Andrew Hore: Blues CEO on the team possibly moving from Eden Park to Mount Smart Stadium for home games

The Blues are weighing up their future at the hallowed turf of Eden Park, with their contract coming to an end. 

The Super Rugby franchise have asked for public feedback on moving their home games to Mount Smart Stadium for the 2026 season.  

CEO Andrew Hore told Heather du Plessis-Allan they’ve seen an increase in broadcast numbers, but they’ve seen a much smaller increase in crowds over the last three years and they want to accelerate that. 

He says that moving from Eden Park may not be the answer, but it could be, and they’ve got to investigate all avenues. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Blues. The Blues are considering ditching Eden Park and
playing their games at Mount Smart instead, the start of
canvassing the views of fans before they make a call
for next season. Andrew Hall is the Blue CEO and
with us.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Morning Andrew, good morning, How are you today?

Speaker 1 (00:13):
I'm very well? Thank you? Are you? Are you just
having a look around or are you serious about this?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
No, we're serious about having a look around. We over
the last few years, I think one of the changes
that is happening in rugby is becoming far more fan centric.
And that's a good thing, right. I heard you one
a log there this morning and I agree with a
lot of it. But to be the sport we want
to be, we've got to talk to our fans and

(00:40):
find out what is going to motivate them. We've seen
growth and broadcast numbers, which is great, and we've seen
a slight increase in crowds over the last three years,
but we want to accelerate that now. It may not be.
It may not be moving from Eden Park that is
the answer, but it could be, and we've got to
investigat a revenue.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Have you asked fans why they don't want to come
to the park, whatever the park is.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yes, yes, we have over the over the years and
we do every year. Okay, members, we have and largely
the team results, which which you would argue in the
last few years as we've made finals, I being we
sold the final out in three years I heard. You've
got to be very careful in a situation like this.
It's easy to look at specific fixtures, but the fact

(01:28):
is the crowds are that have been on the intercrease.
It was twenty six thousand there for the Chiefs sold
out final. What they're looking for is team performance first
and then followed by that match experience. We are food
and beverage, sound system, transport are all taken into account
and have all been part of the questions that we're

(01:50):
asking people to come back to us on.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
So if you're just serious about looking around, is it
wrong for me to deduce that you're doing this actually
to pressure Eden for a better deal, Like you have
no plans to move, You just want a better you
want to screw a better deal out of them.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
No, no, no, no, no, We're we're genuinely asking our fans.
I just think we've got to be careful that a
domestic sport or a club sport isn't trying to solve
what is potentially national stadium issues here and we're we're
committed to staying at Edton Park if that's what people

(02:28):
deem as important to them. So no, that's not the case.
Can I ask ask these questions?

Speaker 1 (02:34):
Andrew? I got the best idea that I had pitched
to me was actually what you guys should do is
take the franchise around the province, right, So go down
to book A COWI play a fixture there, go to Manedo,
were playerf fixture there in North Harbor because then it
becomes an event.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, and we've played I think last year you've seen
we've been to northumb and it was a it was
a fantastic success, there's no doubt about that. We often
we play our pre seasons at Takapoona. We can't play
in Pocka Coe because that's actually Chiefs Country. But don't
do that.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
Don't do that to me because I'm from Pooka Coe
and I thought that I was in Blues country. Are
you telling me now because it's switched as it.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Well yet well technically, but you I'm pleased to hear
you that's good. Yes, you're you're of a generation where we,
like myself, where where Counties was part of part of
Blues and we very much enjoyed that.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
I'm going to have to swap jersey now.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
Just no chance we'll get a blue one to you.
We know you're go under the Eaton park box regularly.
That's me.

Speaker 1 (03:35):
No, I'm Blues all the way, have to be Andrew,
thanks very much, really appreciate Andrew hall Auckland Blue CEO.
Lord who knew.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
Switched Steelers talk you you were doing yesterday? You really
should have known that. I should have known. Mind you,
there are still a lot of Northland supporters who feel
more aligned with the Chiefs because it was you know,
it used to be Wyat over Northland and the middle
was the Blues.

Speaker 1 (04:00):
Where it is you know what it is, where your
soul is, you know where your soul believes it belongs,
rather than and my soul has been with the Blues.
I'm just what I'm trying to do right now is
just digging myself at a giant hole where I didn't
realize that being on the board it means you just
get traded for more

Speaker 3 (04:15):
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