Five cities are in the mix to host the 2028 NRL grand final - and Auckland is the latest to enter the race.
The 2028 decider is up for grabs amid a scheduling clash with Pope Leo XIV’s planned Sydney visit, and Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane are all vying for the hosting rights.
Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner says he'd love to see New Zealand's national stadium get this 'mouth-watering' opportunity.
"We're an intimate, hybrid, multi-purpose stadium, and the Warriors fans across the ditch - when you look at Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium, most of the crowd was actually Warriors fans, so there's no question when you look at participation numbers."
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Episode Transcript
Now there is a little bit of speculation that Auckland
might have a chance at hosting the NRL Grand Final
in a couple of years time. The problem is that
the final in twenty twenty eight are supposed to be
in Sydney, but it clashes with the Pope visiting Sydney.
Eden Park Chief executive Nick Sultan's with us a.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Nick good eating Heather.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Thanks to you, Tom here would you like it?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
We would love to see at our national stadium. We've
held most of New Zealand's biggest sporting moments and the
prospect of an NMRL Grand Final would be mouth watering.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
How do you rate your chances?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Well, as we know the States of Victoria invests significantly
in major events. But what I would say is that
Peter Land has made it very clear the international markets
is a target. They've got games being played in New Zealand,
They've got games being played in Las Vegas. So what
a statement to make at our national stadium to hold
the biggest game outside of state of origin. A league final.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Problem would be apparently it's Auckland Melbourne, but the MCG
has about double the capacity of Eden Park, doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
It does? But it's also eighteen thousand square meters and
the back row of the MCG you may as well
be at home watching on TV that far away from
the action. So we're an intimate, hybrid multi purpose stadium
and the Warriors fans across the ditch. When you look
at Magic Ground at sun Cook Stadium, most of the
crowd was actually Warriors fans. So there's no question when
(01:28):
you look at participation numbers in the country, participation in
the league, it would be a statement for all codes
to watch and observe.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Do you reckon it would take money? Would we have
to pony up a bit of cash to lure it
over here?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Definitely, there need to be an investment. But as we know,
these events deliver economic benefit. But it's the halo effect.
It's the hype associated with whether it be just a
city where people want to live, stay, playing, work, but
hospitality our hotel sector with concerts over ninety seven percent
of hotel rooms full. We want people to arrive as
(02:06):
a ticket holder and leave as a tourist and a
tent pole or blockbuster. Events of this nature are the
events that we want to target for our National Stadium.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
You got any cool stuff coming up that you haven't
yet announced, because I was talking to a friend of
mine last night, Nick, and we've got a little bit
of a gap there in October November we could fill
with ag if you've got one or two coming.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Up, well, we do have Robbie Williams and guns were
already going fantastic and there is some announcements in the pipeline.
I don't like jinxing them. We would have loved to
see Olivia Dean at Eden Park, but let's hope in
the future the next tour is at Eden Park and
we're able to deliver that economic benefit for the city
(02:47):
and the country.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
A couple in the pipeline love the sound of it.
Good on your mate, look after yourself. Nick Sultner, Eden
Park Chief Executive.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drave, listen live to
news Talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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