EventsUpdate NOVEMBER 2015
editorial@nzaep.co.nz — New Zealand Association of Event Professionals, c/o P O Box 3798, Auckland 1140 ISSN 1179-3678 — Subscription is a member exclusive benefit — contact info@nzaep.co.nz for details
SEMINAR SPEAKER PROFILE: MICHELLE ENRIGHT — See page 6
Expert tips for contracting internationals — See page 3
New event medical provider — See page 13
FROM THE CEO
NZAEP Member Survey 2015 Results NZAEP recently took to the phones to conduct our annual survey of members, and learn more about the work that you do and also what you want to see from your industry association. Thanks to all that took part; your feedback has been hugely valuable. Here is a summary of some of the findings: Membership satisfaction: We asked members how they feel about their NZAEP membership. The feedback was, happily, very positive – 37% of members said they were satisfied with their membership, 54% said that they were very satisfied with the association exceeding their expectations in some areas, and a few (7%) even said membership exceeds expectations in most areas. Many commented that the Association has taken a noticeable ‘step up’ in the last one to two years. Obviously the Board is pleased to hear this, and aim to keep building services and resources
for our members so that these satisfaction statistics continue their upward trend! NZAEP function attendance: We are pleased to report also that 78% percent of members have attended at least one NZAEP-affiliated function or event (e.g. regional seminars, annual conference, awards, etc), and 27% of members have attended many of our events. Volunteers and VolunteerNet: 67% of members use volunteers at their events – however only 20% have used VolunteerNet. This is useful benchmarking data as we seek to grow the rebuilt VolunteerNet platform into a key industry resource. If you haven’t looked at VolunteerNet in a while, visit: www.Volunteernet.org.nz to see why we’re so passionate about the potential of this service. Events Update: We wanted to make sure our monthly publication hits the mark with
our members. It was great to discover that 60% always read the Events Update, and 35% sometimes read it. We also sought feedback on the content – what do members like to see, or want to see more of? The feedback showed some clear themes, many of which we’ve already incorporated into our monthly features: • Case studies of events highlighting challenges and innovations • Case studies of events using VolunteerNet • People profiles / people movement within the industry • International event trends • A more even spread between public and private sector event articles • Success stories, positive news about bringing overseas money to NZ. Some members told us they preferred being able
to download a PDF of the publication, rather than read online with the new ISSUU format – an option we’ve added since September. Seminar topics: Members told us what their challenges are at the moment and some very clear themes emerged for us to respond to in our professional development seminars. Perhaps unsurprisingly funding and sponsorship, and savvy marketing and social media use were standout trends. Our Seminar series launching this week is a direct response to this –there is still time to register for your local seminar Successful Events through Media Engagement and Effective Financial Management. Health and safety was also a clear area where members are keen for information – we had great feedback from our Health and Safety seminar earlier this year and will be running follow up sessions early in the new year – we’ll keep you posted. Vicki Watson - CEO, NZAEP
Fireworks company fined after spectators injured at All Blacks match SOURCE: Business.govt.nz/ worksafe, 15 October 2015 The company behind the fireworks failures which injured three spectators at an August 2014 All Blacks match has been fined $52,500 under the Health and Safety in Employment Act, $31,500 under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, and ordered to pay reparations to two victims. Van Tiel Pyrotechnics Limited (VTPL) was sentenced in
the Auckland District Court today on one charge under the Health and Safety in Employment Act for failures that led to the spectators’ injuries, and six charges under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act for failing to identify, label and track explosive substances. The explosion occurred during an All Blacks v Australia test match on 23 August 2014 when two on-field pyrotechnics
known as “fireball” devices malfunctioned, causing an unintended explosion. The force of the explosion shattered the mortars throwing fragments into the crowd and hitting the three spectators. WorkSafe New Zealand’s investigation revealed systemic failings in VTPL’s standard operating and quality control procedures and its management of explosive substances. The
fireball devices that failed were manufactured by the company using the incorrect mix of substances. This produced contaminated fireball devices that were highly explosive and dangerous. The company had also failed to properly label explosive substances and had inadequate tracking systems for its hazardous substances and pyrotechnic compositions. Read more.
Front Cover Photo: The Women’s Start of the 2015 North Shore Marathon. Credit: Run NZ Events Update, November 2015
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Expert tips for contracting international providers event organisers can gain best practice knowledge which strengthens our local knowledge base.
