The nose bleed seats at the original Snakepit weren't named because of how far you were away from the game.
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Quite the opposite in fact.
If Gordie McLeod mistimed his pass someone in the crowd ended up with a nose bleed, you were that close to the game.
Six hundred people crammed into the old tin shed, ducking passes, loving the red and white of a local team shirt in a national competition.
Fast forward 40 years and much has changed.
Cruise ships have been to visit, Sir Elton was looking for somewhere different to play and a young guy from Windang by the name of Alex proved once and for all Wollongong had a world class fighting spirit as he became a contender for a world UFC title.
What hasn't changed is our Hawks are still going strong as our only national sporting team and they are about to embark on a journey they could not possibly have foreseen all those years ago.
June 18th, 2019.
Mark the date down as the day Wollongong stopped polishing the glass ceiling and smashed straight through it.
We woke to hear that one of the most sought after professional sportsmen in the world had decided that Wollongong was the next step in his career.
What hasn't changed is our Hawks are still going strong as our only national sporting team and they are about to embark on a journey they could not possibly have foreseen all those years ago.
LaMelo Ball, a 17-year-old basketball protégé from Los Angeles, destined for a billion dollar career in the NBA is coming to play.
He is bringing his 4.5 million Instagram followers and his reality TV show.
Overnight, the Hawks Instagram page following went from 7000 to 32000 (including a certain past US president).
What a way to change a brand and ensure a future.
Congratulations to Simon, Mat and everyone else at the Hawks involved in putting Wollongong on the world stage, once again.
What happens next, we can't control and that is the most exciting part of this story.
This story won't be constrained by bureaucracy and it won't wait for anyone.
Its going to play out live on the world stage, the good, the bad and (hopefully not) the ugly.
What does Wollongong get out of this announcement?
Aside from a basketball team who are going to be extremely competitive in this year's NBL, we get exposure.
Over 4.5 million Instagram followers will be blown away by images of the Sea Cliff Bridge and Flagstaff Hill.
It wont be a case of "what is Wollongong?" it will be "wow, that is Wollongong!".
We have a once in a lifetime opportunity, to engage an international influencer to tell our story.
The international media will be lining up to come and watch our Hawks, in our stadium by the sea. Surely there can't be too many more iconic or scenic basketball stadiums in the world.
Some of the biggest talent scouts in the world will come and see our young guns, Grida, Naar and Glover play in one of the strongest competitions in the world.
Our kids won't be on XBOX playing NBA 2K19.
They will be in the playground, bouncing a ball, fighting for the number one singlet, dreaming of being the next big thing.
This first home game of the year will be the hottest ticket in town.
Imagine the roar that will fill the stadium the first time he runs on, touches the ball, heaven forbid he nails one of the half court bombs he has become known for.
They are memories that will last a lifetime and are a legacy, sporting franchises can only dream of.
What does LaMelo get out of this?
He will forever become a favourite son of Wollongong.
He will have a community that will follow his career all the way to the top.
He will have a community that embraces him and makes sure that his six months in Wollongong are something he remembers for the rest of his life.
He's packed a lot into his 17 years, not many of us will ever be on a WWE show or count Barack Obama as a follower and now he can also claim to be a resident of the greatest city in the world.
LaMelo is quoted as saying; History is dependent on the new generation to write a new chapter.
That new chapter starts in Wollongong.
Buckle up, it's going to be one heck of a ride.
Mark Sleigh is the general manager of Destination Wollongong.