New name announced for Christchurch stadium

Thursday, 4 July 2024

Christchurch’s new stadium will now be known as One New Zealand Stadium.

Its operator, city council-owned Venues Ōtautahi, has sold the naming rights for 10 years to One New Zealand, the telecommunications company previously called Vodafone.

Details remain a commercial secret, but the rights deal is understood to be the biggest yet in the country in dollar terms, costing One New Zealand an eight-figure sum.

The $683 million stadium is over halfway through construction and is due to open in April 2026.

Its previous name Te Kaha, short for Te Kaharoa - meaning enduring strength - was given to the building in 2022 by local rūnanga Ngāi Tūāhuriri.

Venues Ōtautahi said at the time the name Te Kaha would eventually either be replaced by or combined with that of a commercial sponsor.

Announcing the new name, chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare said Te Kaha would still refer to the land, and Te Kaharoa to the whole precinct.

The project is on time and on budget, she said.

“We are going to have the best stadium in the country.”

Harvie-Teare said she was “thrilled” at the deal with One New Zealand, which she said “couldn’t be a more perfect partner”.

The building will be fully roofed and have 30,000 seats, of which 25,000 will be permanent and 5000 temporary, and concert capacity of 36,000.

Roof trusses start going up in a few weeks, and workers begin adding cladding in three months.

Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger said he is “stoked” at the naming deal. He described the stadium as a concert venue able to host sporting events.

“It’s another step towards bringing a world-class venue to Christchurch.“

Mauger said that despite some cuts to council events funding, there would be enough money to bid for world-class events.

“We will make it happen, no worries.

“This is the start of Christchurch being the events and sporting capital of New Zealand.”

Jason Paris, One New Zealand’s chief executive, said the stadium would “bring the best music, live entertainment and sports, including the mighty Warriors, to Christchurch”.

The company is also the main sponsor of the Warriors, New Zealand’s NRL rugby league team.

Venues Ōtautahi has been negotiating with potential sponsors for some time, and is also selling corporate boxes and advertising space on billboards.

Chris Chen, associate professor of management, marketing and tourism at the University of Canterbury, said factors affecting the price of naming rights would include a stadium’s size and location, popularity of events, and competition between sponsors.

“In the case of Christchurch stadium, the price would also consider the exposure and automatic brand association opportunity with the sport teams that will be homed in the stadium, in which case it would include Crusaders.”

He said such sponsorships would normally be part of an organisation’s marketing budget, and were cheaper than traditional forms of advertising.

When Christchurch’s temporary Apollo Projects Stadium in Addington was named, the annual cost for the name was confirmed to be under $1m.

Venues with naming rights

Go Media Stadium Mt Smart, Auckland

Spark Arena, Auckland

Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland

Due Drop Events Centre, Auckland

FMG Stadium, Hamilton

Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North

Sky Stadium, Wellington

TSB Arena, Wellington

One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch

Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch

Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

ITL Stadium Southland, Invercargill