1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,387 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Fine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:13,107 Speaker 1: from News Talk sed B and so. 3 00:00:13,307 --> 00:00:16,347 Speaker 2: Auckland f C, after nearly a year of planning, will 4 00:00:16,347 --> 00:00:19,507 Speaker 2: finally play their first professional football match this afternoon five 5 00:00:19,547 --> 00:00:23,227 Speaker 2: o'clock kickoff against Brisbane Raw at Go Media Mount Smart Stadium. 6 00:00:23,307 --> 00:00:28,307 Speaker 2: Joined here now by Auckland FC CEO Nick Becker. Nick, 7 00:00:28,347 --> 00:00:30,747 Speaker 2: great to see you. The day has finally arrived. How 8 00:00:30,787 --> 00:00:31,427 Speaker 2: are you feeling? 9 00:00:31,787 --> 00:00:33,907 Speaker 3: Hey, thanks for having me. I am very pumped. 10 00:00:33,947 --> 00:00:35,867 Speaker 4: A it's looking like a sell out. It's going to 11 00:00:35,867 --> 00:00:38,067 Speaker 4: be a great day, the sun shining. There's a couple 12 00:00:38,107 --> 00:00:39,107 Speaker 4: of good omens out there. 13 00:00:39,147 --> 00:00:42,107 Speaker 2: Absolutely right, we're at the start line. Are you where 14 00:00:42,147 --> 00:00:42,667 Speaker 2: you want. 15 00:00:42,467 --> 00:00:44,387 Speaker 3: It to be? Absolutely? 16 00:00:44,427 --> 00:00:47,027 Speaker 4: It's been, like you know, it's been a pretty sort 17 00:00:47,067 --> 00:00:50,067 Speaker 4: of hectic ten months. It's fair to say things have 18 00:00:50,147 --> 00:00:52,467 Speaker 4: gone very fast. But you know we've stuck to what 19 00:00:52,507 --> 00:00:55,067 Speaker 4: we said we were going to do and to have 20 00:00:55,187 --> 00:00:57,107 Speaker 4: all can respond in this way and sell out Go 21 00:00:57,187 --> 00:00:57,907 Speaker 4: Media is amazing. 22 00:00:57,987 --> 00:00:59,747 Speaker 3: It's amazing. We're really happy. 23 00:00:59,907 --> 00:01:02,267 Speaker 2: When you look back, I want to talk about some 24 00:01:02,307 --> 00:01:04,827 Speaker 2: of the challenges you face, but there must have been 25 00:01:04,827 --> 00:01:06,987 Speaker 2: some really cool milestones a lot along the way when 26 00:01:06,987 --> 00:01:09,507 Speaker 2: you thought hey, we're actually doing this. We're a football club. 27 00:01:09,907 --> 00:01:11,947 Speaker 2: What were some of those moments that you think back 28 00:01:11,987 --> 00:01:13,507 Speaker 2: on with particular fondness. 29 00:01:13,627 --> 00:01:15,427 Speaker 4: I think I think the kind of the way that 30 00:01:15,467 --> 00:01:17,947 Speaker 4: we went about things, with the plan that we set 31 00:01:17,987 --> 00:01:19,987 Speaker 4: ourselves and the fact that we stuck to it. I 32 00:01:19,987 --> 00:01:21,947 Speaker 4: think the biggest challenge for us solely has been time. 33 00:01:22,827 --> 00:01:24,987 Speaker 4: But the big milestones that we had were I guess 34 00:01:24,987 --> 00:01:28,987 Speaker 4: you've got when we appointed Steve Steve Kurakib and obviously 35 00:01:29,027 --> 00:01:31,187 Speaker 4: Harry at Flynn's the football director and head coach. 36 00:01:31,467 --> 00:01:32,707 Speaker 3: That was a big moment for us because we. 37 00:01:32,707 --> 00:01:35,107 Speaker 4: Knew then we had two great winners who are in 38 00:01:35,147 --> 00:01:36,947 Speaker 4: there and they were going to build a great football team. 39 00:01:37,627 --> 00:01:38,867 Speaker 3: So that was super exciting. 