1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:01,680 Speaker 1: Heller duper see Allen. 2 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 2: So it looks like key we kids no longer want 3 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:05,480 Speaker 2: to grow up to be All Blacks. A survey of 4 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 2: a couple of one hundred kids by charity Variety found 5 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 2: that their top goal is to be a professional footballer, 6 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 2: being an All Black or a super rugby player. Those 7 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 2: are combined categories put together slipped a fourth behind gaming 8 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 2: development and being a copper former All White. Harrying Arthur 9 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 2: is with us on this. 10 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: Hey, Harry, sure to Heather, how are you? 11 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 2: I'm very well, thank you. I was stoked with that? 12 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:26,319 Speaker 2: Were you stoked with that? 13 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 3: I was absolutely, absolutely fantastic. Yeah, it's great to see. 14 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 3: I mean I was well forty five, forty odd years ago. 15 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 3: Was that was my goal when I went to school? 16 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 3: It's to be a footballer, And it's great to see that. 17 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 3: You know, the kids are seeing that as a pathway. 18 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 3: These numerous channels obviously around with obviously the A League. 19 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 3: I guess there's a World Cup coming up. We've got 20 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 3: Women's World Cup in twenty three, We've got other women's 21 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 3: Cup next year. So yeah, football is definitely on the 22 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 3: lips of our youth at the moment, which is great 23 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 3: to see. 24 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,960 Speaker 2: So yeah, i'd had originally, like I put it down 25 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 2: to Auckland Football Club just doing so well and getting 26 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 2: so much publicity, and then somebody had text me through 27 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 2: I said, Noah, A far bigger reason is basically what 28 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,559 Speaker 2: happened with the women's FIFA World Cup. What do you think? 29 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: I think it's a combination of both, Heather. 30 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 3: I think we've seen dramatic increases in participation numbers. I 31 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 3: think we're up to about one hundred and eighty thousand 32 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,039 Speaker 3: plus registered players in New Zealand, double digit growth in 33 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 3: women's football posts the Women's World Cup, likewise with futsal, 34 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,479 Speaker 3: likewise with Mardi PACIFICA. So I think when we talk 35 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 3: about football being a true community game, we've definitely seen that. 36 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 3: And then some of those those stats that New Zealand 37 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 3: Football released a couple of weeks ago. 38 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: So the trajectory is very positive. 39 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 3: We've just got to maintain it, you know, from a 40 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 3: grassroots level right through it. As you talked about high performance, 41 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 3: we were talking about the Phoenix, we're talking about the Obviously, 42 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 3: the AFC presence in New Zealand, particularly around Auckland, over 43 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 3: the last kind of eighteen months, has been incredible, a 44 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 3: huge amount of interest in Auckland Football. 45 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: Club that had a huge, fantastic season last year. 46 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 3: I think we're second on the table at the moment 47 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 3: with pushing for another finals birth and more crowds, good 48 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 3: crowds that go media. So yeah, that's definitely paid a 49 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 3: part as well. 50 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 2: Now, Harry, somebody said to me a couple of days ago, 51 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:24,679 Speaker 2: this a year the crowds actually are not that good 52 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 2: this season. Last season it was awesome and everybody's having 53 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 2: a great time. But they've done it, been there, done that, 54 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 2: not interested this year. Is that a problem? 55 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: No, I don't think so. Hither. 56 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 3: I think this last year was an incredible year for 57 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 3: Auckland Football Club. I think if you took a poll 58 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 3: before the season started, what the expectations were. I think 59 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 3: when they finished the league, I think they averaged over 60 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 3: nineteen thousand. We're just under nineteen thousand on average for 61 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 3: the season. That was number one in the league. I 62 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 3: think that you know, you would have taken that and 63 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 3: winning the Premiers played at the same time. So they've 64 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:05,239 Speaker 3: increased the or raised the standard and the expectation of football, 65 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 3: particularly in Auckland now and we've seen that with the 66 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,399 Speaker 3: amount of crowds that they've come through the gates this year. Yes, 67 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 3: not as good as last year, but you know, I 68 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 3: think there's definitely opportunity to grow that presence around around Auckland, 69 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 3: particularly particularly. 70 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: In the community game, which is which is massive. 71 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 3: So look, I think people will come. You know that 72 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 3: we've had the derbies with the Phoenix have been major 73 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 3: draw cards for both clubs over the last eighteen months. 74 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 3: And like I said before, we've got a huge opportunity 75 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 3: with the World Cup now Egypt, Iran and Belgium and 76 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 3: our group the Women's World Cup as qualification start later 77 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 3: on in a few weeks time. We've got the OFC 78 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 3: Pro League underway as well, so there's a huge amount 79 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 3: of football for local communities to get involved with. 80 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's pretty good. I Harry, it's always good to 81 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 2: talk to you mate. Thank you very much. Really appreciated 82 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: that it's harrying out who's a former All White. For 83 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 2: more from Heather Ducleassy Allen Drive, listen live to news talks. 84 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 2: It'd be from four pm we gay or follow the 85 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 2: podcast on iHeartRadio.