Bullets lobby for greater seating capacity following slump in the crowd figures
- Courier Mail, Thursday, April 23, 1998.

The Brisbane Bullets have slumped to a fourteen year low in crowd figures in a season the club has celebrated sponsorship highs.
the Bullets have averaged 2358 to this year's 10 home games - their lowest attendance figure since 1984 and the second lowest in the National Basketball League this year.
The figure includes four matches played at Toowoomba and Gold Coast which both have small seating capacities.
Brisbane transferred from the Bondall Entertainment Centre (capacity 10 000) to the Brisbane Convention Centre (3480) last year in a move which cut operational costs. The Bullets averaged 3224 in 1997.
Bullets managing director Steve Williams said this year's figures had been disappointing but it had been a difficult year.
"It's difficult when we receive little television coverage but we always knew it would be a tough year becuse one NBL season is crammed on top of the other," he said.
NBL chief executive John Rymarz said the league had mad it hard for itself to sell two 30-game seasons in one year.
The Bullets have asked the State Government which runs the Convention Centre, for up to 800 more seats for the summer season, starting October. It is believed the Government will discuss the issure today.
Brisbane is th eonly NBL franchise to have a 5000-seat venue for the summer season.
A basketball and tennis stadium has been included inplans for the proposed $900 million super-stadium at Hamilton, announced last month by the Government.
But Rymarz said extra seating at the Convention Centre was essential for the upcoming season with a million-dollar league-wide marketing and advertising promotions campaign scheduled.
Williams said the Bullets was the only NBL franchise to register and increase in season tickets (12.6 percent) and sponsorship (8 percent).
The news comes with the understanding that the Bullets are in line for a $100 000 bonus from major sponsor Treasury Casino if the team make the finals. It is one of the league's biggest finals incentives. Williams said the bonus amount was private information and refused to comment.
Brisbane (9-9) are in fifth position and are clinging on to a top six finals berth but need to win against Adelaide on Friday night or Townsville Suns on Saturday night in Brisbane to consolidate.
Players, who did not want to be named, said the Treaury Casino bonus did not increase pressure or affect motivation.
They hoped the money would be channelled into more promotion and advertising "because we need to get the Bullets out into the public more to get the bums on seats".
The Bullets are owned by Pacific Sports Entertainment which has it's annual general meeting today in Brisbane, PSE recorded and operating loss of $3.69 million for the year to December.
PSE chairman Peter Chegwyn said in March the company had cleaned out the balance sheet and sold loss-making assets.
It now owns the Bullets, the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team and the gaming machine monitoring business - Queensland Entertainment Services.
Williams said rumours PSE would sell the Bullets were untrue. It is understood that early indications had the Bullets on target for breaking even this year.
The PSE board last year appointed coach, Brian Kerle, who led Brisbane to and 8-2 record early in the season.
They have since stumbled to win in eight matches.