40 00:01:39,227 --> 00:01:41,027 Speaker 4: Then you kind of start, as you know, things like 41 00:01:41,107 --> 00:01:43,107 Speaker 4: we get the stadium, we get the place to train, 42 00:01:43,267 --> 00:01:45,547 Speaker 4: It actually becomes real. It's becomes something that you can 43 00:01:45,587 --> 00:01:48,867 Speaker 4: actually touch and look at and walk around. So those 44 00:01:48,907 --> 00:01:51,347 Speaker 4: those were obviously massive things. You know, our first member 45 00:01:51,347 --> 00:01:53,347 Speaker 4: comes on board, you know, we sell our first ticket, 46 00:01:53,467 --> 00:01:55,827 Speaker 4: those things, I think, you know, we can all everyone 47 00:01:55,867 --> 00:01:57,307 Speaker 4: who's involved in the club now can say we were 48 00:01:57,307 --> 00:01:59,507 Speaker 4: there from day one, and that's the exciting part, right 49 00:02:00,147 --> 00:02:02,667 Speaker 4: all these things are first and they happen, and you know, 50 00:02:02,747 --> 00:02:05,507 Speaker 4: for me coming back to Auckland after living overseas for 51 00:02:05,547 --> 00:02:07,507 Speaker 4: twenty years and be able to start up a club 52 00:02:07,507 --> 00:02:09,787 Speaker 4: in my boyhood home so exciting. 53 00:02:09,907 --> 00:02:10,627 Speaker 3: Yeah, amazing. 54 00:02:10,947 --> 00:02:14,027 Speaker 2: So along the way, I'm sure there were challenges as well. 55 00:02:13,827 --> 00:02:16,307 Speaker 2: What were some of the things that I don't want 56 00:02:16,347 --> 00:02:18,707 Speaker 2: to say kept you awake at night but furrowed your 57 00:02:18,707 --> 00:02:20,867 Speaker 2: brow occasionally. What were some of the bigger challenges you 58 00:02:20,907 --> 00:02:23,387 Speaker 2: talked about time? How did that manifest itself? 59 00:02:23,427 --> 00:02:25,947 Speaker 4: Well, I think time on a sense that we it 60 00:02:26,347 --> 00:02:28,027 Speaker 4: took us a long time to pull the squad together. 61 00:02:28,067 --> 00:02:30,467 Speaker 3: We wanted to have it. We got some really quality 62 00:02:30,547 --> 00:02:31,667 Speaker 3: KeyWe players. 63 00:02:31,347 --> 00:02:34,467 Speaker 4: Right and that sort of you know, bringing back a 64 00:02:34,467 --> 00:02:36,467 Speaker 4: few all that's from overseas and that type of thing. 65 00:02:36,507 --> 00:02:38,427 Speaker 4: That took a bit of time for us. You know, 66 00:02:38,467 --> 00:02:40,587 Speaker 4: we had to go out and convince people that we 67 00:02:40,587 --> 00:02:42,627 Speaker 4: were the real deal, that we actually are a team 68 00:02:42,667 --> 00:02:44,347 Speaker 4: and we had ambition and we knew we had a 69 00:02:44,387 --> 00:02:47,187 Speaker 4: plan to go. But once we started convincing people that 70 00:02:47,187 --> 00:02:49,027 Speaker 4: they bought into it and they came on board. 71 00:02:49,267 --> 00:02:50,227 Speaker 3: So that's sort of. 72 00:02:50,267 --> 00:02:52,187 Speaker 4: Like you know when you're when you knew you're an 73 00:02:52,227 --> 00:02:54,987 Speaker 4: unknown like, you know, we've never we've never lost a game, piny, 74 00:02:55,427 --> 00:02:57,347 Speaker 4: but we've never won a game, and so we're all 75 00:02:57,347 --> 00:02:59,667 Speaker 4: find out today what's going to happen there. But you 76 00:02:59,747 --> 00:03:01,147 Speaker 4: sort of so you have to take people on the 77 00:03:01,187 --> 00:03:03,147 Speaker 4: journey with you and you want them. You know, we're 78 00:03:03,147 --> 00:03:06,067 Speaker 4: really lucky in the fact that we're backed by amazing 79 00:03:06,507 --> 00:03:09,307 Speaker 4: is you know, Orcan's so ready for a football team now. 80 00:03:10,027 --> 00:03:11,707 Speaker 4: But to actually get sit in front of people and 81 00:03:11,747 --> 00:03:15,147 Speaker 4: tell them, you know, in terms of players commercial partners, 82 00:03:15,427 --> 00:03:16,467 Speaker 4: you've got to convince them that. 83 00:03:16,387 --> 00:03:18,427 Speaker 3: This is the real deal and taking them on the journey. 