Goodbye Mt Smart, hello North Shore

[Blair]

I think the issue would be public transport from South Auckland to Britiomart as the Britomart to Albany service is the best I've ever used leaves every ten minutes and doubles up in peak hour traffic and tends to be just as fast or even quicker than driving. Would only be a 5 minute walk to the stadium.

But what would that cost for a family from Manukau? Remember it would be on top of the usual, pricey, game costs such as tickets, food and drinks. They also wouldn't want to be adding hours getting to and from games on a wintery Saturday night or, worse, a Sunday arvo with work and school the next day.

 

[jaseg]

But what would that cost for a family from Manukau? Remember it would be on top of the usual, pricey, game costs such as tickets, food and drinks. They also wouldn't want to be adding hours getting to and from games on a wintery Saturday night or, worse, a Sunday arvo with work and school the next day.

RE cost the solution is already in (most of) the NRL. Pre-purchased tickets (including season tickets / memberships) have included free travel to/from games on public transport in Brisbane for years, and Sydney got in on the act this year I believe. Work it out boys!

 

[MKEB...]

But what would that cost for a family from Manukau? Remember it would be on top of the usual, pricey, game costs such as tickets, food and drinks. They also wouldn't want to be adding hours getting to and from games on a wintery Saturday night or, worse, a Sunday arvo with work and school the next day.

A touch generalised, but I agree with much of what you are saying here.

 

[WellsNZ]

RE cost the solution is already in (most of) the NRL. Pre-purchased tickets (including season tickets / memberships) have included free travel to/from games on public transport in Brisbane for years, and Sydney got in on the act this year I believe. Work it out boys!

Don't they do that for Blues games already? can't say I go to the Blues myself but I'm certain I've seen it advertised that you can get free train/bus to Blues games with your match ticket.

 

[Blair]

RE cost the solution is already in (most of) the NRL. Pre-purchased tickets (including season tickets / memberships) have included free travel to/from games on public transport in Brisbane for years, and Sydney got in on the act this year I believe. Work it out boys!

You'd find something like that in an Albany deal. However, the price of the ticket would sneak up to compensate for the 'free' public transport.

You'd also get families stuck at the Britomart train station at 11.00 pm after Saturday night games, and at 6-7 pm after the standard Sunday afternoon games. That's not even halfway home for many South Aucklanders.

What's the mass public transport like from the CBD to South Auckland these days? If a family lives in Papakura, is there a direct train link? Or is it train to Manukau, then bus home?

 

[Juju]

You'd find something like that in an Albany deal. However, the price of the ticket would sneak up to compensate for the 'free' public transport.

You'd also get families stuck at the Britomart train station at 11.00 pm after Saturday night games, and at 6-7 pm after the standard Sunday afternoon games. That's not even halfway home for many South Aucklanders.

What's the mass public transport like from the CBD to South Auckland these days? If a family lives in Papakura, is there a direct train link? Or is it train to Manukau, then bus home?

There are no trains north of the harbor bridge.

"free" public transport is just a levy AT would recoup inside the ticket pushing the price of the game up (Already $50 pre purchase sitting in prem uncovered seats now!)

 

[spear tackle]

The Britomart to Albany service is the only decent one that runs well in Auckland the rest is a basket case, as it is for me to get to game I have to endure the West Auckland Service then the South Auckland ,then back again one of the reasons I gave up going

 

[Benek]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11438740

Sounds like this is now very close to being a disaster of a reality for the club and all its fans. Please show your support against this move by complaining the council. The bottom of the article mentions ways you can voice your disapproval:

What you can do

Do you think the Warriors should stay at Mt Smart Stadium? Here's how you can show your support:

• Tweet with the hashtag #MtSmartforever


• Tweet @AklCouncil, or post a message on its Facebook page.


• Auckland Mayor Len Brown has been a supporter of the new stadium shuffle. Email him your thoughts at len.brown@auckland council.govt.nz. You can find phone numbers and email addresses for all of the councillors at aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.


• Tell us your views at news@hos.co.nz and we'll pass them on to the Council and publish the best ones next week.

 

[Blair]

I thought I'd give our boys some Sydney support next weekend and the one after.

It's surprising to see that Cronulla include public transport in the price of their tickets but the Eels don't seem to?

Will plan to go to both games though, first time ever in the 'Shire'.

 

[Iron Lion]

The Warriors are a sinking ship, leaking for far to long on all fronts. The council see's them as a dying venture with no significant asset value back to Auckland. Warriors did it to themselves by being so poorly run with shit all success over the years and numbers of fans dropping going to the games.

Instead of fighting it the Warriors should embrace it and clean out the squad, clean out the management, clean out half the board, get a new home and rebuild their brand again. Go on Doyle be the man of the hour instead of collecting Watsons money for reputation.

 

[Rich102]

The Warriors are a sinking ship, leaking for far to long on all fronts. The council see's them as a dying venture with no significant asset value back to Auckland. Warriors did it to themselves by being so poorly run with shit all success over the years and numbers of fans dropping going to the games.

Instead of fighting it the Warriors should embrace it and clean out the squad, clean out the management, clean out half the board, get a new home and rebuild their brand again. Go on Doyle be the man of the hour instead of collecting Watsons money for reputation.

I'm happier when I'm disagreeing with you.
How can a CEO "clean out half the board"? He has no say on the board.
I agree more wins would have guaranteed bigger crowds and previous management have made poor decisions, or no decisions. However I totally disagree the Warriors should walk away from Mt Smart.

Part of the worries they have now have been caused by Scurrah dropping his pants and bending over to please rugby by helping out with the financial mess the union left Eden Park with after the World Cup. Any move to a new stadium exposes the Warriors to the risk of losing further fans - remember they are competing against the games being shown on live TV.

