Eden Park has been ruled out for hosting the A-League men's finals series.
Auckland FC will stage the second leg of their semifinal series at Go Media Stadium – allowing the team to retain their home field advantage.
CEO Nick Becker joined Piney to discuss what the news means for the club.
“It’s what we were pushing for.”
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We'll stay at go Media Stadium rather than move to
Eden Park for the A League Men's Final series. Discussions
were ongoing over whether Auckland f C would shift to
a bigger venue, but the governing body, the APL, which
takes the gate, has opted to put in extra seating
at go Media. So an additional two thousand, seven hundred
(00:34):
seats are going to be added to the north end
for the home semi final, which is a fortnight tonight,
and a further eight hundred seats will be added if
the club qualifies for the Grand Final. But Eden Park
is off the table. Now all remaining Auckland f C
games at home, the home semi final and if they
make it, the Grand final will be at go Media Stadium.
(00:57):
Auckland f C CEO Nick Becker is with us. First
of all, Nick, good to Chaty. It was always how
pleased are you with this outcome?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Oh, it's a great result from us, Piney. It's what
we were pushing for. It's where we want to play,
it's our home ground. We've had a great first season
at go Media. The fans love it, the players love it,
and we really didn't want to give up that homegrown
advantage if we'd moved to Eden Park.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
So yeah, for us, it's a fantastic result.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
How did you convince the APL to forego the extra
revenue they would have got from having the Grand Final
if you were to make it at Eden Park.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
I'd like to think it was solely down to my
negotiation skills, but there's a few things that at play.
We obviously, I mean, the Aleague were really good in
terms of working with us to kind of take on
our preference and listen to our where we put our
case forward. It was also helpful that the eden Park
(01:53):
wasn't available on Saturday thirty first, so Eden Park had
I think they've got a Blues game on and so
they could only offer the Sunday the first, So I
think broadcast, you know, sort of preference and that type
of thing play the factor as well.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
But fair place.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
They came to us right at the start and said
for your semi final, you know, what is your preference
in stadium?
Speaker 4 (02:14):
We said it was definitely Govida and they agreed to
that from.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
The start, So it was really only a conversation around
the Grand Final if it takes place in Auckland.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
They could have gone for the Sunday, couldn't they. There's
nothing to stop them. The Grand Final has been on
a Sunday in the past due to the Grand availability
whatever it is. Did it ever feel during your discussions
as though they were leaning that way that they really
wanted to get to a bigger venue.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
I mean, they definitely did their judlisms on both and
I think at the end it was a bit of
a captain's call from the chairman of the APL who
sort of, you know, knows how important it was to us,
but also knows how much of a fantastic football ground
Go Media is. You know, like sort of every seat
in that stadium is right on top of the pitch.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
It really does feel like a.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Football ground where it's a little bit of a different
I mean, In Park's a great stadium and you know,
a fantastic plays and many great sporting matches have taken
place there, but it's got a different vibe to what
Go Media is.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
And how much do you think what you've created at
go Media this season with average crowds of over eighteen
thousand the scenes on television, which of course get beamed
across the task and to the powers that they see
the occasion that's created. How much do you think that
played into this whole discussion as well, what they've already
seen and what they are going to see over the
next month or so.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Oh, that was a huge part of it, and that
was very much at the core of our argument as well.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
We kind of talked to them about two things.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
One of the players and how they wanted to have
their home ground advantage. But more importantly, or just as importantly,
you know the fact that the fans have just taken
to it in our first season so quickly, with such
you know, sort of fantastic support.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
You know, we'll have by the time.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
The final series is finished to be over three hundred
thousand ORKANDFC fans have come through the gates, so an
amazing response from all of Auckland and the football community here,
but just the wider city as well.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
I've already got behind.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
It, and it was sort of like, you know, go
media has been that the place all season. It felt
like change it last minute would kind of create a
whole different, a whole different feeling to the game and
the series.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
And the apl daily they understood that.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
So you're adding an extra twenty seven hundred seats to
the north end. That's the giant slide end for your
home semi vinyl. How big are logistical exercise is that.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
They've started building them already, so they've gone and it
does mean that the only I guess the opportunity cost
is we won't have our family fans owned. But the
game on Saturday, the twenty fourth, our home semi final.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Does actually kick off a little bit later, and I.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Think the sense of occasion of hosting a semi final
makes up for the fact that we lose.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
As you say, our.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Giants slide down the hill and anything else that's been
such a success at that end.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
And then I think, so it goes in.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I think it's around about it brings the capacity to
about nearly twenty eight thousand.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
And then, as you said earlier in your.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Intro, if we go through the grand final, or when
we go through your grand final, it'll be up to
close to twenty nine thousand.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Amazing. So the semi final, will you find out tonight
who you're going to be playing home and away? Are
you expecting a sellout for your semi final, your home
semi two weeks tonight.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Absolutely, yeah, yeah, yeah. So we've gone on sale.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
There's been an exclusive window for Orkan the CE members
this week and we've sold you know sort of I
think north of six thousand tickets already. So it goes
on general sale early next week. I believe it's Tuesday,
and I would say that's going to sell out pretty quickly.