84 00:03:18,227 --> 00:03:19,987 Speaker 2: Tell us about that commercial side of it, because it 85 00:03:20,067 --> 00:03:22,307 Speaker 2: is a tough commercial market, right You're out there battling 86 00:03:22,307 --> 00:03:25,627 Speaker 2: away with with other sporting franchises, other people who are 87 00:03:25,627 --> 00:03:30,187 Speaker 2: looking for marketing money from corporates. How did you go 88 00:03:30,267 --> 00:03:34,547 Speaker 2: about selling the vision to them and forging those commercial relationships. 89 00:03:34,587 --> 00:03:36,467 Speaker 4: I think for us, we were really clear about what 90 00:03:36,507 --> 00:03:38,187 Speaker 4: our values were as a club. You know, we wanted 91 00:03:38,187 --> 00:03:40,227 Speaker 4: to embed ourselves in the community. We wanted to create 92 00:03:40,427 --> 00:03:44,227 Speaker 4: pathways for youth, pathways. We're really ambitious. We want to win. 93 00:03:44,227 --> 00:03:45,347 Speaker 4: We don't want to make up the numbers, and we 94 00:03:45,347 --> 00:03:46,987 Speaker 4: want to be here for all of Aucklands, so that 95 00:03:47,027 --> 00:03:49,867 Speaker 4: inclusivity side of things. And when you have values like 96 00:03:49,867 --> 00:03:51,467 Speaker 4: that and you sit down in front of a partner, 97 00:03:51,747 --> 00:03:53,587 Speaker 4: they get convinced that they want to be part of 98 00:03:53,587 --> 00:03:56,947 Speaker 4: that too. And I think the big breakthrough was when 99 00:03:56,947 --> 00:03:59,547 Speaker 4: we got Fonterra so and or milk came on front 100 00:03:59,587 --> 00:04:01,227 Speaker 4: of shirt. That was a big moment for us as 101 00:04:01,227 --> 00:04:03,587 Speaker 4: a club. It's great to have such a strong Kiwi 102 00:04:03,627 --> 00:04:06,187 Speaker 4: brand on the front of our home jersey. And then 103 00:04:06,507 --> 00:04:08,667 Speaker 4: that's sort of like it just all flowed after kind 104 00:04:08,667 --> 00:04:10,267 Speaker 4: of that the floodgates opened, I guess. 105 00:04:10,667 --> 00:04:12,667 Speaker 2: So we're now going to enter a time where the 106 00:04:12,707 --> 00:04:16,147 Speaker 2: team are going to play every week. How do you 107 00:04:16,267 --> 00:04:19,667 Speaker 2: insulate yourself against results because they can't win every week? 108 00:04:19,747 --> 00:04:21,867 Speaker 2: They might, sure, but how do you make sure that 109 00:04:21,867 --> 00:04:26,107 Speaker 2: sponsors aren't I guess put off by you know, if 110 00:04:26,107 --> 00:04:28,347 Speaker 2: you have a couple of losses in a row for example. 111 00:04:28,067 --> 00:04:30,267 Speaker 4: Yeah, sure, And I mean that's the sport, right and 112 00:04:30,307 --> 00:04:32,067 Speaker 4: that's going to happen at some point. I think if 113 00:04:32,107 --> 00:04:34,867 Speaker 4: you have if you have the foundations in place and 114 00:04:34,907 --> 00:04:37,707 Speaker 4: you sort of have a steady growth, you're not having 115 00:04:37,707 --> 00:04:40,547 Speaker 4: these massive spikes and big fools I think people can 116 00:04:40,747 --> 00:04:42,347 Speaker 4: you know, they sort of get on board for that. 117 00:04:42,707 --> 00:04:44,827 Speaker 4: The other part to it is what we're creating here, 118 00:04:44,867 --> 00:04:47,307 Speaker 4: certainly for all of our home games, is that extra 119 00:04:47,347 --> 00:04:49,907 Speaker 4: match to experience. So we're putting something on for the 120 00:04:50,507 --> 00:04:53,747 Speaker 4: It's an entertainment show as well as some ninety minutes of. 121 00:04:53,747 --> 00:04:54,867 Speaker 3: Fantastic football on the pitch. 