With over 20 years’ experience in the major international events industry, NZAEP Board member, Lara Middleditch, has helped deliver some of the world’s biggest events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Her career has included a mix of Government/public sector contracts and consultancies around events such as Rugby World Cup 2011 and APEC 99. In her current role leading the Trade Missions and Events team at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the focus is on leveraging economic benefit from major events and facilitating global opportunities for New Zealand businesses. What are the key advantages and potential pitfalls of using international providers or consultants? In the case of mega events like sporting World Cups and Games, the key advantage in using international consultants or contractors is that they have typically performed the same type of work in a similar event. Drawing on this experience can reshape the way we plan and deliver our events, often adding more functional structure, better role clarity and clearer organisation. Inevitably by working with experienced international providers, New Zealand
Events Update, November 2015
Another advantage in using international providers is their exposure to new event technologies, ideas and systems that could enhance spectator or participant experience. They will also have their own global networks to connect up New Zealand event organisers for the sharing of knowledge. Whilst you might not have come across a particular problem in your event before, an experienced international provider may know who has, and what the solution is. If you are looking for short term, skilled operational event staff, there is a pool of international “event gypsies” who move between major sporting events and have the ability to hit the ground running in the short lead up time to events. These operators thrive on bringing their most recent experience to their next contract and require little more than a work visa and some initial accommodation support. At New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, we also use international providers to support our event delivery offshore. For our overseas offices, it’s really important to have local contractors who speak the language, understand the local culture, have good local supplier knowledge (venues, caterers, security, transport providers, A/V companies, etc) and good knowledge of the host city, e.g. how long it will take delegates to travel from the airport to the conference hotel, . However, we have to work hard to ensure the international contractor understands our definition of
a well-designed and executed event, and recognises that we’ll maintain New Zealand health and safety standards at our events regardless of where they’re held in the world. Depending on the complexity of your event, you may not require the higher specified deliverables (and associated costs) that some international contractors typically provide, so being clear on the scope of work can help avoid that pitfall. Regular access to international consultants can also be challenging especially
if time zones work against you. Don’t assume your international provider can establish a temporary local presence in New Zealand for the duration of event planning and delivery as Work Visa conditions may apply to their personnel. What roles are commonly filled by international providers within the NZ events industry? There’s a real mix of opportunities for international providers (and opportunities for us to learn
Lara’s key tips for engaging international providers: 1: Take time to get the contract right. The standard contracts used by international providers may not cover aspects typically included by New Zealand providers around liability, warranties, insurances, etc. In the event of a dispute, know which legal jurisdiction applies and how breaches of contract would be treated. 2: Health and safety means different things in different countries. International providers may not be aware of the implications of the new Health & Safety legislation being implemented in New Zealand next year or accounted for it in their service level and costs. 3: Do your due diligence around reference checks. If you can speak to another New Zealand customer of the provider, even better! Compare apples with apples where you can – talk to a customer who has used the provider for delivering similar scaled projects to yours 4: Be clear on payment arrangements, currency of payment and whether GST is applicable on any part of the contract cost. Progress payments in non-NZ currency will be subject to currency fluctuations that may end up costing you more. Foreign exchange hedging may be an option for large contracts. 5: Establish communications protocols so you can stay across progress. Agree how reporting will be conducted eg via email, teleconference, video conference, Skype or onshore visits to New Zealand, and how day to day queries will be managed especially if your international provider is operating in a different time zone. 6: Make them part of your team! All teams produce better results when fully engaged, work arm-in-arm, and celebrate successes together.
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from them) across the events industry. In the past, I’ve used international providers strategically for example to advise on the organisational design of LOCs (Local Organising Committees) in major events. Operationally, in the lead up to major events, I’ve also used international specialists to design and roll out readiness exercises, particularly jointagency exercises involving venue operators, host city council teams, emergency services, traffic management agencies, etc. For large scale public events involving the integration of spectators and vehicle movements, it’s great to see
agencies like FoamHand now in New Zealand www. foamhand.com bringing international experience to crowd management planning, stakeholder management and integration, and C3 (command, control and communications). For events involving live performance, there are plenty of freelance creative directors/producers, floor managers, production managers and so on. In the area of professional conference management, there are a number of international companies licensing and servicing event/ conference management software to customers in New Zealand.
