NSW Police have promised a "huge" presence at Moore Park on Saturday night where upwards of 80,000 sports fans will pour into the precinct for the unprecedented Sydney derby double at Allianz Stadium and the SCG.
The A-League clash between Sydney FC and the Wanderers and the Big Bash game next door between the Thunder and Sixers are both expected to sell-out, which would likely generate the largest sporting crowd seen at Moore Park.
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Detective superintendent and commander of the NSW Police state planning unit Gavin Dengate said his forces had worked closely with the SCG, both A-League clubs and Football Federation Australia to shore up the logistics of Saturday night's derby double.
The State Transit Authority has increased its bus services to and from the ground and superintendent Dengate has encouraged fans attending either game to use public transport.
He said three commanders would oversee the substantial operation to manage the crowds across the two venues, one at each ground and a third sitting in the police operations centre to oversee the entire precinct.
"The warning is for the one or two that want to spoil it for the 80,000, they're going to get a bed for the night in the police station," Dengate said.
"I can tell you it's a huge police operation. We're right across the whole area and there's been a lot of planning going into it.
"We'll have a lot of police on deck. Everything from police transport command, through to the mounted cops on horses, through to the public order cops through to general duties, traffic police, licensing police, command structure like myself.
"It's a big job. There are ramifications to the individual who wants to commit any sort of offence."
The police have made contact with Western Sydney Wanderers supporters to co-orindate their usual march through Surry Hills from Central Station to the ground, and the fans have indicated they will adhere to the suggested timeline.
Dengate didn't envisage any major problems from the family-friendly Big Bash crowd, but had a stern warning for any soccer supporters who planned to let off any flares.
"When there's a local derby if people want to play up and let off flares and the like, we will conduct the normal business that way – they'll be arrested, charged, front court, we give the information through to Soccer Australia and they'll enact, should they choose to do so, and hopefully they do, banning procedures and the like," Dengate said.
The Sydney Thunder head into Saturday's BBL derby knowing only a win will keep their faint finals chances alive.
They'll be armed with West Indian star Carlos Brathwaite who joined the team last week to replace injured all-rounder Andre Russell.
Brathwaite has revealed Sixers spinner Nathan Lyon tried luring him to the magenta side of town during the off-season, but to no avail.
And for a man who has attended the Manchester derby and El Classico between Real Madrid and Barcelona in recent times, Brathwaite said he couldn't wait for his first BBL rivalry match.
"The Melbourne derby and the Sydney derby have become rather big, I can even say internationally because back home people talk about the Sydney derby, the Sixers versus Thunder," Brathwaite said.
"The three tournaments that everyone at home ... look forward to watching and really promote are the IPL, the CPL and the Big Bash.
"It'll be a good experience to be actually on the field for a derby of this magnitude."
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