'$1500 for this': Hollywood star rages over Aussie basketball 'disgrace'
Russell Crowe has added his voice to the condemnation of the seating arrangements at the Boomers’ clash with Team USA at Marvel Stadium.
Many fans already unhappy with the lack of star power at the much-hyped series in Melbourne were also angered by the seating fiasco on Thursday night.
RECAP: Key takeaways from Team USA's win in opener
The World Cup warm-up match, which is followed by game two on Saturday afternoon, was played on a drop-in raised floor to accommodate a crowd of around 50,000.
While it was a spectacular sight from the raised seats, those who were on "the floor" who paid hundreds of dollars for their seats had limited viewing.
The seats were all on the same level, meaning those at the back were staring at other fans’ heads.
One of those fans was Russell Crowe, who took to Twitter to show off his limited view despite paying $1500 for a courtside seat.
“$1500 a ticket for this view. Jokes on me,” the Hollywood star tweeted.
“If you weren’t among 50,000 there and you chose to watch it on tv at home, good decision.
“The only thing achieved tonight by @BasketballAus was enjoining with the promoters in ripping off well meaning lovers of the sport. It was a farce.”
$1500 a ticket for this view. AUS v USA .
Jokes on me.
If you weren’t among 50,000 there and you chose to watch it on tv at home, good decision . pic.twitter.com/VlNuXWp6iI— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) August 22, 2019
The only thing achieved tonight by @BasketballAus was enjoining with the promoters in ripping off well meaning lovers of the sport. It was a farce. https://t.co/M04iiL26Xm
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) August 22, 2019
The floor-level seats were your garden variety white plastic, believed to be tied together with cable ties.
Those in the back rows at the football/soccer stadium were also so far from the action they had to rely on big screens hanging over the court to make out the player numbers.
Many took to social media to vent their anger, with some comparing the match to the ill-fated Fyre Festival, a fraudulent luxury music festival in the Bahamas made into a popular Netflix documentary.
Fyre Festival but for Australian basketball https://t.co/Mo2IEJ1W7K
— Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) August 22, 2019
This USA basketball tour is like sport's Fyre Festival. Just stumbling from one disaster to the next.
— Eric George (@ericpaulgeorge) August 22, 2019
@OlgunUluc this is the view from two seats that cost over $300 can’t see anything.... pic.twitter.com/yElTILXMpM
— Leanne Willis (@Willis43Willis) August 22, 2019
$150 floor seats and you can’t see the court. All the players dropped out too. What a stitch-up. #BoomersUSA pic.twitter.com/5IWh3e74RK
— Wade Shipard (@wadeshipard) August 22, 2019
The view from $300 seats #BoomersUSA pic.twitter.com/xqYPsy9w4O
— Dion Alessi (@dionalessi) August 22, 2019
Tha basketball was a disgrace. Not only did the stars all pull out, not only did TEG not reply to emails asking for a refund or answer the phone, the seats were pitiful and you couldn’t even see the court. I spent the night watching it on the screen #BoomersUSA @acccgovau
— Lee “Hollywood” Turner (@_LeeTurner) August 22, 2019
The way fans have been pushed and tossed for this series is truly a disgrace for Australian basketball #BoomersUSA https://t.co/qM73hGf4iP
— postup (@postup_au) August 22, 2019
Latest in string of controversies
Leading into the match there was disappointment and anger from ticketholders with the US team missing much of its star power.
Fans felt the advertising and marketing material featuring global NBA names such as Anthony Davis and James Harden to promote the game was misleading, given they weren't taking part.
Australia's own NBA superstar Ben Simmons also withdrew from the Boomers squad.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced last week that it was in talks with the promoter TEG Live.
According to the ABC, the ACCC announced on Thursday night that was "aware of refunds being made to consumers for the USA Basketball games ... in Melbourne and Sydney on 22, 24 and 26 August".
Despite this many ticketholders on social media remained frustrated.
with AAP