Where can members find further information, or seek advice? If you’re looking to appoint an international contractor, a good starting point is the trade association representing the type of event you are organising- try FITA (Federation of International Trade Associations), www. fita.org. The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (www.iaee.com) are a good source for those types of events or ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association), www.iccaworld. com. There are also plenty of information websites such as Inside the Games (www.
insidethegames.biz ) which will keep you up to date with the work of international specialists working on Games. If you’re looking for an individual contractor, there are specialist recruitment advisors in the major sports events arena such as Sport Recruitment International (www.sportsrecruitment. com) or Jump in Sport (www. jumpinsport.com) and Linked In is a great tool for tracking down experienced individuals and consultants. ●
Paddling kayak in town fountain wins sponsorship Source: Coast to Coast Media Release, 13 October 2015 For paddling his kayak in central Greymouth’s town fountain Lachlan Brownlie was named the winner of a Coast to Coast Giant bikes sponsorship package worth $5000. Giant bikes challenged Coast to Coast competitors to post their most creative training secret online via social media which Clement Holgate, New Zealand Marketing representative for Giant, said generated some great creative efforts. “Having been involved with the Coast to Coast for several years, we thought it would be great to initiate a new and more interactive way to encourage people to enter the event with the chance to win a super prize pack from Giant,” he said. “The entries we received ranged from strange, fantastic to exciting. It was excellent to see that people were getting involved and keen to get into the Coast to Coast and get some support from Giant.”
Events Update, November 2015
Holgate said the winning image chosen which showed Lachlan paddling his race kayak in a water fountain in the middle of town in the dark showed originality, creativity and his motivation to train for the event in a unique way. The Giant prize pack he won consisted of a 2016 Propel Advanced 1 bike and Giant shoes, helmet, bib shorts, cycle top, bottles, cages and puncture kit plus entry to February’s Coast to Coast. “There no doubt the Giant prize package has put him in a great position to help him complete the cycle leg of the longest day event in a best possible form.” Brownlie from Greymouth was ‘absolutely stoked’ to win the prize pack. “The gear is definitely a step up on my previous set up and will no doubt make a massive difference in training and on race day,” he said. His winning image showed him in his kayak in the fountain in front of the Greymouth
For paddling his kayak in central Greymouth’s town fountain Lachlan Brownlie was named the winner of a Coast to Coast Giant bikes sponsorship package worth $5000. council building. He says it was just a matter of carrying the boat down to the fountain and finding a mate to take a few pictures as he paddled in circles. Holgate said Emily Bell was deserving of a set of Giant cycling kit and a helmet as she entered multiple times with some very novel ideas. Coast to Coast Event Director Richard Ussher said he was really encouraged by the number of entries received
not only for the Giant package but for other early bird entries as well that had a range of other prizes up for grabs including NZ Ski passes for the Remarkables and Coronet Peak and a Hermitage accommodation and food package. Sue Wright from Christchurch won the Hermitage package while Aucklander Clark Hepworth won the Queenstown package and James Morris from Lyttelton won the NZ Ski package.
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Regional Seminar Series Starts this Week! Rotorua: Wednesday, 4 November, 9.00am – 1.00pm Wellington: Thursday, 5 November, 9.00am – 1.00pm Christchurch: Friday, 6 November, 9.00am – 1.00pm Marlborough: Tuesday, 1 December, 1.00pm - 5.00pm Queenstown: Wednesday, 2 December, 12.00pm - 4.00pm
Successful Events through Media Engagement and Effective Financial Management
TICKETS: Book online via www.nzaep.co.nz/seminars
Jo Blair, Director of Brown Bread, specialises in developing revenue models. She’ll talk you through her process of getting events ‘engagement-ready’. Then, and only then, can an event prepare to find funding partners. Jo will take you through some personal and best-practice business cases where sponsorship, crowd-funding and philanthropy strategies have only been successful due to engaging the media, community, stakeholders and eventual commercial partners right at the start.
