Bring the Phoenix back to Nelson!

Nelsonians are really missing out on brilliant entertainment, and the excitement that the beautiful game brings. England has the Premier League. Germany, the Bundesliga. Spain has the La Liga and France has the Ligue 1, these professional football leagues have amazing atmospheres, great games, lots of fans and sold out stadiums. New Zealand, however, has the NZCF (New Zealand Football Championship) a semi-pro league with a very small fan base and never selling out the stadiums.

When the Wellington Phoenix came to Nelson, not only did they win (2-1), the stadium almost sold out, held back only by the weather.

Anyone can say that rugby and the All Blacks are the most important and iconic things in New Zealand Sport, and I would agree. Football is not the most important, Iconic or appreciated sport in New Zealand, but in recent years the All Whites have improved greatly, getting into the FIFA WORLD CUP once, the Confederations cup twice and the intercontinental playoffs twice in 5 years. By bringing the Wellington Phoenix down to Nelson, not only will it raise the level of appreciation that football gets in Nelson, but it may start to attract more players and fill the pool of talent that clubs and international teams have to choose from. Sport gets a lot of attention in Nelson, With the Tasman Makos and Tasman United FC. Adding the Wellington Phoenix to the equation means that Nelson gets a new team to support and the Wellington Phoenix fills the ranks in its fan base.

So far, as it stands, Nelson has the highest number of spectators watching Tasman United games, than any other club in the NZFC.

This NZFC record table also tells you that Trafalgar park has a maximum capacity of 20,000 which is the biggest stadium used in the NZFC, the 4th biggest stadium that the Phoenix has ever played in, in New Zealand, only behind Forsyth Barr, Westpac stadium, AMI stadium and MT Smart stadium, it is also 11th biggest stadium in New Zealand, and the 8th biggest used in the Miter 10 cup. So there is a huge advantage in it for the Wellington Phoenix during home games, especially with a big crowd of people right there supporting them.

In conclusion, the Wellington Phoenix should start playing some home games in Nelson, even if it was only two games per season. There would be a big advantage in it for the Phoenix as they could increase the number of supporters that they have, and in the process, hopefully increasing the number of people playing football, and increasing the amount of talent that the Wellington Phoenix and other teams have to sign.

It would also mean that the Phoenix would get to play in a stadium that is almost always full and Trafalgar park would have a couple more events filling its schedule.