Avan Lee: outgoing Hurricanes CEO reveals why he's stepping down from the role

The Hurricanes have announced the resignation of CEO Avan Lee.

Lee is stepping down after 10 years in the role, which included the club's only Super Rugby title, in 2016.

He joined Piney to discuss further.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from news Talk zedb.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Action of their CEO, Avonlea. He's stepping down after ten
years in the role, which included the club's only Super
Rugby title in twenty sixteen. He's navigated the club through
a range of different landscapes, including the terrifically difficult COVID times,
but he will leave at the end of this month.
Avonlea is with us. How did you come to this decision?
And congrats on a great tenure.

Speaker 3 (00:34):
Thanks, Ponie, appreciate it well. I have been here ten years,
so you know, that's quite a long spint. I think
COVID probably extended that, to be honest, because you know,
it was such a tough time and you know, I
was pretty so I am very passionate about, you know,
this place. So yeah, it sort of got new owners,

(00:57):
a new board, and it just felt like the right time,
to be honest. I've been thinking about it for a
little while, but it just got a point where I
feel like it's I feel like it's time, and I
think change can be really good and I think that
change would be good for me, and I think would
be good for the Hurricane.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
What are you proudest of?

Speaker 3 (01:19):
Good question. I think I'm proud of that the people
really like I know that sounds a bit cliched, but
you know, the players have been amazing. You know, I've
got friends now from from that group. I think the
staff as well have been have been incredible. I think
to come through COVID with no redundancies was it was

(01:43):
really important. I'm really proud of what myself and the
board to get us through that. You know, getting getting
a woman's team off the ground was a pretty significant
moment for the club. But I think ultimately it's about
it's about people.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
How much of your job satisfaction was linked to the
way the Hurricanes were playing.

Speaker 3 (02:08):
Quite a lot. Yeah, you certainly feel like you're way
better at your job when you're winning, but no, it was. Look,
it's hard because, unlike a lot of people that are listening,
at the end of each working week, you know, you
have a weekend off and you go into the next week.
But you know, for us, you know, Friday or Saturday

(02:28):
evening are slightly different and it really can affect the
way the way you feel. But you know, someone in
my role needs to be even keeled, win or lose.
The players don't want to see management, coaches, CEO stressed
or being picky about what's not working. You've just got

(02:52):
to have confidence and the people that you do have
and the coaches and the players. Yeah, that's that was
That's only my attitude. I've tried to be, you know,
try to be a good person and a you know,
sounding ball for a lot of the players, but obviously
the staff as well. Yeah, I'm just proud made I've

(03:14):
loved it. It's been a privilege, but I am excited
about what might come next.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
Just before we get to that, how do you evaluate
the start of the organization that you've led for a
decade but are now stepping away from, and what are
the big challenges facing them in the short to medium term.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's been reasonly well publicized
about the financial challenges we've had in recent years. My
first six years, we've made profits every year, and I thought, hey,
this is easy, this gig. But you know, last few
years post COVID has been has been really challenging, and
it's been a tough time for sport. But it's not

(03:53):
exclusively sport, you know, you look at all the businesses
that have unfortunately had to stop in Wellington. People just
don't have the same disposable income as they had, So
that's the biggest challenge. I think rugby. There's a few
things for rugby to work out in terms of structure
and probably the game you know, as a rule. But yeah,

(04:16):
I think I think that's the biggest challenge at the
moment is where where does rugby fit and how does
rugby become more relevant so that people get off their
couch and go to the ground. Because the viewership of
rugby is very strong. I mean two years ago our
viewership Hurricanes went up thirty percent. Last year it was fustine.

(04:38):
I think, so we don't have a problem about engagement
social media et cetera, et cetera through the roof. But
you know, our crowds have dropped a couple of thousand
over the last three or four years, and that's quite
significant to a small organization. So I think those are
the big challenges going forward. But I'm genuinely confident that

(04:59):
the Hurricanes are going to be strong. I've seen some
improvement already in the last kind of six months. Some
of the structure we're putting in getting some really good people,
so you know, twenty the men's squad is exceptional for
next year, so lots to be positive about. But you
know that's going to be to somebody else to drive
now and.

Speaker 2 (05:19):
What is next for you?

Speaker 3 (05:21):
Then? I honestly, I've I don't have a plan. I'm
going to take December January off and then think about
what's next. I'm very open to going overseas, but you know, naturally,
when you put yourself out there like today, there's been
a couple of nice little phone calls that I think
that could be nice, you know, but it's very open,

(05:42):
no fixed agenda, some nice family time in the summer,
and then start looking kind of mid January.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
Will you remain a hurricane span always?

Speaker 3 (05:54):
Yeah, there's no, There's absolutely no doubt about that. I couldn't.
I'm pretty sure I couldn't put another color on top
of my body. But I've got so many friends and
you know, like I said before, when I first started,
I didn't know any hurricanes, but now I know lots,
and you know, I consider some of them friends. So
it's been it's been amazing for me and very special.

(06:17):
And the staff here, you know, They're great and it's
going to be strange for me, but I think it's
a good thing for me and a good thing with Hurricanes.

Speaker 2 (06:26):
Well again, congratulations on your tenure and on this decision.
I want to thank you personally for always being accessible
in im mediate sense to me and everybody else at
the station. All the best having with what lies ahead,
and thanks for taking the time for a chat tonight.

Speaker 3 (06:38):
Thanks Byie.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
Thanks Avonlea resigning today or his announcement as a resigning
CEO of the Hurricanes, so they'll be on the lookout
for a new person to helm the organization from the
end of this month when Avonlea departs.

Speaker 1 (06:56):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.