General Mt Smart Stadium

[Kestrel84]

I much prefer watching actual games at Mt Smart, but I'd probably end up physically attending more games if they regularly played at Eden Park, just due to access and general stuff nearby.

Never thought I'd say that.

Still holding out for a downtown stadium though.

 

[Spence]

Can't tell if this is rage bait

I guess if people can't tell, that makes you a master baiter

If you do genuinely like the idea, I'd be interested to hear why lol

Location - so much easier to drive and public transport to for more people.

I hate everything else about it though.

I love Mt Smart and hate Eden Park - but would attend more games at Eden Park (even as a season ticket holder some games are just too much effort to get out to Mt Smart and get back home near midnight).

 

[mrblonde]

Won't ever forgive the Auckland City Council - under Len Brown, IIRC - magically being able to arrange buses from several points of the city to take us Warriors fans to the 3 Eden Park games that were arranged for 2014 but, gee, sorry, Warriors fans, can't do that for Mt Smart...
I could live with Eden Park if the Eden Park Trust or whatever it's called had the brains to turn the park into a rectangular stadium (I'd have thought the ICC announcing - or if not actually saying it, implying it - that Tests wouldn't be held at Eden Park any more would have pushed them over the line, but no...).
But I Like Mt Smart for it's size, really. 2024 - as crappy as it was for what actually happened onfield - was a season of great atmosphere at the stadium. Not entirely sure if moving to a bigger stadium will mean significantly bigger crowds on a regular basis. 28 years of going to Mt Smart as a regular tells me No. It. Will. Not. Last year, the cost of living etc and of course the Warriors' consistant inconsistancy pretty much guarantee that. Last year was something that will probably never happen again in terms of A Season Of Sellouts For Mt Smart.

 

[mrblonde]

ABs record goes all the way back to 94 albeit could be under threat from the Boks this year.
Cricket can’t fill a stadium so shouldn’t really have a say on Eden park, the fact they still use it despite its embarrassing size is another factor

The reason the All Blacks last to France is because I WAS THERE.
And it was the the day after Mr Cobain met Mr Shotgun. So maybe it's his fault....

 

[Makasene]

I think warriors mgmt want warriors games at eden park they bought a bar/pub in Mt eden

Been there done that got the picture.

In 2012 and 2013 we opened our home season at Eden Park. In 2014 we played our first 3 home games at Eden Park.

We were moving, MSS was out, Eden Park was in, except.... the club lost money playing at Eden Park.

What's changed?

 

[snake77]

Been there done that got the picture.

In 2012 and 2013 we opened our home season at Eden Park. In 2014 we played our first 3 home games at Eden Park.

We were moving, MSS was out, Eden Park was in, except.... the club lost money playing at Eden Park.

What's changed?

I don't know what has changed but I would point to a few things listed when the club was previously being pressured to move. Back when the club was really get pushed to move to Eden Park some of the articles that came out had the following.

Average Crowd: The Warriors would have had to increase their average crowd from 15k to 19k to make Eden Park feasible. Sure, the club is pulling more than that now. But, how much of that is due to returning from covid and the results of 2023. The club would be in a better bargaining position now.

Corporate Boxes: There was an article referencing how the club would lose all of their corporate box revenue. Something along the lines of Eden Park controls it instead and they have existing corporates. It was a significant amount the club would lose.


The other thing was if the club moved the public transport would be free. The club is currently playing at a Auckland Council owned stadium, but if they move to a non Auckland Council owned stadium the Council would subsidise the transport. That is a good indication of the mess Auckland is in in terms of stadiums. Other entities have provided a lot of money to Eden Park who can't service their loans.

This article for Blues games shows that even if the club moved the transport is not guaranteed. Sure, the article states the clubs (Blues, Warriors) status on paying part of the transport costs. The club playing part was never stated before it was it would be taken care of. If the club did move to Eden Park how long until any of the incentives change?

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Most clubs playing out of Eden Park struggle to make it financially feasible. Can the same arguments be applied to a new build? Yes. But a new purpose built stadium would be more appealing to the public.

A cities public transport system should be directed to the city. Not towards a suburb.
Then the benefit to the central city as people file out of the stadium to the bars and restaurants. The central city by all accounts isn't doing to well so the stadium would also help in that regard.

 

[MM51]

I think warriors mgmt want warriors games at eden park they bought a bar/pub in Mt eden

I mean they weren’t going to purchase a bar and put it on O’Rourke or Beasley Ave were they