VENUES:
Brown Bread was founded to deliver game-changing public art, event and social campaign projects for people with ridiculously large ideas, mostly in post-quake Christchurch. Brown Bread is the culmination of a career in marketing, sponsorship and events - including managing the Events and Festivals strategy for Christchurch City Council, establishing and delivering NZ IceFest, producing the World Buskers Festival, marketing for Melbourne Festivals as well as the tourism and wine industry. Michelle Enright has just completed her role as Corporate Services Director at FIFA U20, and before that was General Manager Business Operations at High Performance Sport NZ. Michelle has nearly 20 years of experience working in the sporting arena in financial and management roles and is a chartered accountant. Managing event budgets can be extremely stressful. Critical to success are the components of people, processes and priorities, including managing cash flow to ensure there are no surprises along the way. Michelle will be providing key checklists and recommended processes/templates on budgeting and financial management for an event, tips on juggling cash flow and great examples of how to stay in control of contingencies. Devorah Blumberg, Manager of NZ Major Events, will give an update on recent activity and also be on hand to provide key information about investment and funding opportunities. Sally Kane has just completed her role as Corporate Services Director NZ at ICC CWC 2015 and prior to this was Corporate Services Manager on RWC 2011. A fully qualified Accountant, Sally has also worked in Financial and Commercial roles for the 2005 Lions Tour and the NZRU. (Sally will be presenting at the Marlborough and Queenstown Seminars in December).
or email Lisa Dempsey, info@nzaep.co.nz for any further information. Only $25.00 for members and $50.00 for non-members.
Rotorua
Pohutu Room, Skyline 9.00am – 1.00pm (4 November)
Wellington
Michael Fowler Centre 9.00am – 1.00pm (5 November)
Christchurch
The George, Christchurch 9.00am – 1.00pm (6 November)
Marlborough
Chateau Marlborough, Blenheim 1.00pm - 5.00pm (1 December)
Queenstown
Queenstown Event Centre 12.00pm - 4.00pm (2 December)
Seminar Series Speaker Profile: Michelle Enright be starting the role of Head of Finance and Admin for the 2018 Commonwealth Games so will be moving to the Gold Coast! Prior to this I worked in well-known NZ companies (DB, Pepsi), in the UK and in Chartered Accountancy including with PWC. I am CA qualified.
Tell us about yourself – what background and experience lead to your recent role as Corporate Services Director at FIFA U20? I have a passion for sport and sporting events and have been fortunate enough to work in sport in corporate services roles in NZ for the past 20 years. I was the first Finance Manager employed by Netball New Zealand in 1994 and during my time there we hosted the World Netball Championships in 1999. Then I moved to be the inaugural Business Operations Manager at the newly created NZ Academy of Sport, and that further developed to become High Performance Sport New Zealand in 2011 where I held the GM Business Operations role and actioned many of the merger requirements. That was a great honour to work as part of the system assisting our top athletes. In 2013 I was lucky enough to secure the role as Director of Corporate Services for the FIFA U-20 World Cup which has been a truly amazing role. To have the privilege to work with FIFA on their second biggest men’s tournament was great experience and working with Dave Beeche was inspiring. At the end of the month I will
Events Update, November 2015
You’ve worked in some big roles on big events – what are your standout achievements? I have been fortunate enough to be the first corporate services person in many of the roles I have worked in. This means I have been able to implement the systems, processes, reporting, budgeting, etc, then keep modifying them to allow the organisations to grow and meet the customers’ needs. Also, as part of the Senior Management Team in these roles you get to contribute to wider strategic decision making which is really enjoyable - in sport these roles are wide reaching so I have responsibility for HR, Admin, IT as well as the usual finance areas. I have also managed budgets to budget or better. Some career highlights would be: • During my time at Netball we contracted the first Silver Ferns naming rights sponsor, the first franchised netball structure was set up with a franchised competition all of which needed sound financial and commercial advice and systems. We made a surplus of $1M for the World Netball Champs in 1999
• During my time with the NZ Academy of Sport (NZAS) and then High Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ) the systems for funding athletes and sports evolved, including operating our own medical and rehabilitation centres, so streamlined financial and administrative systems and processes were critical. My brief was to optimise HPSNZ’s financial and operational performance to ensure that resources are targeted to have the most positive impact on performance. A key achievement in this role was the successful merger of NZAS and HSNZ including closing the books over a weekend and merging 3 cultures into 1. • FIFA U-20 World Cup NZ 2015 highlights would be over 300,000 attendees at matches over 3 weeks and a financial surplus and the great legacy items for Football in NZ. Critical success factors in the surplus were the relationships we had with FIFA, Host Cities and our stadiums and suppliers so we had strong partnerships to manage our costs; all the pre-work and detail we did around our costs and the robust systems we had in place meant there were no surprises of consequence. I contributed to the detailed risk management planning as most of our key risks materialised but we were prepared. And growing from 7 staff to 170 required good HR processes and a lot of goodwill!
