Five kilos of reindeer and fish for a ticket? Sounds like a fair deal

Tottenham’s Europa League clash has sparked a frenzy in Norway, where fans of Bodo/Glimt are going to creative—and very Norwegian—lengths to secure a seat for Thursday’s match.

With just 480 general sale tickets available at their modest 8,270-seat stadium, roughly 50,000 hopeful supporters are scrambling for a chance to watch their team attempt a comeback from a 3-1 first-leg defeat and make history by reaching their first-ever European final.

In a particularly unique trade, Torbjorn Eide, who oversees production at a fish farm in the town of Torsken, revealed to national broadcaster NRK that he bartered five kilos of semi-dried boknafisk for a ticket. The fish, valued at about 181euros, proved irresistible to one lucky ticket holder—who handed over their spot in exchange for the seafood.

"We produce Norway's best bokna fish, and it may not be possible to get it in Bodo city (which is eight hours away). So I thought maybe someone would like it. You know, those of us who work in fishing are often creative. I didn't really think it would work, but then a guy showed up who wanted to try boknafisk."

Boknafisk, a staple of northern Norwegian cuisine, is made from cod that’s partially dried in the brisk, cold air—a traditional delicacy in the region.

Oystein Aanes, the man who purchased the fish, shared with NRK: “It was just a funny thing. The ticket was actually for my brother, who was supposed to travel from Oslo, but he didn't make it anyway. I've never bought bokna fish before, I don't even know how to prepare it. The fish is for my mother, so she can take care of it.”

Seeing the success of the fish-for-ticket deal, another supporter, Nils Erik Oskal, decided to take a different route—offering up five kilograms of reindeer meat in hopes of scoring a ticket of his own.

"I was number 40,000 in the queue or something. I had some extra meat to spare.I thought it must be possible to do it with reindeer meat. Someone was munching on it. It didn't take long. It wasn't a cheap ticket considering what reindeer meat usually costs. But it's really the same thing, I get to experience something great."

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - SEMI-FINALS

Thursday

22:00: (3.00) Bodo (3.50) Tottenham (2.30)

22:00: (2.10) Man.Utd. (3.40) Ath.Bilbao (3.60)

***odds are subject to change***