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Many are saying the same thing about worrying off-field All Blacks trend
By Ian Cameron
Wellington’s Sky Stadium saw fewer than 30,000 spectators attend New Zealand’s first round Rugby Championship match against Argentina on Saturday.
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The All Blacks – rugby union’s biggest brand – also failed to show up on the pitch; suffering a 38-30 defeat to Felipe Contepomi’s Los Pumas.
It was their second loss on NZ soil to the South American side in a ground where they’ve won just once in the last seven outings.
The poor turnout at the 34,500 stadium in New Zealand’s capital is a disappointing outcome given that it was the team’s first game of the Rugby Championship under the leadership of new head coach Scott Robertson.
Ticket sales were notably sluggish this week – the cheapest tickets priced at $53. This figure excludes additional costs, including a one-off servicing fee of $6.95 and a payment processing fee of 2.20 per cent, which may have deterred potential attendees.
It is part of a wider trend of the All Blacks struggling to sellout home venues outside Auckland, despite the relatively modest capacity of stadiums outside NZ Rugby’s HQ.
Indeed the All Blacks’ test against England in Dunedin experienced similarly slow initial sales but ultimately sold out the day before the game.
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The All Blacks-England test at Eden Park was sold out weeks in advance by contrast.
The subdued turnout in Wellington may reflect broader economic pressures affecting Kiwis, particularly the cost-of-living crisis that continues to impact household budgets.
“Is that a sea of empty seats at the Sky Stadium or have loads of yellow clad Hurricanes fans showed up?” joked one fan while another wrote: “What an embarrassment of a crowd. The players thought it meant they were going to walk it too and played like it. Slow clap all round.”
Others pointed out that the lower-than-expected attendance at Sky Stadium potentially signals a growing trend of economic factors increasingly influencing decisions on whether to attend live sports events.
“That’s shocking. If ever NZR and Sky Stadium needed a message that tickets are too high priced and the experience at the stadium is lacking this is it,” wrote one fan, while another posted: ‘Hugely disappointing. NZers possibly feeling the pinch right now.”
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All Black Test Matches should be all played at Eden Park. A very simple business decision. Orr that's right. I nearly forgot. he NZRFU "are not fit for purpose"
Maybe not relevant to the article but scheduling could be better to help fans look forward to a rematch. There should be one round of teams playing each other then a second round of games. All home and away. I assume this doesn't happen to save costs but that is pretty pitiful for a competition that spans 3 continents. Argentina deserves a full house given their world ranking and style of play. I'm sure Wellington would have sold out for the Boks though.
If current ticket costs are set a point to break even then forget Wellington as a venue, use Auckland or Dunedin. NZRU is already bleeding money as it is.
I just read some people's comments that the ticket cost is not worth the atmosphere. NZ rugby stadiums are trying to compensate for the lack of engagement with some amateur DJ playing music that is out of rhythm with the game and from an era before half the audience was born. it's time to start cheering, jeering, and singing instead of sitting and watching a game like you are at a tennis match.
Ticket prices are still cheaper than going to a concert so not sure what people are on about.
Hopefully the Players Association will combine with "some wealthy kiwi businessman" and break away from the NZRFU and run their own "Professional Game"
with some much needed rule changes. I remember when "Kerry Packer' rejuvenated Australian Cricket. It changed the game, or just get rid of the NZRFU and let them "manage the under 9's in South Auckland" No disrespect to the "Under 9's.
The costs of attending a rugby test is extortionate.
I was shocked to see so many empty seats at the stadium.
I think it is partly to do with Argentina. Obviously they are a very good side this year, but they are often a very bad side also. Did not turn up at the WC semi final at all, and had a poor comp generally. Not many people in NZ follow NH rugby where the Argentinians ply their trade so probably limited knowledge of their players.
Considering Eden Park sells out every ABs game, and it holds the most people, there is a strong argument to make it the national rugby stadium and play all ABs games there like England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland do with their national stadiums.
Some years the ABs will only play 5 or 6 games at home, to not sell every one of them out is very poor. If Wellington does not sell out vs Australia NZR have to question the logic of hosting ABs games there.
