertised. In the event that a patron does arrive with a prohibited item, and they are unable to return it to their car, cloaking will be charged at a rate of $10, with proceeds going to the Starlight Foundation.

Why was there no food or drink options available? Everything had run out?

This was one of the most commonly raised issues we received following our first two games. After raising this with the venue, they have confirmed two things happened: demand was higher than predicted, and the shorter opening time between doors open and tip off had created a bigger rush for hot food than normal which meant kitchens couldn’t keep up with supply. 

The below fixes have been made for future games:

• More food ordered
• Coke fridges now to be in use
• Doors will be opening half an hour earlier which will spread the rush of guests coming into the venue
• The menu has been reviewed to include more food options

Why is there no merchandise available to purchase inside the venue?

Merchandise has been moved back inside the venue for future games and will be set up inside the Grand Foyer as you enter Qudos Bank Arena.

Why can’t I use cash anymore?

To reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, ATMs have been taken out of service and covered to minimise touch points, and a cashless electronic transaction system has been implemented in all QBA retail outlets.

An alternate provision will be made to customers arriving with cash only in the form of EFTPOS cards available for purchase at the Information Desk. Cards are available in denominations of $50 & $100.

SOCIAL DISTANCING

Are there limitations on capacity at Qudos Bank Arena?

Yes these is. Games have been ticketed to a reduced capacity of 75% in line with NSW Health current COVID-19 restrictions guidelines.

Due to these regulations, crowd limits, adjusted seating plans, and conditions of entry are in place to ensure social distancing and COVID safe protocols are adhered to. Therefore it is important everyone sits in their allocated seats.

Crowd restrictions are continually changing, and while we will continue to adapt and remain flexible, it’s important to remind all fans that becoming a Kings member is the only way to guarantee access to the venue, particularly early on in the season. 

NBL21 SEASON AS A WHOLE

Will the Kings still play 14 home games this season, or is that unlikely?

Kings fans can be comforted knowing that it is still intended by both the NBL and Sydney Kings that the Club will play 14 home games in Sydney.

Currently we have played two home games, with 12 home games remaining.

What if I can’t get to 14 home games though?

If you’ve been considering becoming a member, the good news is that membership prices have been slashed from last season. Kings members also enjoy savings of up to 68% on tickets per game plus loads of other exclusive benefits.

If you aren’t able to make it every game we have 7-game and 3-game membership options available, plus all memberships are fully transferable so you can share these around your family or group of friends.

AWAY GAMES

Where can I watch the team while they’re on the road?

Every NBL game is on ESPN or SBS VICELAND. You can also catch the games on SBS on Demand, the NBL Twitch channel, the NBL.TV app, and Kayo (for ESPN games). Just check out the Kings social media accounts or website to find out which channels the next game is on.

Will the Kings have a supporter membership or interstate membership again this season?

Our membership team have been working with the NBL and opposition clubs to organise interstate membership options. Due to the short notice on upcoming games and varying levels of venue capacities around the league, it is unlikely we will be able to offer interstate memberships this season.

We have a higher than anticipated number of members this season and have now exhausted our membership pack stock. Unfortunately this means we are unable to offer non-ticketed supporter memberships this season, however we are in the process of developing a 2 game regional memberships for fans that live outside the greater Sydney area.