There was huge debate on this issue before the start of last season, with vast opposition to the idea of the WELLINGTON Phoenix playing A-League home games outside Wellington.
I was opposed to this idea then and I still am. Just as the A-League has expanded with the expectation and excitment of having more live games to watch, the Wellington fans, who have been loyal to the Phoenix from the start, will be deprived of a longer home season, with two games set to be played outside the capital.
The Phoenix are a Wellington-domiciled football club, not a travelling circus! If this is the way that those running the club want to increase a loyal membership base, perhaps they need to think again. When professional football was on the brink of death in NZ, it was Terry S who came to the rescue, with the strong backing of the Wellington public, a backing that was never, ever forthcoming in Auckland, the previous license holder and our biggest city by a long shot.
I truly suspect that this has little to do with building the profile of football around the country, which is what the sales pitch will probably be, and more to do with trying to attract and benefit financially from one-off bumper crowds in a couple of locations outside Wellington. I bet if the club new that Wellington was going to attract, say, 10,000 to 15,000 at every home game in Wellington, there would be no talk about moving the games away from Wellington. Instead of trying to benefit from one-off bumper crowds here and there, and pissing off loyal Wellington supporters in the process, the club will benefit more in the longer term from implementing strategies to grow a loyal club membership and following in the capital.
Fully agree.
Unless I am mistaken this team is WELLINGTON Phoenix, not New Zealand Phoenix! Taking thes games elsewhere is pointless - it's not as if fans in Auckland and Christchurch are going to realise what they've been missing and add to the numbers in Wellington every other week.
If all games are in Wellington I will get a season ticket, if they are not, I will seriously consider not getting one, it's that simple.
Alienating the already dwindling crowd here in Wellington is NOT a good strategy IMO.
I also agree that at least one pre season games needs to be arranged for Wellington, or this will just be another slap in the face to those who have followed the Phoenix for the past 2 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_B5CzbTJo - Caceres winning penalty v Perth - footage from the Fever Zone
. I went to a Kingz game there and the and the Security guys are the worst. Add to that the fact we got locked in the staduim after the post game function and I had to help an elderly lady in a skirt climb over the fence to get out I'd rather not go back there.