I think Doyle will recognise that retaining Mt Smart is critical and will tell the Council to expect a fight. Len Brown has reached a compromise with the Ports and I can't see him having the stomach to get into a fight with all league supporters in the Auckland region - it would cost him his job.

 

[spear tackle]

Lens already lost his job, its just a matter of waiting for the next council election.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Instead of fighting it the Warriors should embrace it and clean out the squad, clean out the management, clean out half the board, get a new home and rebuild their brand again. Go on Doyle be the man of the hour instead of collecting Watsons money for reputation.

New home where exactly? I can't see anywhere else in Auckland being a viable option.
Can the Warriors compete in Wellington with the Nix and the Canes?
Mt Smart is THE home of the Warriors, it has history (albeit as Ericsson Stadium), it is our current, and it HAS to be our future.

It's easy to say clean out squad, management and board but it's not that easy. Those personnel have written contracts, for the Warriors to axe those contracts would cost a bomb. Sure they can slowly rollover into new staff, but that's probably a 3 year process at least in itself. By which stage, if things don't go well, you'll be saying the same thing. Then where do you draw the line on a cleanout? A new CEO? A whole new board?
All well and good saying such things, but they have to be viable and realistic.

I think recently we have seen change, as highlighted by the likes of Bell and Scurrah going. The club is currently transitioning whether you see it or not.

 

[JJ]

Lens already lost his job, its just a matter of waiting for the next council election.

We trust

 

[Iron Lion]

The warriors are fighting to stay where they are not truly wanted to hold on to fans from south Auckland and have a more central base. Truth is they have a massive opportunity to become a commercial success on the north shore. A winning team would pack out QBE stadium every week. A roofed stadium like they have in Dunedin is a great idea and gives the warriors a great advantage as they get used to training and playing in the same conditions constantly.

It will also force the warriors to change their marketing, draw in new sponsors and give them more of an upmarket brand. I see a sydney roosters type brand emerging except nothing changes on the recruitment front. This honestly could be the best thing to happen to the Warriors, They could easily draw in new fans from the north, die hards will travel to see them. Problem for them is most of their juniors are from the south so makes traveling more difficult, bonus is they can set up a proper academy and school these guys correctly. Change the environment and build true success.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

A massive opportunity on the North Shore, you say.

Can you name one sporting entity that has enjoyed any sort of short-term or sustained success north of the Harbour bridge? No, you can't. So how are they 'easily' going to draw in new fans and holy shit - FILL OUT QBE? Has it ever been filled out, ever? And who's guaranteeing a winning side, is it that easy? North Shore folk have shown they're not interested in attendance of any local side, let alone one struggling for on-field success.

Die hards will go from South Auckland, let's say, to the North Shore every 2nd week? BS they will - some of them don't go to Eden Park. North Harbour Stadium is an absolute white elephant of a ground, where if you sit in the main (and only) side-on stand, you look out into a sea of nothingness. The atmosphere is crap. And you think the North Shore City Council will tip in to upgrade it? You're wrong if you do. If the council doesn't see value in Mt Smart,

Let's also not ignore the fact that if you force South Auckland families, and therefore kids, to travel - and they don't - you're potentially alienating our junior base and therefore future playing group. Check out how many guys on our roster are from South Auckland. If they aren't going to watch the Warriors, they're either taking up rugby or they're possibly following an Australian team. So that's another bad move.

The Warriors have no sponsorship issues in a one-team country. Trust me when I say they're not lacking in this regard.

I would like to live in your dream world, however.

 

[Benek]

The warriors are fighting to stay where they are not truly wanted to hold on to fans from south Auckland and have a more central base. Truth is they have a massive opportunity to become a commercial success on the north shore. A winning team would pack out QBE stadium every week. A roofed stadium like they have in Dunedin is a great idea and gives the warriors a great advantage as they get used to training and playing in the same conditions constantly.

It will also force the warriors to change their marketing, draw in new sponsors and give them more of an upmarket brand. I see a sydney roosters type brand emerging except nothing changes on the recruitment front. This honestly could be the best thing to happen to the Warriors, They could easily draw in new fans from the north, die hards will travel to see them. Problem for them is most of their juniors are from the south so makes traveling more difficult, bonus is they can set up a proper academy and school these guys correctly. Change the environment and build true success.

Here's the thing:

* QBE is half the stadium Mt Smart is currently. The upgrades they are talking about for QBE will surely cost WAY more than smaller refurbishments for Mt Smart.

* I don't think anyone was suggesting they would turn it into a covered stadium. My understanding is that the roof mentioned would be over the new grandstand not the field.

* The Warriors have spent the past 20 years building up the membership base, and most of those people will not follow them all the way to Albany for games. I think they'd be lucky to keep 20% of the season ticket holders. So they'd essentially be starting over.

* Warriors have said they will refuse to move to QBE anyway, so if the council forces then out of Mt Smart they will play a handful of home games at Eden Park, and then spread the remaining home games around other NZ cities. This is even worse. Then they have no home ground at all, and no great draw to get new members as you'll probably get to see less than half the home games live if you live in Auckland.

I don't see a single good thing that will come out of this.

 

[MKEB...]

For the out of Auckland supporter, going to Albany is a hell of a lot more difficult to get to than Mt Smart.

 

[ozbash]

Waikato Stadium

 

[Blair]

Waikato Stadium

Interesting.

Regional NZ, sizable Maori population, Huntly being a coal mining, league heartland (Rusty Campbell!), probably an easier drive to and from South Auckland than Albany (?), not much else to do in Hamilton on a Sunday but to go to a Warriors game...I'm liking it!