Westpac stadium management - We love you Shane...honest

I read a tweet from Shane Harmon this morning getting on the #SaveTheNix bandwagon.

To the best of my knowledge Harmon's sole contribution to Nix membership this season has been to increase member's parking charges by 50%.

Here's the Stadium's stated priorities for this year (from 2015 annual report):

The Trust has earmarked four key projects for the upcoming year:

1. Assess technology options and business models with a view towards implementing a connected stadium solution with high density wifi throughout the venue

2. Develop plans to upgrade the internal concourse prior to the British and Irish Lions tour in 2017 

3. Full replacement of the Stadium turf for the first time since 2000 

4. Collaborate with the Hurricanes and the Phoenix with a view to significantly increasing the number of members across the three organisations

My question is what are they actually going to do to implement 4 and how does a 50% increase in parking charges fit with priority 4.

In my opinion the stadium management has contributed materially to the Nix's current situation (and the Lions and Hurricanes financial challenges) by:

1) Being a cost prohibitive venue - there's something wrong with the cost structure if you have to get a 10,000 attendance to cover stadium costs. I note stadium personnel costs have increased 38% in the last 5 years.

2) Ridiculously expensive food and beverage - it's all well and good having craft beer but that does nothing for the cost of mum and/or dad taking the kids to football.

I want to know, and feel free to reply Shane:

- what are you actually going to do to give effect to priority 4?

- what are you going to do to make food and beverage more affordable, particularly for families?

- what are you going to do about the 50% increase in member parking (clue: cancel it)

- what are you going to do about the stadium cost structure?

I think the Nix have been very innovative in offering a range of membership options - I've seen or heard nothing the stadium management has done or is planning to do to support membership growth. On the contrary they seem intent on continuing with their uncompetitive cost structure and high consumer prices and wonder why the Nix and Lions are under financial stress and attendances are falling.

I'd like to say that Shane has been wonderful to the fever and allowed us access for the Tifo etc. He is hardly getting on the Save The Nix bandwagon as he has always been a supporter of them.

Also the parking, with a season ticket you can get cheaper parking if you turn up more than half an hour before kick off.

Who is Simon?

Anyway, I'd hazard a guess that the price increases are for a reason - the stadium is likely struggling for funds at the moment too.

Why has it become the case its not the done thing to be critical of either the Phoenix  or others associated with either the team or the running of it. Seems at times that we are running a little scared that there may be consequences. 

Shane has also been fundamental in responding to fan (not just Nix fans, but our voice was definitely heard) in improving the food and getting craft beer into the stadium.

He is an avid Nix fan as well. 

He has helped with FeverDreams, and has been extremely responsive to us getting access to the pitch to put the pegs in for the Yellow Fever and Ernie Merrick's Yellow Army banner at the front fo the Fever Zone. He (and his staff) are also extremely helpful and su

How do you arrive at the conclusion that the food is ridiculously expensive? $9.50 for a Chicen Schnitzel and bacon burger... $9 for a pulled pork burger, 9 dollars for BBQ Beef Baguette, and $8 - $10 for burritos, Italina meatballs and pasta, Nasi Goreng etc. in the mezzanine bar are all very reasonably proced options... not to mention th sushi and fantastic ham or chicken and sald bageuttes they have up there.

Wow. I shake my head... you just can't please some people.

the spotless catering contract is basically Locked in for eternity for the stadium. Not much that can be done about it. 

I think they've come up with quite clever ways to come up with work around alternatives to the expensive chip and hotdog options that spotless offer. As bwtcf mentions above, those options are a reasonable price and good quality. They've also done well at working around beer sponsorship in pushing for craft beer. 

I also doubt they're deliberately pricing teams out of the stadium. They have their own maintenance/upkeep/project costs too, and they need revenue from tenants to keep up with all of that as they get no funding from council. No doubt they'll be working with the Phoenix to get this resolved as some money from the nix is better than no nix at all. 

I do think more can be done between the nix, stadium and council to get more people to games. The council (and their public transport company) in particular seem to be very meh about getting people to events, and have very little communication between them - a prime example being no trains running during several events, bus drivers not knowing about free trips for season pass holders etc.

