August 13, 2024 • 8 mins
Former NZOC President Mike Stanley joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss the possibility for Glasgow saving the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk zed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We'll join now on news Talk at z B by
the CEO of aut Millenniums. Name is Mike Stanley, former
president of the n z OC, longtime roer and lover
of sport. Mike, Welcome to the program. Have you woken
up now after what happened in your Olympic Games? Because
I expect you to have been back to back watching
it all and meet a bit of a rest.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Absolutely. It's been a wonderful period of New Zealand sport,
tremendous games and our athletes, the way they performed on
and off the field of play was just as something
we should all be deeply proud of.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
In the one say shadow that sounds a little dark,
but in the glow of the Olympic Games. There's talk
around now through Twitter and various connected people that Glasgow
might pick up the slack for the Victorian government who
dropped the Commonwealth Games only last year, three years out
from the big event. Looks like Glasgow are coming back
(01:11):
and then maybe going to revive it. I suppose first up,
how important is this overall? The Commonwealth Games. It's survival
because it's been on life support for some time now,
hasn't it make.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yes, it has found difficulty finding cities that are prepared
to dibid and impair the costs of the Games. But
in terms of a sporting event for New Zealand athletes,
it's a really really important one and New Zealanders love
(01:42):
watching it. You know, we've got fond memories of all
the Commonalth Games that have been held here, the events
that have been held, I'm sure which are athletes have
competed in, and athletes themselves indeed rate it very, very
highly because for some of course they aren't on the
Olympic program, but just for the experience that they have
in a multi sports environment prior to going to an
(02:05):
Olympic Games is absolutely invaluable.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Well, a lot of athletes have got World Champs to
go to, so they've experienced a big crowd at a big stadium.
But there are a number of smaller sports that are
engaged with the Commonwealth Games simply don't get that chance.
So they I suppose they suffer a bit of shock
and or when they first turn up.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yes, well that's right, and that international stage, even for
those who have world championships for many sports. You know,
the Commonwealth Games are a step up in regard to
their complexity of them performing environment and amongst all the
other sports, but also the crowd interest in them and
their sports during that moment is significant. So it's a
(02:45):
wonderful opportunity for our athletes to have outside of the
Olympic Games.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
We's not only the athletes, it's the sports themselves, isn't it, Mike.
They've got a chance to actually put their sport up
in lights and promote and we know what reaction to
TV coverage does for smaller sports. People think I might
have a go at that. So from a grassroots level,
it's really important to courage participation very much.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
And you mentioned the sports that aren't on the program
when netball obviously a really really important sport to us,
and a sportlight squash, which we're incredibly accomplished, and they
get the opportunity to showcase the sports and quite a
different audience than they would normally have just following their
own sports. So you're right exactly. It does that across
(03:30):
all of the sports that compete in the Commonwealth program.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
So Mike Stanley joins US talking about the future of
the Commonwealth Game. So Glasgow are keen to pack it up.
I'd suggest that it's not exactly a poisoned chalice, but
it hasn't worked well in the past. We've seen what's
happened to Victoria from what you know and what you've
experienced to the Olympic Committee and the like. Well, actually
has to happen to make sure the Commonwealth Games continues.
(03:56):
How big a change does this have to go through?
This experience Victoria was really unfortunate.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I think, you know, it was bored about partly because
of the interruption of COVID and the you know, the
expense governments have incurred throughout the world because of that
and other probably domestic political factors other than the games themselves,
and they had quite a challenging format that they were
(04:22):
trying to deliver, so that was a little bit of
a one off. The comma with Games Federation working hard
to get a runway of events and they're talking to
multiple cities that will that interested in hosting games, you know,
three or four edition of the game that had so
that that's something that the IOC has had to do
as well, rather than just you know, sort of take
(04:44):
a one city, one Games approached. It needs to be
a much bigger runway. But you know, they when you
get in the Comic Games situation, you get five and
a half thousand athletes needing to be accommodated, similar number
of officials and broadcasters and others. It is a big gig,
There's no doubt about that. And it's about efficiently using
(05:07):
existing infrastructure and keeping the operational costs down as low
as you can. And they are the two key things
that really drive the costs out of the out of
the common Wealth Games or indeed any multi sport event.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
So this is something that everybody has to embrace, the
willingness to drag costs down make it easier. I'm presuming
there is a willingness the Commonwealth countries and sports associations
want this to continue from what you know.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Oh and doubtedly there's no doubt about that. And certainly
my time on the n ZOC we were very, very
supportive of the Common Games. That part of our funo
if you like, and we've been you know, we have
in the past looked at the opportunity to host the
Common Games and I indeed love to see them back here.