I'm personally ok with the cost of the ticket. It's a premier event, and hopefully a premiere Test match, but it should also reflect demand, and perhaps in these economic times, the supply/demand balance has the price point set at the wrong place. I do however object to the cost of food and drink at NZ stadiums. I refuse to pay stupid money for items that may be of questionable quality, all because I'm buying them at a stadium. My kids think I'm being a Grinch, when I won't stump up another $80 plus for a burger and chips, a couple of drinks for them and myself, but when the value of those items is so heavily dripping in someone else's profit, I simply refuse to be price gouged like that. I'm not looking for better quality, I'm looking for fairness. I have found takeaways and home, a few drinks in front of the TV to be far more appealing, and so while venues continue to attempt to legally steal my wallet, I will continue to not support them.
I fully agree !! NZR have totally lost their mind with supporting venue companies, but even the quality of commentary by “SKY” Is questionable! The commentary teams have been upstaging NZ rugby for to long as the “ Best Team in the world”, as if the NZ public knowledge of rugby is minimal! There has been a marked decline of quality and performance within All Blacks rugby selection “ Favourites in stead performers”, due to the fact that new All Black players & head coach DO not have international experience!! Since the loss of South African rugby competition! Australia, Japan and Islanders are definitely not good competitors at a time when our talented NZ players are losing out to quality competition of Europe!
Compare the AB performance to the NZ Olympians - the best ever medal collection so just maybe the tide of interest is turning towards other sports.
Robertson should have been preparing for the Breaking at the Olympics in preference to what was dished up on Saturday.
More importantly it could be a sign a lot more future All Blacks are turning to individual, or at least other Olympian, sports over this last decade. And if the trend started over a decade ago, how bad is it now? What can we expect from the next group that come through in the next 10 years if more and more and playing something other than rugby.
Fix the grass roots game (might mean no more than putting your emphasis into it).
well look at the actual ticket price about 75 dollars for a ticket to expencive no commentry at the game and then food asndtransport not much left out of 100 dollars per person cheaper to get sky for 2 months. the only bad thing i do not like about sky scoverage is former allblacks butting in all the time and i am refering to3 people from the southland area jeff mils justin
In Dunedin the cheapest price for ticket including service fees was $110 behind the posts and close to $300 for ticket prices on half way line? OOH, Day light robbery Never mind the cost of food and drinks, for internationals prices are escalated
Yeah, it is definitely cheaper buying KFC or Mc’s and beer from a supermarket, including ‘SKY’ and watching at home!
allblacks.livefeed.fm
But you cause empty stadiums! I mean you miss out on the experience! My bad.
Mils doesn't know how to butt in DC!
Bokke gonna eat AB for breakfast
They often say that but it never happens. The ABs have put 50 points on SA a couple of times.
To be fair, all SH countries suffer from port attendance because they don't have actual.rugny supporters - they have a massive collection of thickos who spew utter 💩 online and won't spend their cash to buy match tickets.
For example, there was a Currie Cup match in Cape Town yesterday - crowd could be counted in dozens of people. Every Currie Cup match lost money last season - and will do this year too.
This is why they can and should be mocked openly. They don't actually care about rugby. It just gives them something to do to ignore how shite their actual lives are it seem.
Naaitril! You're back, and under another name again! Wassamatter, gitboy, did NE not get any traction?
Enjoy the backseat.
Currie Cup matches are fourth most important level of matches in SA after tests, franchise, and Varsity Cup. I lived in Burton on Trent and attended many matches there which is about the same level as Currie Cup and if there were 300 spectators it was a lot. And talking about shite lives how long is it since you’ve been to a dentist. The headline the other day was that the average Brit hasn’t had a dental appointment for over six years. Talk about shite lives - at least our breath doesn’t stink because of rotten teeth.
This is either deliberate baiting for engagement, or just poor journalism. Argentina beat NZ in NZ in 2022.
Mate...ready the article properly!!!
The slow clap person/comment nailed it. Apathy was the biggest contributor to the low turnout and has been NZs problem for over a decade now. The populace doesn't care enough to actually try and think for themselves. It will eventually be (is?) the demise of the All Blacks as we know them.
Give Wtgn a miss for a few years. Wellington is dreadful place these days full of woke hipsters and soccer fans. Make them miss the spectacle
There is a worrying trend of lack of enthusiasm for union is the south pacific. Perhaps they should have been nicer to the Saffas. :(
Here we go again media voices. The ABs lost, so sack the coach. If you people refuse, then apologize to Fossie and Rod Penney.
Why would you apologize to Rob penny he's a terrible coach like razor has been
And Rod's brother, Rob.