I'd be amazed if a week later there were still
tickets left. So we're expecting a full house at the
semi final. And you know, whether it's Western Sydney or Melvin,
(05:48):
Victory will be ready for either team.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Do you have a preference?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Well, we we played I mean out of if you
just go on recent results, you know we had already
I think one of our best performance of.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
The season over in Melbourne.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
We would beat them to there and that pretty much
secured us to the premiership.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
So you know, they kind of we've definitely got.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
A bit of a psychological advantage there from that game.
But you know, you know the old the old cliche
of you've got to beat every team, right, and we
we we know that we've done the preparation this season.
We know that we can beat anyone in the who's
who's remaining in the competition.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
We've beatn every team. That's the only.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Adelaide who went out last night who we hadn't notched
up a victory against this season. So you know we've
been the wanderers. We've bet in victory. We know we
can do it and it's just up to the boys now.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Indeed it as well, you'll know that regardless of who
you play, it'll be at your at your physical home,
your spiritual home of go Media Stadium. So two weeks
tonight the home part of the semi final, negotiate that
and through to the grand final on the Saturday night
of King's Birthday weekend. Nick, I think you underplayed it.
I think your negotiation skills would have played a big
(06:57):
part here. You're probably being a bit humble.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Well yeah, well, Litz, I'll go with you on that one.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Pinty Nicon all right, that great to Cheder is all always.
We'll see you soon.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Thanks.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Nick Picker, the CEO of Auckland f C. Yeah, that's
by far the best result. You know, moving it to
Eden Park would have been you know, well, first of all,
it would have taken away any real semblance of home
advantage for Auckland f C. And second of all, it's
I mean, go Media is such a much better stadium
to watch a game of rectangular field sport, isn't it?
(07:33):
Ton Park look I like Eden Park And I was
mentioned before. You know that all Black stests against that
is gonna be magnificent. But you're so far back. You're
so far back it's the right decision. Good to know
that it's going to be made. We'll find out tonight
who Auckland f C will play when the Western Sydney
Wanderers host Melbourne victory. Winner of that goes into the
semi final home and away against Auckland f C. Vicky
(07:54):
says Jason. I'd be interested to know who you think
or who would prefer Auckland f CE to play if
they make the finals. I'm thrilled we won't meet Western United,
says Vicky until we meet in the Grand final, because
they seem to have got the measure of us. What
are your thoughts are Vicky? Yep, good point. Western United
have beaten Auckland f C twice home and away of
(08:14):
the two tonight Western Sydney and Melbourne victory I think
I would If I was Auckland f C and I
had my choice, I think I would prefer to play
Melbourne victory. Wasn't that long ago middle of April that
they went to Melbourne and won two nil over there.