The key challenges when managing event budgets are to be conservative on your revenue projections and put as much detail into your cost budgets so that you can keep these as lean as possible, lock down fixed costs early on and be totally aware of the factors affecting your variable costs and any risk areas. Relationships with your internal team and sponsors, suppliers and other stakeholders are critical as they will help you seek best cost alternatives without compromising, and even enhancing the event experience. Accurate timely finance reporting and good spending processes pre and during the event are a must. Common pitfalls or risk areas would be losing sight of your key goals/priorities and spending outside those. Cash flow, correct treatment of contra/value in kind deals and being really clear what your breakeven is and your strategy if you are tracking to fall below that. ●
What are the key challenges when managing event budgets? Where are the common pitfalls or risk areas?
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VolunteerNet Case Study: North Shore Marathon Dion Jelly, Director of Run NZ, shares his experience of using VolunteerNet to recruit volunteers for this year’s North Shore Marathon. How many volunteers did you need for the marathon, and how many did VolunteerNet supply you? In total we had about 80 volunteers for the North Shore Marathon of which 20 were through VolunteerNet Do you find it hard to locate new volunteers? Do you think volunteer support is still as strong as it used to be? Locating new Volunteers within VolunteerNet as they signed up was easy and the download of the excel database was great. I think Volunteers are becoming harder and harder to find especially for the less prestigious events, probably very similar to volunteers in most sports clubs nowadays as most people are limited with their time. Did you find the VolunteerNet
service useful and easy to make contact with the applicants?
Be part of the 2016 ASB Classic!
Yes VolunteerNet was very useful and it seems to have improved a lot since we last used it a few years ago. We will continue to use it in the future.
We are now looking for friendly and enthusiastic people to volunteer at the 2016 ASB Classic.
Were the volunteers good value and the kind event managers want? Yes they were all proactive, interested and what our event required. Would you recommend it to other event managers? I would recommend VolunteerNet to any event managers and I think it will grow to become a valuable industry tool as it’s not just a way to find event volunteers but also as a way to grow volunteers’ ability as they cross over a number of events and gain more skills. I think it could be interesting if it was integrated into some of the University and Polytechnic event courses for industry experience.
Be part of NZ’s top annual sporting event, make friends and witness world class tennis in our own backyard. Register your interest by checking out volunteernet.org.nz/event/asb-classic for further information and the registration details, or drop us a line at volunteers@tennisauckland.co.nz; we’d love to hear from you!! We couldn’t run the ASB Classic without the wonderful dedication and enthusiasm of our volunteer team, so join us and be part of a fun, friendly, welcoming, passionate and committed team!! We want you!
Register your event in 3 easy steps!
volunteernet.org.nz Events Update, November 2015
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New Research to help Event Organisers Source: www.recycling.kiwi. nz, 22 October 2015 New Research to help Event Organisers find local facilities where their food and food packaging waste can be composted. New research released today identifies the geographic location of composting facilities where event waste (food waste and food packaging waste) can be processed. The research has been carried out by Waste Minimisation social enterprise Beyond the Bin and was co-funded by the Packaging Forum’s Public Place Recycling Scheme . Lyn Mayes, Manager of the Public Place Recycling Scheme, said: “The Scheme funds programmes which increase recycling at venues and events
and decrease waste sent to landfill. One of the biggest contributors to waste at events is food scraps, food containers, cups and plates and if all this can be composted it makes a huge difference to the waste diversion rate. Using compostable packaging sent to a compost facility turns waste into a valuable compost material. However before event organisers choose compostable packaging they want to know that there is a facility nearby that can take this waste because putting it in a landfill makes no sense.” “The Gourmet Night Market in Tauranga is one event waste composting success story. They have been achieving over 95% waste diversion through having an effective local composting solution so we were pleased to fund a national research project by Beyond the Bin which has
been behind this initiative and others around the country.” Kim Renshaw, Director, Beyond the Bin said: “The composting industry is slowly developing across most regions in New Zealand to be able to process compostable packaging. Our research identifies twelve composting facilities around the country currently able to accept and process event waste and thirteen which are currently working towards it. Some of these facilities are running trials; finalising consents; or awaiting service providers to grow their services to support the process. Decontamination and education are the key solutions to processing event waste through NZ’s composting facilities.” The majority of these facilities use the windrow composting process. The research
identifies a further 30 facilities which may be able to process compostable event waste in the future with 43 facilities unable to process this type of waste. Mayes says that the Packaging Forum will use the research results to help inform packaging manufacturers, event organisers and the hospitality sector about the availability of suitable compost facilities:“The report notes that because compostable packaging is not currently recognized or certified by industry bodies in New Zealand as a suitable input for organic compost, some facilities which are capable of processing food packaging waste are unable to do so. As the development of composting facilities continues, it is important that we aim to make sure that the compostable food packaging used at events is compatible with the requirements of the end user.”
