Should Eden Park Be Three Times Bigger?

In the next six months, Eden Park is delivering its most packed, and diverse, calendar of events in history – so the question had to be asked: “should Eden Park be three times bigger?”.

Derek Zoolander has some serious concerns - check out this video, which we hope you will enjoy and we encourage you to download and share:

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Here’s some more information from Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner:

Auckland is a great city and Eden Park’s calendar of events will continue to help rebuild business confidence and the events sector which contribute to what makes the city so vibrant.

Eden Park is a strategic asset for New Zealand and a community asset for Tāmaki Makaurau. The multi-purpose national stadium is the only venue in New Zealand capable of hosting up to 50,000 people and is iconic for attracting high-profile, significant international sporting events, such as next weekend’s blockbuster triple-header which features three international sports fixtures: Black Ferns v Japan, the Bledisloe Cup fixture and the All Whites v Socceroos.

The opportunity to host two Australian international teams in one weekend is extremely rare, making this a great chance for the public to witness our top rugby and football players take on our traditional rivals from across the ditch. The Park is accustomed to holding sold-out events like the recent All Blacks v Ireland test and the SIX60 concert – but to host two sporting codes in one weekend is a special opportunity.

Back in March 2020, the inaugural ‘Codes of Auckland’ event was scheduled at Eden Park which was going to feature an NRL rugby league match, immediately followed by a Super Rugby game with the Turf team quickly transforming the field in the moments between. Unfortunately, this event like many others was cancelled, however, it meant the team have been prepared for a couple of years for a quick turf turnaround – next weekend will be the Turf team’s first opportunity to put these skills to use.

As Eden Park’s Turf Manager Blair Christiansen says, “The greatest challenges of this job usually end up becoming some of the most satisfying elements of the role. We’re constantly tasked with delivering the outcome on time and to several stakeholders’ individual requirements. Our job is done, if just for a moment when we can sit back and witness some of New Zealand’s most memorable sporting moments on the turf at Eden Park.”

We are expecting close to 100,000 fans across the two days. Between 5-10% of these fans are likely to hail from across the ditch. The impact this blockbuster weekend has on the local economy, including businesses and hospitality, is undeniable and I’m delighted that Eden Park can continue playing its part in the rejuvenation of the industry.

The Bledisloe Cup has a huge element of intrigue, with the All Blacks looking to keep their record of 47 unbeaten games at Eden Park intact. Similarly, the All Whites have a point to prove after their disappointing World Cup playoff exit. These two games will set up a massive weekend of Trans-Tasman rivalry at its best and embrace what we all know as the true ANZAC spirit. In addition, the Black Ferns will take on Japan, one last chance to warm up prior to the Rugby World Cup starting on 8 October at Eden Park.

As an Australian who has been the CEO of New Zealand’s national stadium for over five years, my loyalties could be seen as slightly conflicted – you could say that I have the best of both worlds and win either way. However, there is no doubt in my mind that the fans and the community will be the real winners, regardless of the outcome on the field. The opportunity to witness some of the best rugby and football players compete across one weekend of epic sport is something that we are genuinely excited about. After a difficult few years of experiencing lockdowns and cancelled events, we cannot wait to welcome everyone Back Together for a sporting extravaganza. Events like these provide escapism for fans and go far in restoring the public’s confidence in the events sector.

Seats are currently still available for both fixtures. Black Ferns v Japan and Bledisloe Cup tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster and All Whites v Socceroos tickets can be purchased through Ticketek.

There is a rigorous level of planning and methodology involved in turf care for the two fixtures. Approximately 20 months ago, in collaboration with the Australian provider, HG Turf, Eden Park installed a new HG Hero Eden Park Edition turf to replace the old 17-year-old surface. The new grass is a hybrid consisting of 5% synthetic fibres to ensure performance and stability.

The turf will be cut between the two fixtures and any line markings completely washed off. The Park also encourages hirers to adopt virtual logo technology to mitigate the impact on the environment and ensure a smooth transition between codes.

Love the Park? We do too! Check out the Toro Turf Cam to see what is happening on the hallowed turf right now.

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