Now the semi final is a home and away. It's
(08:35):
a two legged proposition. So if they could go to
Melbourne and went over there, even a drawer over there,
they'd backed themselves to come home and complete the job
at home. Western Sydney just seemed to me to have
more game breakers, more dangerous players. Yes, Auckland FC have
beaten them as well over there, but I think if
I had my choice, I'd go for the I'd go
(08:56):
for Melbourne victory. Western Sydney just seem a much more
dangerous proposition at the moment. We can talk more about
this tomorrow. Once we know who Auckland f C Are playing,
we will We'll have it chat about it tomorrow to
see how they match up against. By then we will
know who they are playing.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live
to News Talk st B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We'll stay at go Media Stadium rather than move to
Eden Park for the A League Men's Final series. Discussions
were ongoing over whether Auckland f C would shift to
a bigger venue, but the governing body, the APL, which
takes the gate, has opted to put in extra seating
at go Media. So an additional two thousand, seven hundred
(00:34):
seats are going to be added to the north end
for the home semi final, which is a fortnight tonight,
and a further eight hundred seats will be added if
the club qualifies for the Grand Final. But Eden Park
is off the table. Now all remaining Auckland f C
games at home, the home semi final and if they
make it, the Grand final will be at go Media Stadium.
(00:57):
Auckland f C CEO Nick Becker is with us. First
of all, Nick, good to Chaty. It was always how
pleased are you with this outcome?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Oh, it's a great result from us, Piney. It's what
we were pushing for. It's where we want to play,
it's our home ground. We've had a great first season
at go Media. The fans love it, the players love it,
and we really didn't want to give up that homegrown
advantage if we'd moved to Eden Park.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
So yeah, for us, it's a fantastic result.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
How did you convince the APL to forego the extra
revenue they would have got from having the Grand Final
if you were to make it at Eden Park.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
I'd like to think it was solely down to my
negotiation skills, but there's a few things that at play.
We obviously, I mean, the Aleague were really good in
terms of working with us to kind of take on
our preference and listen to our where we put our
case forward. It was also helpful that the eden Park
(01:53):
wasn't available on Saturday thirty first, so Eden Park had
I think they've got a Blues game on and so
they could only offer the Sunday the first, So I
think broadcast, you know, sort of preference and that type
of thing play the factor as well.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
But fair place.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
They came to us right at the start and said
for your semi final, you know, what is your preference
in stadium?
Speaker 4 (02:14):
We said it was definitely Govida and they agreed to
that from.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
The start, So it was really only a conversation around
the Grand Final if it takes place in Auckland.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
They could have gone for the Sunday, couldn't they. There's
nothing to stop them. The Grand Final has been on
a Sunday in the past due to the Grand availability
whatever it is. Did it ever feel during your discussions
as though they were leaning that way that they really
wanted to get to a bigger venue.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
I mean, they definitely did their judlisms on both and
I think at the end it was a bit of
a captain's call from the chairman of the APL who
sort of, you know, knows how important it was to us,
but also knows how much of a fantastic football ground
Go Media is. You know, like sort of every seat
in that stadium is right on top of the pitch.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
It really does feel like a.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Football ground where it's a little bit of a different
I mean, In Park's a great stadium and you know,
a fantastic plays and many great sporting matches have taken
place there, but it's got a different vibe to what
Go Media is.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
And how much do you think what you've created at
go Media this season with average crowds of over eighteen
thousand the scenes on television, which of course get beamed
across the task and to the powers that they see
the occasion that's created. How much do you think that
played into this whole discussion as well, what they've already
seen and what they are going to see over the
next month or so.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Oh, that was a huge part of it, and that
was very much at the core of our argument as well.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
We kind of talked to them about two things.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
One of the players and how they wanted to have
their home ground advantage. But more importantly, or just as importantly,
you know the fact that the fans have just taken
to it in our first season so quickly, with such
you know, sort of fantastic support.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
You know, we'll have by the time.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
The final series is finished to be over three hundred
thousand ORKANDFC fans have come through the gates, so an
amazing response from all of Auckland and the football community here,
but just the wider city as well.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
I've already got behind.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
It, and it was sort of like, you know, go
media has been that the place all season. It felt
like change it last minute would kind of create a
whole different, a whole different feeling to the game and
the series.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
And the apl daily they understood that.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
So you're adding an extra twenty seven hundred seats to
the north end. That's the giant slide end for your
home semi vinyl. How big are logistical exercise is that.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
They've started building them already, so they've gone and it
does mean that the only I guess the opportunity cost
is we won't have our family fans owned. But the
game on Saturday, the twenty fourth, our home semi final.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Does actually kick off a little bit later, and I.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Think the sense of occasion of hosting a semi final
makes up for the fact that we lose.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
As you say, our.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Giants slide down the hill and anything else that's been
such a success at that end.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
And then I think, so it goes in.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I think it's around about it brings the capacity to
about nearly twenty eight thousand.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
And then, as you said earlier in your.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Intro, if we go through the grand final, or when
we go through your grand final, it'll be up to
close to twenty nine thousand.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Amazing. So the semi final, will you find out tonight
who you're going to be playing home and away? Are
you expecting a sellout for your semi final, your home
semi two weeks tonight.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Absolutely, yeah, yeah, yeah. So we've gone on sale.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
There's been an exclusive window for Orkan the CE members
this week and we've sold you know sort of I
think north of six thousand tickets already. So it goes
on general sale early next week. I believe it's Tuesday,
and I would say that's going to sell out pretty quickly.