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Events Update, November 2015
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Event production a blend of creativity and complexity A PhD in music, a background in Asian culture and a research speciality in ethnomusicology aren’t the standard qualifications for an event production lecturer but it has proved an inspiring mix for Alison Booth’s students. Alison joined Auckland University of Technology’s School of Hospitality and Tourism over eight years ago in a part-time role and now teaches event production, event planning and manages co-op placements for event management students. Her creativity is integral to her teaching. “Event management is about getting creative and about using things wisely. It’s important to me that the students understand it’s not about going out and buying everything you need – you look at what you have and how you can use it, how you can stretch the budget further and create surprises.” “At the end of the programme, I want the students to understand the creativity and the complexity involved in creating events. We’re also training them to be organised
and self-reliant, and although we’re training them in events, we’re really giving them a set of skills that can be applied to anything.”
obviously resonates with Alison’s students – last year she was named “Best lecturer for the Faculty of Culture & Society” in the AuSM Awards.
Beyond the classroom learning, Alison says the opportunity to gain real events experience through the co-op work placements is a major advantage of the AUT programmes.
AUT alumna Avalon OgleChapman, now a marketing and events co-ordinator with NZ Innovation Council, describes Alison as an exceptional lecturer and mentor who “delivers content in a relevant, engaging and inspiring way that is truly valuable to students.
AUT students have worked on a massive range of events and with a range of employers, from the Rugby World Cup to Make-a-Wish, from Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development to a recent collaboration with Auckland Live which saw students delivering activations for children and families waiting to enter the popular ARBORIA installation in Aotea Square. The wide range of co-op placements and the demands of working on real events means Alison often finds herself mentoring students after hours or catching up via Skype but she says it’s part of the job and there’s an “immensely satisfying pay-off when you see them succeed”. That passion for teaching
Where can I get great Guidelines?
“As a mentor her guidance is invaluable.” Alongside teaching on undergraduate programmes, including the BA in Event Management and Bachelor of International Hospitality Management majoring in Event Management, Alison is also a postgraduate supervisor. She is currently supervising a tourism Masters student who is looking at the role that volunteers play in eco-tourism in the Hauraki Gulf. Despite her busy workload, Alison is still committed to her own research. She completed her PhD while teaching
at AUT with the help of a Vice-Chancellor’s Academic Staff Doctorate Completion Award and last year was awarded the “Promising Musicologist Award” by the Indian Musicological Society in Mumbai, India. She is looking forward to an upcoming sabbatical in early 2016 which will see her complete a virtual learning research project, explore co-development of an event certification programme and finalise a chapter and journal articles. Alison is also excited about NZAEP’s decision to sponsor a prize in the end of year student awards for the “top event production student”.
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Events Update, November 2015
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Entrepreneur’s website aims to cut ticket sale risk Source: Stuff.co.nz, 12 October 2015
organisers and artists, Hyde said.
by setting dates which best suited audiences.
“You can do about two years’ work in about three months.”
A former Timaruvian has a plan to take the risk out of putting on events.
The Timaru District Council has shouldered risk for some community events in the past by guaranteeing them against loss if locals failed to turn out.
Hyde met the company’s chief executive, Jacob Manning and developer Tin Htoo Aung at an Otago University “start-up weekend”. The trio became interested in ticketing systems and decided to take their idea further.
Each Lightning Lab team receives $18,000 seed funding and access to more than 100 specialists in various business fields, in return for 8 per cent of their investments.
Abbe Hyde hopes to attract investors to the SuchCrowd website she and two business partners are developing. The website allows people to propose an event and set the minimum number of people they need to attend it. People who want to attend can buy tickets. If enough buy the tickets, the event happens. If they do not, the event is cancelled without either side losing money. The team is one of 10 chosen from 200 entrants by Lightning Lab Christchurch to participate in the “business accelerator” run in the GreenHouse innovation centre in Christchurch. Events which failed to reach their expected turn-out, or used venues which were too small for their audience, were both lost opportunities for
By staging an event with guaranteed audiences, Hyde said performers faced less risk of an event which made a loss. In return, SuchCrowd took 5 per cent of the ticket price on successful events. Hyde said she had read about a survey stating Timaru District youth wanted more organised parties and raves, and hoped SuchCrowd could encourage potential event organisers.
