Christchurch eyes multi-year Super Round deal

Christchurch officials will consider locking in a multi-year deal for Super Rugby Pacific's Super Round after the city welcomed bumper crowds for the five matches hosted at the Crusaders' new Te Kaha stadium.

With more than 70,000 fans taking in the games across the Anzac Day weekend, the rebooted initiative generated rave reviews in local media and was declared a success by Super Rugby Pacific chief executive Jack Mesley.

Following the 2011 earthquake that severely damaged Lancaster Park, the Crusaders waited 15 years for a permanent replacement for their old home ground while building a dynasty at their temporary refuge, Rugby League Park.

The roofed Te Kaha, which seats 25,000, is not just a home for the Crusaders and a place for fans to keep dry on rainy match-days.

Its opening is a watershed for the broader city of Christchurch in the South Island, which struggled to rebuild after the 6.2-magnitude quake that killed 185 people and damaged thousands of buildings. 

The $683 million Te Kaha stadium opened on Friday night, with the Crusaders beating the New South Wales Waratahs 35-20.

The Hurricanes blew away the ACT Brumbies 45-12, while the Blues just pipped the Queensland Reds, 35-33, on Saturday. On  Sunday the Highlanders beat Moana Pasifika 27-17 and the Chiefs ended the weekend's matches with a 42-22 victory over the Fijian Drua.

ChristchurchNZ, a government-linked economic development and major events agency, said it was interested in a longer-term commitment to Super Round for the city, which has a three-year deal to host a round of the Supercars motor sport championship.

"That’s (Supercars) a three-year contract and that really helps. So we would love to be able to make this a bit of a super week that we can start to really own here in Christchurch," its chief executive Ali Adams told reporters.

“I think the best events are the ones where they are rooted in place and stay there."

The Super Round was previously hosted in Melbourne but struggled to lure decent crowds and was shelved for a year following the Melbourne Rebels' axing from the competition at the end of the 2024 season.

About 13,000 people visited Christchurch over the weekend, which organisers estimated would pump more than $6 million into the local economy.

"I think that’s probably conservative," said Adams of the economic impact.

"When we do the final wash-up, it feels like, because we had such good weather, and people were out and about spending money, I think we’ll over-deliver."

Mesley said there was interest in other cities in hosting the round but Christchurch's pitch would be the first heard.

"Obviously, these guys, the Crusaders, and the city backed it to bring it back. We will certainly be starting there.

"But, you know, we will have conversations with others as well.”