We need a stadium...

Bloody ludicrous that a region with these numbers and growth doesnt host any AB or even super rugby games...

*The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union announced today that record numbers of people are playing rugby in the Bay of Plenty. For 2016 Bay of Plenty Rugby Union had a total of 10,829 players, making the Bay of Plenty the fourth biggest Provincial Union in New Zealand in terms of participation and only 200 players behind Wellington as the third biggest.
Along with the strong result in player participation, Bay of Plenty recorded a 14% growth in total volunteer coaches and a 13% increase in volunteer referees. These positive outcomes continue the trend in the Bay of Plenty over the past five years where the numbers of volunteers involved as coaches and referees have been on the increase.
Mike Rogers, Bay of Plenty Rugby Union CEO said “These numbers highlight how important rugby is in the Bay of Plenty community. The numbers are a result of the fantastic work our clubs and schools are doing in their communities by providing safe and enjoyable environments that are attracting more people to our game.”
Rogers continued “Our game is now very much a 12 month of the year sport with new forms of the game such as sevens, rippa rugby and quick rip. Our projections over the next 5 years are that our player participation is going to continue to grow. This is a really positive sign however this means we face a massive challenge in continuing to attract more volunteers, ensure our clubs and schools are well supported, work with Councils to provide enough fields, as well as grow our revenue so we can invest in our community game.”

BOP Rugby Participation Summary
7% Growth in Total players in 2016
13% increase in players in 0-12 years age group
3% increase in players in 13-20 years age group
11% increase in female players
14% Growth in Total volunteer coaches in 2016
13% Growth in Total volunteer referes in 2016
3rd highest number of female participants in New Zealand behind Canterbury and North Harbour
Highest number of total Maori players in New Zealand
Total Player participation has increased by 14% over past 5 years
Volunteer coaches grown by 31% over past 5 years
Volunteer referees grown by 18% over past 5 years*

I thought Rotorua hosted a Super Rugby game? (Although it may have been preseason and I am too lazy to check)

I guess it's good the region got WC games back in 2011 but no internationals since? Not even womens rugby?

@Hooroo Rotorua hosted the preseason game between the Chiefs and Waratahs.

As to internationals since 2011, the most recent women's internationals that have been played south of Auckland were in Rotorua (v Australia) and Tauranga (v Canada) in 2014.

I should add that the Black Ferns play more often outside New Zealand than at home, and their centre of gravity is clearly the Auckland region.

Rotorua is a joke really. May as well travel across to Hamilton.

How much did Canterbury pay for AMI stadium? I can't see why something of that size can't be constructed for Tauranga. I guess the obvious place would be the domain, but NZ has needed (for a very long time) to move away from venues which host sports requiring different sized pitches - so you wouldn't want to running track - getting people close to the action is key.

Maybe Wharepai domain? Close to town for parking / bars / restaurants etc, easy access to Tauranga, Mount, North to Kati and South to Te Puke.

Aim for hosting a super rugby competitive game, maybe a warriors (or another NRL team) game, all the home matches for the local football team (I don't follow this at all, I'm not even sure it still exists) and then could be used for other things throughout the year - Regional rugby championships etc.

I think it's a massively exciting idea.

Actually ... not sure when it will happen, but what is going tobe done with the AMI Stadium infrastructure when (if) they create the new stadium there ....

Highest Bidder?

@MajorRage said in We need a stadium...:

Rotorua is a joke really. May as well travel across to Hamilton.

How much did Canterbury pay for AMI stadium? I can't see why something of that size can't be constructed for Tauranga. I guess the obvious place would be the domain, but NZ has needed (for a very long time) to move away from venues which host sports requiring different sized pitches - so you wouldn't want to running track - getting people close to the action is key.

Maybe Wharepai domain? Close to town for parking / bars / restaurants etc, easy access to Tauranga, Mount, North to Kati and South to Te Puke.

Aim for hosting a super rugby competitive game, maybe a warriors (or another NRL team) game, all the home matches for the local football team (I don't follow this at all, I'm not even sure it still exists) and then could be used for other things throughout the year - Regional rugby championships etc.

I think it's a massively exciting idea.

Actually ... not sure when it will happen, but what is going tobe done with the AMI Stadium infrastructure when (if) they create the new stadium there ....

