Dame Therese Walsh: Sports mega-events deliver mega-benefits

The New Zealand Football Ferns in action against Argentina as they prepare for the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup later this year. Photo / Photosport

OPINION:

I spent the best part of 15 years working in sport and in particular, global sporting events. When I look back on those tournaments and others since, it is the magic moments that stay top of mind. Those moments that only a global high-stakes match can bring about. Those moments where the excitement and uncertainty are overwhelming, and the shared emotional experience is truly special.

Kiwi sports fans will remember how Eden Park erupted in 2015 when Grant Elliott lofted Dale Steyn straight back over the bowler’s head for six to secure the first-ever Black Caps spot in a Cricket World Cup final. Fans unknown to each other hugged, people danced and screamed. It was truly a magical moment and having worked on this event, I can only remember it as truly euphoric.

And I felt that same euphoria watching the Black Ferns match against England last year in front of a record-breaking crowd at the same venue. Who will forget the hand of substitute lock Joanah Ngan-Woo disrupting the English lineout to give the Black Ferns their sixth Rugby World Cup title, or Ruby Tui leading the crowd to sing Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi in celebration of the victory? More magical and proud moments.

These mega-events create moments that live on in New Zealand sporting folklore. And in a post-Covid world, the feelgood factor is a very real benefit of hosting a major event. We must continue to invest in these showpieces — and here are some other reasons why.

Mega-events sell our country to the world and especially for global sports such as football, put Aotearoa on the international stage. This is incredibly important for a little country at the bottom of the world. We rely on brand exposure and visitors to keep our economy in good health. The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup had more than a billion viewers — imagine in 2023 having all of those eyeballs on our backyard, our cities, our stunning landscapes and our unique Māori culture.

Of course, we are not a big country with super-sized stadiums. But we have something even more special. We are passionate, we are proud and we host in a unique and very intimate way. I truly believe our world-renowned manaakitanga is our point of difference in hosting global events. I have been privileged to work at and attend a number of global mega- events and I know that other countries struggle to reach the same level of community support and authentic hospitality that we do.

We are also a competitive bunch and really get behind adopting visiting teams, decking out our cities and rolling out that Kiwi welcome mat. I will never forget the “Paint It Red” campaign in Whangārei during Rugby World Cup 2011. It was an amazing experience for both our own communities and all our visitors.

We Kiwis love to feel part of something, to come together in celebration and to enjoy the pizzazz of a big event. And that’s as much about welcoming our guests as it is for our own social cohesion.

Our reputation for hosting sensational sporting events makes New Zealand a “bucket list” destination for sports fans everywhere.

The latest projections suggest FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will attract more than 30,000 international visitors and bring more than $200 million into our economy.

It will be a real boost to see plane-loads of Americans (at least 20,000 projected) follow the defending champions to our shores, with the US being such a key tourism market. We already know that not only are these fans planning to come here, but they are also truly excited to experience the manaakitanga they have heard so much about.

Looking forward, once travellers get that post-Covid “revenge travel” out of their system, we need major events as a key part of that tourism pipeline and preferably events that attract visitors during our shoulder/off-seasons.

I know it’s a challenging time for our tourism and hospitality sectors as we get back to speed post-Covid, but it’s incumbent on all of us to be as prepared as possible for the influx and ensure our guests are glowing about Aotearoa when they return home.

There’s also no doubt that hosting major events brings significant benefits to that sport — from new and upgraded facilities, to growing interest and participation, and inspiring the next generation. The establishment of the Wellington Phoenix women’s team is a tangible example of the legacy from this year’s event.

I first started working on the Rugby World Cup 2011 in 2005, and since then with a strong pipeline of mega-events in the country, I have worked with and witnessed an ever-expanding crop of talented event professionals — meaning we have a strong event ecosystem to tap into. We know how to do this stuff and we get a lot of benefit from it.

But we need to remain hungry, and keep bidding and investing in mega-events to ensure the pipeline continues. These events don’t just land on our doorstep. We have punched above our weight by being awarded these events when larger countries with bigger budgets compete against us. That is down to our hosting capabilities. But it also requires governments and cities with the foresight to identify the right events at the right time and to be bold in securing funding. And we must all put our best foot forward when they roll into town.

When the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off at Eden Park with the Football Ferns taking on Norway, let’s roll out the welcome mat to our international guests and make sure we let the world know just how great we are.

- Dame Therese Walsh, chair of ASB and Air New Zealand, is a Beyond Greatness Champion for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023