Bill's next football investment - New Zealand

I didn't realise that this was a new team he's setting up.
The A league has been expanded to allow for a team in Auckland and Bill has acquired the license. So very similar to what he did with the Vegas Black Knights, starting a new "franchise" from scratch.
Apparently Auckland used to have a team but they went belly up :eek:
Interesting.
He clearly likes to keep busy ( understatement of the century !!! ).
 
thegazzyb said:
I didn't realise that this was a new team he's setting up.
The A league has been expanded to allow for a team in Auckland and Bill has acquired the license. So very similar to what he did with the Vegas Black Knights, starting a new "franchise" from scratch.
Interesting.
He clearly likes to keep busy ( understatement of the century !!! ).
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I’m off to Auckland in February so I’ll see how much coverage etc there is to this .
 
OLDSKOOL said:
I’m off to Auckland in February so I’ll see how much coverage etc there is to this .
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Maybe visit their ground ? Presumably they have one from their previous iteration ? Or maybe they got desperate and sold it for housing ?

But it should be big news in the local rag. You should be able to find out a fair bit more about their plans by reading the sport section of the local paper, I would imagine.

Report back upon your return Agent Oldskool ! :thumbup:
 
Is this on sale at Dean Court yet or served in hospitality?


Semi translucent dark purple red colour with a tinge of black around the edges and a bright purple red hue. The bouquet offers up aromas of ripe dark cherries and dark plums followed by some incense like characters, subtle earth and spicy cedar. Light to medium weight the palate has fleshy fruit flavours of dark cherry and plum followed by some incense infusions, earth and spicy cedar. Dry-ish finish with fine grained tannins. Good depth with a medium to long aftertaste of ripe dark cherry, incense, earth and spicy cedar.

Te Kairanga Pinot Noir | Simply Wines Direct

Te Kairanga Pinot Noir. Te Kairanga Estate Pinot Noir delivers outstanding varietal character. The bouquet has cherry fruit with some earthy forest floor aromas and the palate offers lovely mouthfeel delicate strawberry flavours and fresh acidity.
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billythekid said:
Is this on sale at Dean Court yet or served in hospitality?


Semi translucent dark purple red colour with a tinge of black around the edges and a bright purple red hue. The bouquet offers up aromas of ripe dark cherries and dark plums followed by some incense like characters, subtle earth and spicy cedar. Light to medium weight the palate has fleshy fruit flavours of dark cherry and plum followed by some incense infusions, earth and spicy cedar. Dry-ish finish with fine grained tannins. Good depth with a medium to long aftertaste of ripe dark cherry, incense, earth and spicy cedar.

Te Kairanga Pinot Noir | Simply Wines Direct

Te Kairanga Pinot Noir. Te Kairanga Estate Pinot Noir delivers outstanding varietal character. The bouquet has cherry fruit with some earthy forest floor aromas and the palate offers lovely mouthfeel delicate strawberry flavours and fresh acidity.
www.simplywinesdirect.uk www.simplywinesdirect.uk
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I'd certainly like to give it a try ! Sounds good !
 
RobTrent said:
Of course it was.
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RobTrent said:
And there are people on Twitter moaning that Bill is diluting his support for AFCB. Like he owes us all his attention:
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Yep. He's a businessman. Probably needs a mentality shift from many of us fans, but I imagine he's looking at it from a more distant strategic level.

Overall its in his interests to see us do well though I'd have thought. He's going to have trusted associates, exec level people 'closer to the action' at all clubs in his stable.

I hardly think clubs in countries like NZ, or anywhere tbh, are going to diminish his focus, over-arching goals he's set out with.
 
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thegazzyb said:
Maybe visit their ground ? Presumably they have one from their previous iteration ? Or maybe they got desperate and sold it for housing ?

But it should be big news in the local rag. You should be able to find out a fair bit more about their plans by reading the sport section of the local paper, I would imagine.

Report back upon your return Agent Oldskool ! :thumbup:
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They will be playing at Mount Smart in Penrose, which is in the industrial estate south Auckland. Ground is in need of an overhaul, currently used for NZ Warriors in the NRL, occasional international and concerts - we were unfortunate enough to go to Elton John and was called off 15 before due to weather.
Not huge news but has had some coverage of Bill on the sports news of his plans. Personally I'm not sure that there is the appetite for a second NZ team. Wellington Phoenix struggle to get 10000 crowds, though they do play at the Cake Tin which is more suitable for cricket and crowds are sparse due to shape and size of stadium.
Seen them play a few times when down in Wellington on business or when they've played at Eden Park. Not a great team as players leave on a regular basis - mainly because we are at the end of the world and beyond
 
kitso said:
They will be playing at Mount Smart in Penrose, which is in the industrial estate south Auckland. Ground is in need of an overhaul, currently used for NZ Warriors in the NRL, occasional international and concerts - we were unfortunate enough to go to Elton John and was called off 15 before due to weather.
Not huge news but has had some coverage of Bill on the sports news of his plans. Personally I'm not sure that there is the appetite for a second NZ team. Wellington Phoenix struggle to get 10000 crowds, though they do play at the Cake Tin which is more suitable for cricket and crowds are sparse due to shape and size of stadium.
Seen them play a few times when down in Wellington on business or when they've played at Eden Park. Not a great team as players leave on a regular basis - mainly because we are at the end of the world and beyond
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I think you've discovered the pattern. Bill is going after clubs who play at venues that have hosted underwhelming Elton John gigs.

2005 Elton John concert at Easter Road

The leading forums for Hibs fans on the web for over 20 years - hibs.net
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kitso said:
They will be playing at Mount Smart in Penrose, which is in the industrial estate south Auckland. Ground is in need of an overhaul, currently used for NZ Warriors in the NRL, occasional international and concerts - we were unfortunate enough to go to Elton John and was called off 15 before due to weather.
Not huge news but has had some coverage of Bill on the sports news of his plans. Personally I'm not sure that there is the appetite for a second NZ team. Wellington Phoenix struggle to get 10000 crowds, though they do play at the Cake Tin which is more suitable for cricket and crowds are sparse due to shape and size of stadium.
Seen them play a few times when down in Wellington on business or when they've played at Eden Park. Not a great team as players leave on a regular basis - mainly because we are at the end of the world and beyond
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, great info :thumbup:

I must admit that I'm struggling to see how this undertaking can be anything more than a money pit.
Maybe this is just Bill doing it for Bill ?
He has the Auckland connection with his wine business, so maybe he just fancies having a football interest to check up on any time he's over there on wine business ?

It seems to be a bit of an odd investment on the face of it !

Mind you, the way you describe the ground, maybe he views it as some kind of penal colony for AFCB players who misbehave. He has probably absorbed enough of our culture to realise that the Brits have form for doing that sort of thing :throw:
It has all happened a bit late for Ryan Fraser though, unfortunately !
 
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