122 00:04:55,147 --> 00:04:56,747 Speaker 4: So people are going to come out here, they're going 123 00:04:56,787 --> 00:04:59,547 Speaker 4: to have fun. We've got a great family fun fan zone. 124 00:04:59,987 --> 00:05:02,227 Speaker 4: There's Lily World up here with a porter meeting beforehand 125 00:05:02,227 --> 00:05:04,107 Speaker 4: and having a good old party before they go down 126 00:05:04,147 --> 00:05:06,107 Speaker 4: and get the stats. The atmosphere will be electrics, so 127 00:05:06,107 --> 00:05:09,027 Speaker 4: people come along for that and hopefully we'll just see 128 00:05:09,027 --> 00:05:10,467 Speaker 4: the results coming off the back of that too. 129 00:05:10,627 --> 00:05:12,587 Speaker 2: You sort of crossed over there into the into the 130 00:05:12,587 --> 00:05:15,467 Speaker 2: fan engagement as well. How have you gone about forging 131 00:05:15,947 --> 00:05:18,587 Speaker 2: links in the football community, which, as I'm sure you've 132 00:05:18,627 --> 00:05:21,027 Speaker 2: worked out, as you know, it's there are some passionate 133 00:05:21,027 --> 00:05:23,827 Speaker 2: people in clubland. Definitely, Yeah, you have you gone about 134 00:05:23,867 --> 00:05:26,467 Speaker 2: forging those community connections We've. 135 00:05:26,267 --> 00:05:27,947 Speaker 4: Done from from day one we said we want to 136 00:05:27,987 --> 00:05:30,347 Speaker 4: be part of the football community here in Auckland, and 137 00:05:30,347 --> 00:05:32,227 Speaker 4: I think it's easy to say that, but actions actually 138 00:05:32,867 --> 00:05:33,907 Speaker 4: louder than words, right. 139 00:05:33,947 --> 00:05:35,587 Speaker 3: And so we've done a couple of things. 140 00:05:35,587 --> 00:05:39,587 Speaker 4: We've we've had a membership rebate program with the clubs 141 00:05:39,587 --> 00:05:43,427 Speaker 4: where every membership of sold through the clubs they got 142 00:05:43,427 --> 00:05:46,227 Speaker 4: a rebate back onto that credits and revenue. Right, So 143 00:05:46,267 --> 00:05:49,027 Speaker 4: that's actually clubs need more money. We helped now in 144 00:05:49,067 --> 00:05:51,747 Speaker 4: that sense. I think every player that we took from 145 00:05:52,227 --> 00:05:55,747 Speaker 4: a local club, we've paid the FIFA training conversation back 146 00:05:55,787 --> 00:05:58,227 Speaker 4: to them and these little just a little moments, but 147 00:05:58,387 --> 00:05:59,667 Speaker 4: it adds up to a lot. You know, we've given 148 00:05:59,667 --> 00:06:02,827 Speaker 4: one hundred and seventy k back into Auckland clubs before 149 00:06:02,867 --> 00:06:05,867 Speaker 4: we've even kicked a ball, so that's really exciting. And 150 00:06:05,907 --> 00:06:08,187 Speaker 4: then we've got out there. It's boots on ground, you know, 151 00:06:08,187 --> 00:06:10,267 Speaker 4: it's going around, it's many people are there every weekend 152 00:06:10,587 --> 00:06:12,827 Speaker 4: during the weeks. You know, we're taking players out there. 153 00:06:13,547 --> 00:06:15,267 Speaker 4: My community team have done a fantastic job. 154 00:06:15,307 --> 00:06:16,787 Speaker 3: I'm super proud of them. So it's actually, you know, 155 00:06:17,027 --> 00:06:18,547 Speaker 3: it's just the hard work. You've got to get out 156 00:06:18,587 --> 00:06:19,027 Speaker 3: there and do it. 157 00:06:19,067 --> 00:06:21,787 Speaker 2: Absolutely. Can you tell us a bit about Bill Foley 158 00:06:21,787 --> 00:06:22,907 Speaker 2: as a as a club owner. 159 00:06:23,067 --> 00:06:26,467 Speaker 4: Yeah, Bill's great, he's super engaged. You know, obviously incredibly 160 00:06:26,467 --> 00:06:29,467 Speaker 4: successful man as a businessman, but rarely successful with all 161 00:06:29,507 --> 00:06:32,107 Speaker 4: of the sports teams. And so he's he's always there 162 00:06:32,107 --> 00:06:33,507 Speaker 4: at the end of the phone when I need him. 163 00:06:33,507 --> 00:06:36,307 Speaker 4: He's obviously coming to the game today, and you know, 164 00:06:36,547 --> 00:06:39,107 Speaker 4: I'll pick up and Ringmond just asking me a random question. 