Football in NZ: The rise of the Wellington Phoenix
Professional football did not exist six months ago in Wellington. But with the arrival of the Wellington Phoenix Football Club, all that has changed.
The mastermind behind the club is local millionaire property developer Terry Serepisos who is passionate about Wellington, and passionate about football. He combined the two passions when he decided to invest over $1 million to own the new Hyundai A-League football franchise.
''I went on a gut instinct (to become franchise owner). It was done from the heart'', says Serepisos.
Wellington welcomed the football team with open arms. ''The highlights to date has been how much the city has embraced it,'' Serepisos says. ''I gave football a lifeline and have given Wellington an opportunity to have a fantastic show.''
Serepisos saved New Zealand Soccer’s predicament of possibly losing a New Zealand A-League franchise. His financial clout and proven business nous prompted Football Federation Australia to grant NZS a three-year license for its a-league in mid-March 2007.
Serepisos appointed coach Ricki Herbert, and set about putting together a team of top quality football players. The team consists of players from New Zealand’s national football team the All Whites, plus special recruits from Australia and Brazil. The Wellington Phoenix Football Club home ground is the superb central city venue Westpac Stadium.
The Club played its first Hyundai A-League match at the Westpac Stadium on August 26 this year. It was a huge day for New Zealand football, with the debut match attracting a large and curious crowd.
Crowd numbers have stayed steady throughout the season, due in part to the Wellington Phoenix Football Club’s vivacious fan club, Yellow Fever. With chants at the ready, fully decked out in the team colours of yellow and black, the Wellington Phoenix could not have asked for a more vocal, supportive fan club.
The establishment of the Wellington Phoenix Football Club has given football a dedicated space in New Zealand’s capital city. The first season in the Hyundai A-League has its challenges for the team, as it fights tough competition from Australian teams. But the football club is steadily gaining recognition, and their fan base just keeps growing.
Background on Wellington
Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city, is known for its arts, culture, events, food and nightlife.
Located at the bottom of New Zealand’s North Island, the city sits on the edge of a harbour, surrounded by hills. It’s compact in nature, and easy to walk around - the downtown area is just 2 kilometres in diameter.
If you are interested in learning about New Zealand’s history and culture, then Wellington is a great place to start. As the capital, it offers a range of experiences that give an insight into the identity of the country.
The city is home to Te Papa Tongarewa, the national museum, which is a world-leader in interactive museum experiences. Te Papa provides a unique insight into the story of New Zealand. The country’s historic Parliament Buildings reside in Wellington, and also form a starting point for exploring the country’s nationhood.
The crème of Wellington’s arts calendar are the renowned New Zealand International Arts Festival, the Montana World of WearableArt™ Awards Show and the Fringe Festival. The city is also home to many of the country’s significant arts organisations, including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the New Zealand String Quartet, the NBR New Zealand Opera, Chamber Music New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Wellington Sinfonia.
With just over 300 cafés, bars and restaurants, Wellington rivals some of the world’s top culinary destinations for flavour and variety. Coffee is also big business, with many cafes roasting their own coffee beans onsite.
Wellington is also home to a few internationally recognisable names, including Academy award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, recent Booker shortlister Lloyd Jones and folk comedy Flight of the Conchords.
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