Stadium’s top suites to cost over $280,000 a year

Saturday, 3 May 2025

About 500 businesses have applied for premium seating options at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch.

Christchurch’s new stadium will have a members-only suite and a range of premium packages including one that will cost more than $280,000 a year.

Businesses are competing to secure premium seating at the One New Zealand Stadium, with about 500 expressions of interest received so far. About half of these are for the stadium’s 23 private suites.

Prices for the suites, which are targeted at businesses that host clients, reach up to $287,062 for each of two suites catering for 60 people, though one rugby executive says they may be priced too cheaply.

Prices for the suites have been set by the stadium’s operator, Venues Ōtautahi.

The most exclusive package - the 1881 club, named after the year Lancaster Park opened and the exclusive club at the old ground - is aimed at individuals. It caters for 42 people, and prices have not been disclosed.

The suites hold between 20 and 60 guests and are on level 2 of the West Stand.

Like other packages, it offers no on-site parking, though a valet service is under consideration.

The 1881 club is the only one that grants access to all stadium events. It is marketed as a private club, with the brochure describing it as “opulent”. The 74m² room includes a private terrace and is located on the halfway line on level two of the West Stand.

All other suites and seating areas provide access to 13 games, including all Crusaders and Canterbury home fixtures, and one game for the Wellington Phoenix and The Warriors, with priority access to other events.

They range in price from $2457 to $5211 per person, per year, which includes food and drinks.

The most expensive suites - numbers 2 and 22 - seat 60 and cost $287,000 annually.

The venue is scheduled to open in April 2026. It is being developed by Venues Ōtautahi in partnership with the Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby and is being promoted as New Zealand’s leading premium stadium experience.

Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare said Christchurch businesses had shown no concern about the pricing.

There's one year to go on Christchurch's Te Kaha stadium build.

“I think we’ve a perfect storm at the minute, because we’ve got a venue that’s going to be the best in the country, and we’ve got a city that’s been waiting 14 years for a replacement stadium.”

She said pricing was comparable with similar venues, but the offering was likely the most premium in New Zealand. While most interest was local, national companies with Christchurch operations had also expressed interest.

Per-event pricing for major acts like the All Blacks is still being finalised, but Harvie-Teare said a suite night could cost around $1000 per person. She noted that Eden Park charged $1500 per person for a 20-person suite at the recent Coldplay concert.

The Ōtautahi Lounge at One New Zealand stadium can hold 892 guests.

Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge said the pricing reflected the value on offer.

“If you’re hosting someone at the very top end of the scale, you want to give them a really special experience. If that’s who you are, that’s what your business is about, then you need access to a product that suits you.

“I actually think, in some respects, I think they might have - given they’ve got excess demand - they might have priced it too cheaply.”

Mansbridge said the premium options would benefit the club by expanding its hospitality capacity and improving ticket sales.

“In terms of our own hospitality inventory, it gives us a wee bit more capacity ourselves. It’s likely to lead to better ticket sales as well.”

Mansbridge said it was well priced compared to other venues in New Zealand, but more affordable than stadiums in Australia or the United States.

Bayleys Canterbury director of sales Rachel Dovey, whose firm sponsors the Crusaders, said they were evaluating options before committing to buying a suite package. She said the per-person cost was comparable to other client entertainment expenses.

Following the 1881 club, there are multiple tiers of packages grouped primarily by the level of privacy offered.

First, there are 22 other suites with private terraces, seating between 20 and 60 guests. Prices start at $96,635 a year for suite number 3, located at the end of a row and seating 20. The most expensive - suite numbers 2 and 22 - seat 60 people and cost $287,062 annually.

On average, each suite seat costs around $4800 per person per year, with a five-year commitment required. The most expensive per person is number 11 (near halfway) at $5211 per person annually.

The Field Club is a 1000m² space on the Hereford St end of the ground level. It accommodates 400 fans and includes seating areas for dining and drinking.

The menu for that suite includes oak-smoked Akaroa salmon and free-range acorn fed pork.

About half the suites have already been allocated to organisations such as the Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby.

On the right are open corporate reserves, blocks of 11 seats with a fridge (the white rectangles with food on top). This is an older image and the fridges have been shifted away from the stairs.

More affordable options are available on level one and the ground floor.

The Ōtautahi Lounge seats 892 people and features indoor and outdoor terraces. The cost is about $4300 per person annually.

Premium Reserves are located in the west corporate stand and offer open-air hospitality. Each has a group of 8 to 14 seats, a private fridge, and in-seat food and beverage service. A total of 104 Premium Reserves will be available, accommodating over 1150 guests. Seats are slightly wider than standard, and prices range from $19,656 for a group of seats at the end of the row to $34,398 near the centre.

The Field Club is a 1000m² space on the Hereford St end of the ground level. It accommodates 400 fans and includes seating areas for dining and drinking, with exclusive food and beverage service.

The Platform Club is on level one at the north-west end of the stadium and can host up to 68 guests. Guests will enjoy a private terrace, reserved seating, and an exclusive bar.

All options require a confirmation fee, ranging from $299 for a Premium Reserve to $999 per person for a suite. That means the most expensive suite will have a confirmation fee of $59,940.

Many areas are also available for corporate branding, with naming rights offered to businesses seeking a high-profile presence.

Several suites and seating areas have already been allocated to groups including the Crusaders, Canterbury Rugby, The Warriors, and the Wellington Phoenix.

A decision panel will allocate suites based on three criteria: contribution to Ōtautahi Christchurch, partnership with city-owned venues, and the length of the arrangement — the only factor with a direct commercial impact. Successful applicants will be notified on June 20.