Highest Bidde

You logged my memory.

A stadium and a museum are going to be two of the big projects that Council will have to make some big decisions on (either way) this term. Cost and how much Council need to be involved (or believe they need to be involved) are the likely hurdles...

@MajorRage we have a decent stadium, but dont get competition games for super rugby.

Double edged sword, we get rubbish pre-season games, hardly anyone bothers going to (costs the NRU $20k to host these games too) which usually clash with something else over Anniversary or Waitangi weekend and then it seems not enough interest financially to host a competition game, and NRU have even ditched the pre-season games and gone for a Northland baabaa game v the Blues in the mid-seaosn break the past 2 seasons.

That said, we have picked up a couple of Warriors pre-season games, one of the 4N games with the Kiwis, RWC games, U21 Football WC and we have Nitro Circus up here next year and obviously the Lions too, plus the function centre part always has somethign going on as well as other events held there, so all the talk prior to its construction of it being a white elephant have (unsurprisingly) turned out to be false.

I saw those figures also Baron.

In reality BOP already have a stadium. Its called Rotorua International Stadium which is an excellent world class venue. Some would argue that the only problem is its in the wrong city. Is Tauranga now the 5th biggest city in New Zealand and still doesn't have a rugby facility like other large cities ?

Like many I would love a suitable stadium in Tauranga but it would open up a whole can of worms like it has when similar stadiums have been built in other cities. The main gripe being....who pays ? In most cases the rate payer foots the bill like they do, for instance, the Battle of Gate Pa comemorations, libraries or pentioner housing. There will always be opposition to where our rates are spent.

The other cripe is how it would be used. My preference would be for a rugby specific ground but truth be known you have to question whether it would get much use. NPC crowds are dwindling horribly over the last few years and given the Rotorua/Tauranga split there wouldn't be many games staged in Tauranga and even smaller stadiums would be emptyish. Given the politics of Super rugby these days and the Hamilton/ New Plymouth power base of the Chiefs I doubt many (if any more) games would be given to the BOP. Rotorua seems to adeqately suit touring Interantional teams where the ground fills up

I guess there is always the Warriors and Pheonix but there are plenty of grounds around the country vying for their games. Special events (like concerts and jet sprints for example) are usually successfully catered for by Baypark.

Don't get me wrong, I agree we need a stadium but we have to accept there will be huge opposition and the place probably wouldn't pay for itself. The obvious choice is at the Domain.

The real problem with those rugby participation figures you stated is how little that flows through to success for the Steamers. With that nursery of talent (particularly Maoris) you have to ask why we are languishing so low on the ladder.

Serious question Is a stadium is financially viable for Tauranga? I am not in NZ, but attendance seems pretty woeful at most televised games under internationals.

Depends on how much you spend on it and how much it costs to keep it going.

Spending 100 mill on a stadium in Tauranga would be ridiculous .. but spending a fraction on that to get a decent facility could be worth it.

@MajorRage You are missing the other side of the equation. It also depends on how much money it can bring in. Which is what I am interested in, I mean the Canterbury stadium is actually a much better fit in my opinion then the old one when you look at the attendance of most games played at it.

@MajorRage the one we have was about $15,000,000. Obviously purpose built for rugby/league/soccer, seated capacity about 14,000, but was 19,000+ in each of the RWC matches.

QBE Stadium was for a long time (don't know if this is still true) the most utilized conference facility in NZ.

The NFP I chaired spent around $50K p.a. there for maybe 7 events - 1 all day and 6 lunches/breakfasts. There are always other events on at the same time.

Which is just as well because no one goes there for the footy

I get that the speedway is a shit venue but are there other reasons for not using it? Maybe given Chiefs are unlikely to give you more than the occasional game you just have to suck it up - unpalatable though that may be.

@mooshld not sure what you are reading but your post makes no sense at all given that the other side of the equation is basically all I'm talking about.

@MajorRage said in We need a stadium...:

@mooshld not sure what you are reading but your post makes no sense at all given that the other side of the equation is basically all I'm talking about

On mobile but only saw your post about how much it would cost. Was interested to know how much it would bring in. In a city the size of Tauranga. Being that attendance appears to be on the wain at other venues.