As far as I can tell, the stadium did used to have the same communication problem with the nix, but I think communication between the stadium and the nix has improved remarkably in recent years. You're right that increasing parking prices does seem to go against bringing people to the stadium, and it would be interesting to hear an explanation for it. Maybe they needed to recoup costs, maybe they're trying to encourage public transport use? Or encourage people to park there earlier to take advantage of the discount?  

Yep, and honestly, if, with those options available, you still go like a lemming to the spotless outlets and then complain about the price, well I don't have any sympathy for you.

It's great Shane has a good relationship with YF and he sounds like a good guy, back to my questions:

 - what are stadium management actually going to do to give effect to their stated priority 4?

- what are they you going to do to make food and beverage more affordable, particularly for families? If you think food and beverage is affordable for families then fair enough but I suggest you work out the cost for someone to feed and water 3 or 4 kids and compare that to the cost of their tickets.

- what are they going to do about the 50% cost increase for member parking. This isn't a lot of $s but a 50% cost increase in the cost of member parking is contrary to the stated objective of growing membership. 

- what are they going to do about the stadium cost structure (they made a $2.1m surplus last financial year - wouldn't the Nix and Hurricanes love to be in that situation)?

If you don't think the stadium's cost structure is a problem and food and beverage prices don't put people, particularly families, off going to games then we'll agree to disagree.

The real issue here is that Greater Wellington Regional Council expects the stadium to cover its own costs, rather than being seeing it as a vital community asset worthy of some ratepayer cash. Given the fact that it's a recreational space (viewing sport is recreation) used by thousands and thousands of people from the region, and generates significant economic input into the region as well, surely there's a valid case to bring costs to users down and to make up the shortfall with rates money.

That's not what was said at all. Spotless are locked in, there is nothing that can be done about that. They have however introduced affordable, quality options via food carts (quite a clever work around). 

It seems like you completely ignored the posts above and just repeated your original post? 

Just with food, I fail to see how it can be a problem. You go to watch the game, not feed the family. You are allowed to take your own food in too so if the kids can't last two hours without eating and you can't afford the food at the stadium, bring your own snacks. I think food and drink being too expensive to go watch live sport is a poor excuse!

I don't fully agree with that. Having food etc at the stadium is a part of the overall experience for a lot of people. Think American ballparks, popcorn at the cinema, souvlaki at Olympic Games. 

It's too expensive for me.

The members parking was $10 last season - we used it a lot. $15 this year - we've walked to the games so far this season and will continue to do so,

That said I think the food has always been expensive so not sure if this would really be the make or break for a casual to consider coming regularly - but I don't know the mind of a casual since I am a sad, fat anarok like everyone else on this forum. .

Sure I get that but if it was a choice between watching the game at the stadium or not because I also couldn't afford food. I'd bring my own so I can still go to the game.

Nailed it. It's unbelievable that they've put no money into the stadium. Maybe this whole nix licence saga will finally push them into doing so. They may also make a better effort with public transport on game days, if we're lucky. 

You mean like free bus travel?

#tellhimhesdreaming

So I think we are talking different demographics re food.  

For families, especially young families the food will always be on the pricey side.  For young chillen having a good choice at an affordable price may actually help keep the child from getting bored or distracted.

For people without dependents it will be much less important or more affordable.

I've always considered event food to be a luxury (maybe some hot chips when the weather is cold/wet) and fortunately my bairns were old enough to be placated by the pineapple lumps and lolly scramble confectionery I took along.

You can debate endlessly (and we have time and time again) whether kids should be able to go to a game without eating or drinking or the current f & b offering is ok but the reality is fans aren't turning up and the franchises playing at the stadium lose money just about every time they use it because the break even is a croud of 10,000. 

At the same time the stadium personnel fixed costs have increased 38% in the last 5 years and they are still making a surplus north of $2m - so all the financial pain of falling attendances is being borne by the stadium users. 

So, wouldn't it be a reasonable assumption that there is an issue with their cost structure from a users perspective and a reasonable expectation that the stadium board and management review and do something about their cost structure.

