The Phoenix and Hurricanes are top of the pile but still plead for fans High fliers, low turnouts
Wellington Phoenix general manager David Dome says it’s no coincidence it and the Hurricanes are flying high in their respective competitions.
But their success hasn’t averted the need for a plea to fans to get out and support them in this weekend’s Sky Stadium doubleheader, a tasty entree as both hurtle towards their respective playoff series.
The Phoenix men – level on points at the top with Central Coast Mariners – need a draw against third-placed Melbourne Victory tonight (7pm kickoff) to ensure a top-two finish, and a win to stay in the race for the Premiers Plate and potential hosting rights for the A-League Men grand final on May 25.
Twenty-four hours later the Hurricanes chase a remarkable 7-0 start to Super Rugby Pacific when the Chiefs hit town.
The Canes have a solitary title – in 2016 – across 28 years of Super Rugby while the Nix are yet to hoist A-League silverware since their inception in 2007. Both Wellington sides atop their respective ladders is rarefied air, but it’s not an automatic rush at the turnstiles – yet.
Fan group Yellow Fever issued a call to arms to fans on social media this week, which was echoed by Dome.
“Given where we are in the season and how well the team’s been doing, we’d like something north of 10,000. We think that’s what the team deserves. But I’m not sure we’re going to get to that number,” Dome said.
The Phoenix’s best Wellington crowd
this season was 12,301 on Waitangi Day. “It’s hard work to motivate people to come to live sport. That’s not just us – that’s pretty much everyone these days.”
Then there’s the familiar question about Sky Stadium, a sprawling 34,500-capacity oval in its 25th year, which is far from ideal for regular season domestic football or rugby.
“It doesn’t make things easier but it is what it is ... we just have to implore people to turn out and support the team. The crowd does make a difference, especially our crowd which is very vocal and loud.”
A top-two finish means a home and away major semifinal series on the weekends of May 10-12 and May 17-19 (the latter hopefully in Wellington, ideally Saturday the 18th, says Dome).
If they finish top and win their major semifinal, it’s their first home decider. Whisper it quietly, but the stadium is tentatively booked for May 24-26, and saw the Wellington Food Show moved to August.
Said Dome: “We’ve sold out for semifinals before. If we’re not selling out a grand final in Wellington, you might as well pack up and go home … and I’d hope something similar for a semifinal too.”
Back to this weekend. Football and rugby always appear to have an uneasy relationship, but Dome insists they are over the moon for the Clark Laidlaw-coached Hurricanes.
He believes there’s one major reason that the two are flying: their high-performance training base at the NZCIS at Upper Hutt, where players and staff mix and share ideas daily. It’s the second season hosting both franchises.
“It’s a reflection on how both franchises are set up and how they’re performing and the investment that’s been made by various parties to help them succeed.
“The value of a high performance unit like this for the country is huge - and I hope people start to see the value of it.”