165 00:06:39,347 --> 00:06:41,507 Speaker 4: He's always answers and he's always got some really good 166 00:06:41,547 --> 00:06:43,587 Speaker 4: advice fromim. I mean what he's done both with the 167 00:06:44,027 --> 00:06:46,707 Speaker 4: Golden the Golden Knights in Vegas. You know, you look 168 00:06:46,707 --> 00:06:48,747 Speaker 4: at Bournemouth now, the results that's getting, that the whole 169 00:06:48,747 --> 00:06:50,547 Speaker 4: matchdat experience that's taken place there. 170 00:06:50,987 --> 00:06:52,627 Speaker 3: He's a wealth of knowledge and I tap into it 171 00:06:52,667 --> 00:06:53,187 Speaker 3: all the time. 172 00:06:53,387 --> 00:06:57,947 Speaker 2: Fantastic And have you had things you didn't expect along 173 00:06:57,987 --> 00:06:58,307 Speaker 2: the way? 174 00:06:59,067 --> 00:06:59,747 Speaker 3: Good question? 175 00:07:01,107 --> 00:07:05,187 Speaker 4: You know, well, I was, to be honest, absolutely stoked, 176 00:07:05,227 --> 00:07:08,147 Speaker 4: but also quite surprised that we got Hiroki so soon 177 00:07:08,187 --> 00:07:12,027 Speaker 4: as the Japanese international seventy one matches for Japan played 178 00:07:12,027 --> 00:07:15,027 Speaker 4: in the Bundesliga and the French Top League, three World Cups. 179 00:07:15,387 --> 00:07:18,107 Speaker 4: The guy's an absolute quality playering and the fact that 180 00:07:18,107 --> 00:07:21,147 Speaker 4: he wanted to come, he came on early, came out here, 181 00:07:21,227 --> 00:07:23,667 Speaker 4: wants to be part of something new, wants to you know, 182 00:07:23,827 --> 00:07:26,947 Speaker 4: play play in the A League but also live in Auckland. 183 00:07:27,587 --> 00:07:28,587 Speaker 3: Yeah. I stoked about that. 184 00:07:28,867 --> 00:07:32,187 Speaker 2: Outstanding. So we're a few hours away from kickoff. How 185 00:07:32,227 --> 00:07:33,347 Speaker 2: will you spend your day. 186 00:07:34,467 --> 00:07:36,867 Speaker 4: I've got a meeting with the boss in about an hour, 187 00:07:37,027 --> 00:07:38,987 Speaker 4: so we're going to go through everything that's happening there 188 00:07:39,107 --> 00:07:40,387 Speaker 4: and then I'm just going to try and take a 189 00:07:40,467 --> 00:07:42,387 Speaker 4: couple of moments is to enjoy it, you know, like 190 00:07:42,467 --> 00:07:45,267 Speaker 4: it's been a lot of hard work and you do 191 00:07:45,387 --> 00:07:47,227 Speaker 4: this what you do it for, So I want to 192 00:07:47,267 --> 00:07:49,067 Speaker 4: take a moment just to you know, sort of soak 193 00:07:49,067 --> 00:07:49,987 Speaker 4: it up and breathe it in. 194 00:07:50,067 --> 00:07:53,147 Speaker 2: Yeah, and so you should congratulations on getting us to 195 00:07:53,227 --> 00:07:56,747 Speaker 2: the start line of Auckland FC. Such an exciting time. 196 00:07:56,787 --> 00:07:59,067 Speaker 2: I know you know there are people heading to Mount 197 00:07:59,067 --> 00:08:02,067 Speaker 2: Smart from all four corners of the region. So Nick, 198 00:08:02,427 --> 00:08:03,827 Speaker 2: great to get the chance to chat to you in 199 00:08:03,867 --> 00:08:05,347 Speaker 2: a very busy day for you. I hope you do 200 00:08:05,467 --> 00:08:06,827 Speaker 2: enjoy it. I hope you get the time to soak 201 00:08:06,867 --> 00:08:08,627 Speaker 2: it up as well. And here's hoping Auckland f C 202 00:08:08,707 --> 00:08:10,267 Speaker 2: get off to a winning start on the grass as well. 203 00:08:10,347 --> 00:08:12,347 Speaker 3: Thanks Pine, appreciate it, No, thank. 204 00:08:12,147 --> 00:08:16,107 Speaker 2: You, Nick, Nick Picker, there CEO of Auckland FC, leading 205 00:08:16,147 --> 00:08:17,107 Speaker 2: us off today. 206 00:08:17,387 --> 00:08:20,547 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. 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