Wouldn't it also be a reasonable expectation that, in times of crises like now, the stadium management look at what it costs people to go to a game and what they can reasonably do to bring those costs down? 

Finally a stated priority to: "Collaborate with the Hurricanes and the Phoenix with a view to significantly increasing the number of members across the three organisations" sounds rather hollow when you increase member parking costs and have said nothing publicly about what you are actually going to do.

I just think at a time when we are fighting for our survival everything is up for review and scrutiny including the stadium's cost structure, the cost of going to a game and what the stadium is going to do to contribute to a growth in membership.

that surplus goes back into the stadium for maintenance and projects (which are implemented to try and get fans into the stadium by improving the stadium experience) though. It's not like anyone is taking home $2m every year. 

What would help is if the council realised that it's user pays system is actually losing teams money to the point that using the stadium isn't an attractive option, we are losing out on events to other city,  or the team will simply stop existing or move to another city (Petone rec, Auckland), and start contributing to the stadium so it can bring the cost to teams down. 

The stadium won't want to lose the nix (or any other team/event) any less than we do. 

Parking is more,same price as the season ticket divided by games. That's wrong. I do the charity parkjng for the same $15.

I don't think if the chips would cost $1 less, people would flock into the stadium. The food got better, we have craft beer, I see progress, but for whatever reason they don't offer ice cream anymore.

The problem is the oval shape, fans are to far from the pitch, already endless discussed, why they ere not putting those extra seats closer to the pitch like in the NZ Mexico game?

Only those whom pay for their family will really understand the costs.

One could argue that there's no real reason for parking to be an issue at a stadium which is right next to the major public transport routes; but then I saw that you're from Whitby where PT is not really an option. As for food, perhaps give the kids a good big feed before you go out?

... wait, you can bring your own food?!? Then what is the issue? Picnic basket.

Without speeding and heading for the exit at the final whistle, I get to Upper Hutt at the same time the train leaves for Upper Hutt - all stops. That is why I drive. Home at least one hour earlier.

Yep I find the same thing and agree it's ridiculous. It's part of the lack of communication between the council, public transport companies and the nix that I mentioned above. 

I'm certain it puts a lot of people off going to games, especially on a Sunday. It's just too much of a hassle to deal with sometimes. 

I've seen a tweet from WSW saying they have free transport as part of the match ticket, as well as free shuttles running to the stadium. That is what we need. But we have the exact opposite instead - in fact we don't even have trains running half the time. 

Our first game would have resulted in me getting home after 11pm - fudge that.

increasing the members early bird parking so much was ridiculous. I just park on the street now.

Im a Nix support in QLD, we go to watch them play in Brisbane when they are in town.  There are buses all over the city to Suncorp where you just need to show you match ticket and its free.  Be good if you could do that in Wgtn on the Buses/Trains to the stadium

Can I ask what the deal is with that? Auckland had a lot of train cancellations over the last few years but they've more or less stopped now the electrics are running. Do the Matangis break down a lot, or is there a big programme of rail maintenance?

This stuff is all so basic - Harmon, Wgtn Regional and City Councils, Transmetro, Nix, f & b suppliers, Ticketek (yeah, I know) and everyone else who is part of the match day experience need to sit in a room and ask themselves: How can we make the off pitch match day experience affordable, convenient and enjoyable.

At the moment the Nix are being really creative with membership options and aggressive with ticket prices - that's great. No one else is contributing.

Harmon's contribution so far has been to increase members' cost of parking 50% whilst keeping in place some stupid requirement you're there 30 minutes before kick-off.

Wgtn Regional and City Councils' contribution has been to let Stadium operating costs escalate - at a time tenants are struggling and losing money on just about every game the management team were given an average 8% pay rise and now earn an average $191k. 

Transmetro can't even bother to check the Nix playing schedule when deciding when to shut down the network.

F & B suppliers - anyone seen an affordable family pack offer?

Ticketek just keep creaming it on the service fees.

The time to get home from games is also as issue - what if parking at and around the stadium was free - how many more people would say; if I can get door to door after a game in 30 - 45 minutes I'm going. But no, costs go up 50% for members and Jo Public gets ripped off for $30.

