Soccer: Kingz face demand to pay on day

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Football Kingz, already facing a threat of legal action over non-payment of rent at Ericsson Stadium, could be forced to pay up front if they are to continue to play at the ground.

After a meeting between the stadium owners, the Auckland Regional Council, and Kingz director and chief executive Chris Turner yesterday, a joint media release suggested the dispute was headed for mediation.

Stadium director and ARC business director Jaine Lovell-Gadd said she had told Turner that he should pay the almost $60,000 owed in rent.

He should then take to arbitration the matter of the double-header, when the Kingz and the Warriors played at Ericsson on the same day. Turner says this is one of the contentious issues.

The rent money is owed from the start of last season (in September).

The ARC filed papers with the courts on August 12 seeking payment of the unpaid rent.

"We have met and come up with a payment schedule," Lovell-Gadd said.

"We sat around and narrowed the options.

"It is a smokescreen to say the money hasn't been paid because of the double-header and the scheduled redevelopment at the stadium.

"When we signed the contract two years ago [for three years] the development plans were there. This is the first time it has been raised as an issue."

Asked why the ARC is keen for the Kingz to stay at Ericsson Stadium in light of the present situation, Lovell-Gadd said that in an agreement such as the current one it was a case of "share the gain, share the pain."

Although she was reluctant to go into the details of how the rent is calculated, Lovell-Gadd said that in future the ARC might collect the gatemoney, take out its share and hand the rest over to the Kingz.

"We have tried to work in the spirit of the partnership like we did with the Warriors," Lovell-Gadd said.

"As far as we are concerned, the double-header with the Warriors and the Kingz was an opportunity which went begging.

"The Warriors were really keen to work with the Kingz to make it work."

Commenting on Turner's concern about the loss of seating while the redevelopment of the eastern stand takes place, Lovell-Gadd said the biggest crowd the Kingz had attracted was 8000.

"That number can be accommodated in the west stand. We also have seating at the northern and southern ends of the ground."

The Kingz face a race against time to be ready for the start of the new season.

The draw is expected to be confirmed in the next couple of days.

It is understood, if Sky Television advertising is correct, that the Kingz will play their opening game against Newcastle United on September 21 with an early kick-off (probably 12.30pm).

Turner leaves for England tonight to meet the club's new 10 per cent shareholder Brian Katzen, with whom he will watch Swansea City play on Friday night.

Katzen is the majority shareholder at Swansea.

He will then return to London to watch Chelsea play Leicester City on Sunday.

Kingz coach Ken Dugdale is already in England casting his eye over prospective Kingz players.

"We hope to know which players will be coming to join us by the time we return late next week," Turner said yesterday.

He also hoped to have other issues sorted out in the next few days, including the release date for season tickets.

"We hope to have season tickets available as soon as possible. But that is dependent on having the draw and the home venue sorted out. We plan to play between eight and 10 of our 12 home games in Auckland and take between two and four away."

Of suggestions the club will have to find a new main sponsor, Turner said talks with present benefactor Vodafone were continuing.

"We are talking to them now and confident they will continue."