(05:57):
And I believe that's doable and a reasonable cost sense,
and I encourage our current adminis and the government to
do so.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
The cost the expense can balloon out ultimately, people responsible.
This is going to be governmental, isn't it. Do you
think it's possible to actually drag the cost down so
it can actually be run? I mean you mentioned five
thousand athletes, five thousand officials. This is not a cheap experience.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
No it's not.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
But it's about using existing infrastructure as much as you can.
It's not you know the guy on other days where
large state ea are going to be produced to these events.
It's got to be sustainable. It's got to provide meaningful
legacy for the host communities. And finally, as I say, operationally,
(06:48):
it has to make sense in terms of the day
to day cost of running the games.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Is there a future around the possibility? Because I think
it's five out of the last six Commonwealth Games have
actually been either in Australia or in Britain. Maybe doing
what they've suggested in an Olympic level, possibly have five
or six venues around Britain and it rotates just to
keep the things alive. Because you're presuming it has to
go through quite a retooling situation.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
To survive options. I'm sure the Common Games Federation are
looking at and it has tended to sort of been
in the hope Games have tended to be hosted in
just three or four countries because most of the Commonwealth. Meant,
much of the Commonwealth is small nations and many of
them island nations, and to host an event like the
(07:36):
Commonwealth Games, both logistically as well as financially, is very difficult.
So there are only a number of countries who really
in reality can host the common Wealth Games. And hope
that South Africa may have done it at some stage
that became a bit problematic and some of the larger
African nations perhaps, but that'll happen in time, and I
(07:56):
guess with the economies improving, all of those factors have
to come into play.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
And finally, Mike Stanley, how confident are you that the
Commonwealth Games will survive and carry on to a bright future.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
I'm confident they will survive. They need to adapt and
I know that's Katie Sedley of the Kiwian whose CEO
of the Comic Games Federation, is looking hard at that.
With good people around so I believe they will survive,
but they as they are doing now, they will need
to be constantly adapting.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk zed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We'll join now on news Talk at z B by
the CEO of aut Millenniums. Name is Mike Stanley, former
president of the n z OC, longtime roer and lover
of sport. Mike, Welcome to the program. Have you woken
up now after what happened in your Olympic Games? Because
I expect you to have been back to back watching
it all and meet a bit of a rest.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Absolutely. It's been a wonderful period of New Zealand sport,
tremendous games and our athletes, the way they performed on
and off the field of play was just as something
we should all be deeply proud of.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
In the one say shadow that sounds a little dark,
but in the glow of the Olympic Games. There's talk
around now through Twitter and various connected people that Glasgow
might pick up the slack for the Victorian government who
dropped the Commonwealth Games only last year, three years out
from the big event. Looks like Glasgow are coming back
(01:11):
and then maybe going to revive it. I suppose first up,
how important is this overall? The Commonwealth Games. It's survival
because it's been on life support for some time now,
hasn't it make.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yes, it has found difficulty finding cities that are prepared
to dibid and impair the costs of the Games. But
in terms of a sporting event for New Zealand athletes,
it's a really really important one and New Zealanders love
(01:42):
watching it. You know, we've got fond memories of all
the Commonalth Games that have been held here, the events
that have been held, I'm sure which are athletes have
competed in, and athletes themselves indeed rate it very, very
highly because for some of course they aren't on the
Olympic program, but just for the experience that they have
in a multi sports environment prior to going to an
(02:05):
Olympic Games is absolutely invaluable.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Well, a lot of athletes have got World Champs to
go to, so they've experienced a big crowd at a big stadium.
But there are a number of smaller sports that are
engaged with the Commonwealth Games simply don't get that chance.
So they I suppose they suffer a bit of shock
and or when they first turn up.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yes, well that's right, and that international stage, even for
those who have world championships for many sports. You know,
the Commonwealth Games are a step up in regard to
their complexity of them performing environment and amongst all the
other sports, but also the crowd interest in them and
their sports during that moment is significant. So it's a
(02:45):
wonderful opportunity for our athletes to have outside of the
Olympic Games.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
We's not only the athletes, it's the sports themselves, isn't it, Mike.