How about they give themselves a challenge - the total cost of taking a family of 2 adults and 2 children to a game needs to be no more than X$s - now, how do we achieve that?

It's all very well having a go at Lowry and Gallop and god knows they deserve it but there are a lot of stakeholders in the match day experience saying what they think people want to hear (poor Nix) but, at the same time, looking no further than their own pockets. They have collectively materially contributed to the shark situation we're in.

It's a programme of rail maintenance. 

Transmetro are epic tards

ITT: person asks some valid questions, but frames them in a very aggressive post and refuses to listen when people provide answers. Oh and then just reiterates the same questions that people have answered.

So WS receive no money from the council even though they bring money into the region through events?

Patrick,

It will come as no surprise to you I was angry when I started the thread - my anger originates from what, in my opinion, was the hypocrisy of the stadium management increasing costs to members when they have a stated objective of supporting membership growth.

I haven't responded to some of the answers given as they are either factually incorrect (e.g. surpluses are not used to pay maintenance, surpluses are after maintenance costs have been accounted for) or they don't address the problem as I see it (e.g. having a greater variety of food options and craft beer that are more or less the same cost as current food options doesn't solve affordability issues for families) or I simply don't believe them (e.g. Spotless have a contract that is, in effect, in perpetuity). 

I believe there are major issues with the stadium's cost structure and there is poor collaboration between the providers of the range of services that make up the match day experience.

Whilst I think my questions are very valid my spleen however is better for the venting - just feel free to delete the thread if you are uncomfortable with the content or discussion.

The previous stadium management regime was utter sharke. Your criticism would be best aimed at then. Shane and his team have come in and are effectively trying to undo years of neglect. This doesn't happen overnight. 

If you think a $5 increase in members parking is such a big deal, then go and park on the street. It's free. It's also not that far away from the stadium. 

You may choose not to believe that the Spotless deal is entirely perpetual, and you wouldn't be wrong. However it is a (very) long term contract signed by the previous regime that is now screwing over the current regime. Prices of food there are under complete control of Spotless, so aiming that criticism at the Stadium is unfair.

The Phoenix don't have to get an attendance of >10,000 to cover the stadium costs, they have to get 10,000 to break even on the matchday. There's other costs that go into putting on an event at the stadium, and they are all included in the 10,000 figure. Thats why the Lions can get away with smaller crouds because they do everything on the cheap and the match day experience of patrons suffers as a result.

Yes, there have been issues between the Nix and the Stadium lately (the training session thing that played out in the media the notable one). Yes, the stadium could effectively throw money away and make it much cheaper for the Nix to play matches there. But all that would do is make the Stadium completely financially unstable, and the last thing we want is a big hunk of concrete sitting there that nobody can use because it went bankrupt and nobody could afford to bail it out.

In a couple of weeks we are going to have Shane on the podcast and I will put your question about what they are doing to help the Nix/Hurricanes improve their crouds to him. I'd love for you to listen to that interview with an open mind and don't go into it ready to dispute everything he says. 

clearly when I said "eternity" I was exaggerating. But it is locked in for a long long time. 

The resulting point is still the same. There is nothing that can be done about the spotless prices, what they have done is provide work arounds via food carts. You may disagree that they're reasonable, but I think they're great value. One thing a few of us did discuss on Twitter is that they could offer more kid friendly alternative options, however since spotless have hot chips etc covered it'd be quite hard to do without stepping on their toes. RR suggested kid sized fritz weiners (or that they get cut in half). Shane Harmon actually responded to that saying fritz were an external vendor, but it was a good idea and he would follow it up with them. 

Also the surplus still goes back into the stadium. So the resulting point still stands - it's not like anybody is pocketing $2m and walking away. It all goes to improving the stadium, with no funding from the council. 

I do think transport is a big issue. Apparently they're looking into options for integrated tickets, which would involve showing your match day ticket (or season pass) to the bus driver or train guard to get free transport to and from the stadium on match days. So that'll be interesting to see. It's also good they're looking into that as it technically isn't even their domain.