Contestants on a survival-themed reality show being filmed out in the Dominican Republic are being offered the chance to swap the luxurious surroundings - for a trip to Hull.
The idea is the brainchild of charismatic new Hull City owner Acun Ilicali. The Turkish media mogul bought the Tigers in January and is planning a final day celebration as the club marks staying in the Championship following promotion last year.
According to Hull Live, Ilicali hopes to bring over a group of contestants from his hugely popular Survivor programme to watch the final game of the season when Hull host Nottingham Forest on Saturday, May 7.
Ilicali, a household name in Turkey for his string of media channels and reality TV shows, is currently filming the show in the Dominican and is said to be running a task during the programme that will give participants a chance to win a spot on a specially-chartered flight to Hull especially for the game.
The report adds that the chosen group will be flown into Humberside Airport for the game before returning to the Dominican Republic later that day, after watching Shota Arveladze's men face off against promotion-chasing Forest. They could also be introduced to the crowd at the MKM Stadium at half-time.
Ilicali has certainly been innovative when it comes to ideas surrounding the marketing of City. He announced his deal to buy the club was about to go through live on the Turkish version of The Voice on New Year's Eve 2021. And earlier this month the 52-year-old announced that he was planning to take up to 500 Hull fans on holiday this summer to his native Turkey.
In what would be a first for a football club on these shores, the flamboyant Ilicali revealed he was hoping that a select group of supporters, along with their families, would be sent on an all-expenses-paid trip to a five-star resort in Antalya. Ilicali, who took over the football club from the Allam family in January, also revealed that major Turkish beer brand Efes are in discussions over a sponsorship deal. He is looking to bring in three major brands to help promote the football club across Europe.
On the pitch the Tigers have been assured of their place in the second tier next season for some time. Three wins in their last four games have allowed them to look ahead to next season, with a big summer recruitment drive expected. Last week's 3-0 win over Reading was their joint-biggest victory of the season and Arveladze was suitably impressed.
"It's great to win in front of our supporters, having three goals, the best score from the season," he said. "I think everything we did well and we should be happy for this day. They had to change [after conceding] and we reacted. They put more offensive players on and gave more space in the back. We catch this space and then Keano [Lewis-Potter] scores."
Before the finale at home to Forest, Hull travel to Bristol City on Saturday.