They've got a chance to actually put their sport up
in lights and promote and we know what reaction to
TV coverage does for smaller sports. People think I might
have a go at that. So from a grassroots level,
it's really important to courage participation very much.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
And you mentioned the sports that aren't on the program
when netball obviously a really really important sport to us,
and a sportlight squash, which we're incredibly accomplished, and they
get the opportunity to showcase the sports and quite a
different audience than they would normally have just following their
own sports. So you're right exactly. It does that across
(03:30):
all of the sports that compete in the Commonwealth program.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
So Mike Stanley joins US talking about the future of
the Commonwealth Game. So Glasgow are keen to pack it up.
I'd suggest that it's not exactly a poisoned chalice, but
it hasn't worked well in the past. We've seen what's
happened to Victoria from what you know and what you've
experienced to the Olympic Committee and the like. Well, actually
has to happen to make sure the Commonwealth Games continues.
(03:56):
How big a change does this have to go through?
This experience Victoria was really unfortunate.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I think, you know, it was bored about partly because
of the interruption of COVID and the you know, the
expense governments have incurred throughout the world because of that
and other probably domestic political factors other than the games themselves,
and they had quite a challenging format that they were
(04:22):
trying to deliver, so that was a little bit of
a one off. The comma with Games Federation working hard
to get a runway of events and they're talking to
multiple cities that will that interested in hosting games, you know,
three or four edition of the game that had so
that that's something that the IOC has had to do
as well, rather than just you know, sort of take
(04:44):
a one city, one Games approached. It needs to be
a much bigger runway. But you know, they when you
get in the Comic Games situation, you get five and
a half thousand athletes needing to be accommodated, similar number
of officials and broadcasters and others. It is a big gig,
There's no doubt about that. And it's about efficiently using
(05:07):
existing infrastructure and keeping the operational costs down as low
as you can. And they are the two key things
that really drive the costs out of the out of
the common Wealth Games or indeed any multi sport event.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
So this is something that everybody has to embrace, the
willingness to drag costs down make it easier. I'm presuming
there is a willingness the Commonwealth countries and sports associations
want this to continue from what you know.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Oh and doubtedly there's no doubt about that. And certainly
my time on the n ZOC we were very, very
supportive of the Common Games. That part of our funo
if you like, and we've been you know, we have
in the past looked at the opportunity to host the
Common Games and I indeed love to see them back here.
(05:57):
And I believe that's doable and a reasonable cost sense,
and I encourage our current adminis and the government to
do so.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
The cost the expense can balloon out ultimately, people responsible.
This is going to be governmental, isn't it. Do you
think it's possible to actually drag the cost down so
it can actually be run? I mean you mentioned five
thousand athletes, five thousand officials. This is not a cheap experience.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
No it's not.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
But it's about using existing infrastructure as much as you can.
It's not you know the guy on other days where
large state ea are going to be produced to these events.
It's got to be sustainable. It's got to provide meaningful
legacy for the host communities. And finally, as I say, operationally,
(06:48):
it has to make sense in terms of the day
to day cost of running the games.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Is there a future around the possibility? Because I think
it's five out of the last six Commonwealth Games have
actually been either in Australia or in Britain. Maybe doing
what they've suggested in an Olympic level, possibly have five
or six venues around Britain and it rotates just to
keep the things alive. Because you're presuming it has to
go through quite a retooling situation.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
To survive options. I'm sure the Common Games Federation are
looking at and it has tended to sort of been
in the hope Games have tended to be hosted in
just three or four countries because most of the Commonwealth. Meant,
much of the Commonwealth is small nations and many of
them island nations, and to host an event like the
(07:36):
Commonwealth Games, both logistically as well as financially, is very difficult.
So there are only a number of countries who really
in reality can host the common Wealth Games. And hope
that South Africa may have done it at some stage
that became a bit problematic and some of the larger
African nations perhaps, but that'll happen in time, and I
(07:56):
guess with the economies improving, all of those factors have
to come into play.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
And finally, Mike Stanley, how confident are you that the
Commonwealth Games will survive and carry on to a bright future.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
I'm confident they will survive. They need to adapt and
I know that's Katie Sedley of the Kiwian whose CEO
of the Comic Games Federation, is looking hard at that.
With good people around so I believe they will survive,
but they as they are doing now, they will need
to be constantly adapting.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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