1
00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,720
Speaker 1: Under the business of Sport. The Blues and their Super

2
00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:04,720
Speaker 1: Rugby team are moving to Go Media for a couple

3
00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:06,800
Speaker 1: of games next year. Go Media Stadiums of course the

4
00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:08,600
Speaker 1: home of the Worries in Auckland FC. Now next saught

5
00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:11,000
Speaker 1: is the CEO of Eden Park and is with us

6
00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:11,920
Speaker 1: on this Nick morning.

7
00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:14,600
Speaker 2: Good morning Mike, thanks for your time.

8
00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:15,080
Speaker 1: No Worries.

9
00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,320
Speaker 2: Is this a gut punch, Well, we're still working closely

10
00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,200
Speaker 2: with Auckland Rugby, Auckland Unlimited and the Blues to finalize

11
00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,000
Speaker 2: the twenty twenty six Super Rugby schedule. But having the

12
00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,440
Speaker 2: right event and the right venue is important and the

13
00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,680
Speaker 2: Blues negotiation probably highlights the need for a broader conversation

14
00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,800
Speaker 2: regarding the Auckland stadium network. And then you a best

15
00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,120
Speaker 2: fit along with what's best Auckland When we optimize and

16
00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,360
Speaker 2: utilize our stadium methsets, do you.

17
00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,319
Speaker 1: Lose money or do the Blues lose money every time

18
00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:44,120
Speaker 1: they go to Eden Park? Is that the problem they

19
00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:45,879
Speaker 1: go to a smaller stadium.

20
00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:48,279
Speaker 2: Now every time they come to eden Park they make

21
00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,560
Speaker 2: money before a balls kicked. The commercial terms with the Blues,

22
00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:57,240
Speaker 2: meaning that they are significantly advantaged by our programs like

23
00:00:57,280 --> 00:00:59,960
Speaker 2: our membership program, but also a number of the initiative

24
00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,960
Speaker 2: we've implemented over the last two years to assist with

25
00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:04,360
Speaker 2: their ongoing viability.

26
00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:06,600
Speaker 1: Well, do they make more money going to Go Media.

27
00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:10,480
Speaker 2: Then I'm not privy to the arrangements. Obviously, Go Media

28
00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:14,119
Speaker 2: as a council of control venue Eden Parks a charitable trust,

29
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,720
Speaker 2: and we do work closely with Auckland Unlimited. And I

30
00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,919
Speaker 2: do think as I mentioned this whole utilization of starting

31
00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,920
Speaker 2: infrastructure in Auckland, maximizing attendances, but also what's best of

32
00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:28,520
Speaker 2: the city. Given that Eden Park is the national stadium

33
00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:30,920
Speaker 2: with the curl opening will be seven minutes to town.

34
00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,240
Speaker 2: We need to get more people back to rugby and

35
00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,440
Speaker 2: we want to work with both ends Are and also

36
00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:37,000
Speaker 2: the Blues to ensure that that's the case.

37
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,319
Speaker 1: What if it goes really well and they go there's

38
00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:43,840
Speaker 1: six games the following season at Go Media, then what happens.

39
00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:45,520
Speaker 2: Well, we'll have to look for new content and that's

40
00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:47,880
Speaker 2: been a focus at ours over the last five years

41
00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,960
Speaker 2: where we've diverspired our content. We've got events like Art

42
00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,320
Speaker 2: in the Park, the Hot Wheels, Monster Trucks, International League,

43
00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,400
Speaker 2: Metallica International Cricket, the Edinburgh tattoo. But rugby is critical

44
00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,160
Speaker 2: for us, Mike. As you can imagine, next year is

45
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,840
Speaker 2: the thirty anniversary of Super Rugby, so for us we

46
00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:06,080
Speaker 2: want to be celebrating with the.

47
00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,040
Speaker 1: Boos thirty years of Super Rugby. That's another one of

48
00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:11,040
Speaker 1: those weird things where I go, how long Super Rugby

49
00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,000
Speaker 1: have been going? I reckon I'd say fifteen anyway, Nick,

50
00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,839
Speaker 1: appreciate it. Nick Saortaner, who's the CEO of Eden Park.

51
00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,240
Speaker 1: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to

52
00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,400
Speaker 1: news talks. It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow

53
00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:24,040
Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio