NEWCASTLE Jets are hoping to be the hottest ticket in town this weekend as they play their first home games of the season.
Both A-League men and women's teams will go head-to-head against the Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday in what the club hopes will be record-breaking games.
After a stellar grand final win for the men's team in the 2017-18 season to a crowd of 29,000, the club has seen a dip in supporter numbers.
They were hit hard by COVID-19 closures for a few seasons and men's home game attendance averaged were just 6152 last year. The current record for a woman's home game is 4168.
"We're looking forward to a huge turnout this weekend," captain Cassidy Davis said, following a win and draw for her team in their first games this season.
And she is in for a treat as more than 10,000 northern NSW students join the women for a football revival.
The Jets:LEARN program, funded by Greater Bank, allows students to learn skills from their sporting heroes. 130 schools have registered this year.
Ms Davis said engaging with regional schools was a "big focus" for the team.
"We've seen a huge lift in interest generally and the engagement levels when we visit the school with our players are incredible," she said.
"We're excited to see this response translate into attendance at our home matches, starting this Sunday."
Defender Lorena Baumann told the Newcastle Herald she was excited to play on home turf where the "audiences are great".
Her ambitions for a sold-out Sunday come after the Matildas played to a full stadium for 10 home matches straight.
"It's just nice for women's football to be recognised and to get something back for all of the work put in over the years," Ms Baumann said.
"I hope it's not just for a couple of months, or just this season. I hope it's longer than that."