I'd be amazed if a week later there were still
tickets left. So we're expecting a full house at the
semi final. And you know, whether it's Western Sydney or Melvin,
(05:48):
Victory will be ready for either team.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Do you have a preference?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Well, we we played I mean out of if you
just go on recent results, you know we had already
I think one of our best performance of.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
The season over in Melbourne.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
We would beat them to there and that pretty much
secured us to the premiership.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
So you know, they kind of we've definitely got.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
A bit of a psychological advantage there from that game.
But you know, you know the old the old cliche
of you've got to beat every team, right, and we
we we know that we've done the preparation this season.
We know that we can beat anyone in the who's
who's remaining in the competition.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
We've beatn every team. That's the only.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Adelaide who went out last night who we hadn't notched
up a victory against this season. So you know we've
been the wanderers. We've bet in victory. We know we
can do it and it's just up to the boys now.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Indeed it as well, you'll know that regardless of who
you play, it'll be at your at your physical home,
your spiritual home of go Media Stadium. So two weeks
tonight the home part of the semi final, negotiate that
and through to the grand final on the Saturday night
of King's Birthday weekend. Nick, I think you underplayed it.
I think your negotiation skills would have played a big
(06:57):
part here. You're probably being a bit humble.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Well yeah, well, Litz, I'll go with you on that one.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Pinty Nicon all right, that great to Cheder is all always.
We'll see you soon.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Thanks.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Nick Picker, the CEO of Auckland f C. Yeah, that's
by far the best result. You know, moving it to
Eden Park would have been you know, well, first of all,
it would have taken away any real semblance of home
advantage for Auckland f C. And second of all, it's
I mean, go Media is such a much better stadium
to watch a game of rectangular field sport, isn't it?
(07:33):
Ton Park look I like Eden Park And I was
mentioned before. You know that all Black stests against that
is gonna be magnificent. But you're so far back. You're
so far back it's the right decision. Good to know
that it's going to be made. We'll find out tonight
who Auckland f C will play when the Western Sydney
Wanderers host Melbourne victory. Winner of that goes into the
semi final home and away against Auckland f C. Vicky
(07:54):
says Jason. I'd be interested to know who you think
or who would prefer Auckland f CE to play if
they make the finals. I'm thrilled we won't meet Western United,
says Vicky until we meet in the Grand final, because
they seem to have got the measure of us. What
are your thoughts are Vicky? Yep, good point. Western United
have beaten Auckland f C twice home and away of
(08:14):
the two tonight Western Sydney and Melbourne victory I think
I would If I was Auckland f C and I
had my choice, I think I would prefer to play
Melbourne victory. Wasn't that long ago middle of April that
they went to Melbourne and won two nil over there.
Now the semi final is a home and away. It's
(08:35):
a two legged proposition. So if they could go to
Melbourne and went over there, even a drawer over there,
they'd backed themselves to come home and complete the job
at home. Western Sydney just seemed to me to have
more game breakers, more dangerous players. Yes, Auckland FC have
beaten them as well over there, but I think if
I had my choice, I'd go for the I'd go
(08:56):
for Melbourne victory. Western Sydney just seem a much more
dangerous proposition at the moment. We can talk more about
this tomorrow. Once we know who Auckland f C Are playing,
we will We'll have it chat about it tomorrow to
see how they match up against. By then we will
know who they are playing.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live
to News Talk st B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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