Hyde said participating in the Lightning Lab programme had provided them with expert support and allowed them time to dedicate to developing the business.
In exchange for the seed funding and programme, the IT startups sell 8 per cent of their businesses to “angel investors” who own the Lightning Lab licence and brand. On Demo Day they will be seeking investment from a wider group of investors as well.
Performers and even office groups had already used the suchcrowd.co.nz website to organise events, prompting the start-up to make provision for a private function section on the website. She expected organisers could begin “co-designing your events with the crowd”
SuchCrowd chief executive Abbe Hyde discusses the online ticketing start-up company with chief financial officer Jacob Manning and chief developer Tin Htoo Aung.
Punters keen to experience new look fest Source: Hawke’s Bay Today, 14 October 2015 Just two weeks after tickets for events at next year’s Tremains Art Deco Festival went on sale the response locally, nationally and internationally has been strong. “We are 20 per cent up on where we were at this time last year,” events manager Jonathan Smith said. “It is going very well.” He put the increase down to two factors - the extensive new-style programme that is also available electronically and the increase in events. “There are 42 new events and 125 in total,” Mr Smith said.
Events Update, November 2015
He said one of his aims was to introduce more events over a broader age demographic - for children, teenagers and adults. Among those planned for the young adults was a Deco Disco evening to be staged at Shed 2 where a DJ would mix modern music into a deco version. “We are working to provide something special for all age groups.” The bulk of the international sales so far had come from Australia. And there had been strong interest from across New Zealand as earlybird buyers booked accommodation around the events they wanted to attend.
L-R: Jonathan Smith, event manager, Art Deco Trust; Ricky Howes, manager, Kim Ansford, account manager, Robert Ngui, estimator, Brebner Print with the 2015 Art Deco festival programmes IMAGE CREDIT: Hawke’s Bay Today Ticket sales for trips on the vintage railcar were also strong. It will be Mr Smith’s first major festival as an events manager after taking over from Peter
Mooney four months ago. “It is an amazing festival to be involved in - one of New Zealand’s iconic events - and I am humbled and honoured to be part of it.”
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FIFA to claim large percentage McLaren festival moving to of U20 WC profit Auckland Source: Excerpts from Otago Daily Times, Sun, 18 Oct 2015 New Zealand Football could miss out on up to $1 million from the profits of hosting the 2015 Under-20 World Cup with Fifa apparently set to retain a large percentage of the surplus from the tournament. The Herald on Sunday understands the Under-20 World Cup made a profit of around $2.1 million, thanks to healthy ticket sales and solid cost management by the local organising committee. The Government will receive approximately $500,000 of that figure to compensate for their $5.5 million investment in the event. In normal circumstances, most of the remaining $1.6 million would be banked by NZF, who technically took the risk on the event. But it’s believed Fifa have, at this stage, asked to retain up to $1 million of the surplus, which would leave around only $500,000 for NZF. It would be an almost unprecedented move for world’s football governing body, especially as their 2015 annual report indicated cash reserves of $2.24 billion. The national body have reentered negotiations with Fifa over the distribution of the surplus in an effort to improve their share. The age-group events Fifa run are not the cash cows that the senior World Cup is, and any profit is typically directed back to the home association, in recognition of significant work required to run such an event. As an example, the 2011 Women’s World Cup in
Events Update, November 2015
Germany saw Fifa investment of around $102 million, according to their 2012 financial statement. That tournament returned an after-tax profit of $12.66 million, all of which was retained by the German Football Association for distribution. Fifa budgeted to spend around $32 million for the 2015 Under-20 World Cup, which was a similar amount to the 2013 ($32 million), 2011 ($34 million) and 2009 ($30.8 million) events. They also invested similar sums into the 2011 and 2013 Under-17 World Cups. And sometimes they have had to spend considerably more, putting $63 million into the 2009 Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria. It’s a recognition that such events are more about development than generating revenue, and are subsidised by the gargantuan profits the senior World Cup generates. The 2014 tournament in Brazil delivered $5.87 billion into Fifa’s coffers, with an estimated net profit in excess of $3.22 billion. One million dollars is a trifling amount for Fifa, but a considerable figure for NZF. In response to a Herald on Sunday inquiry, Fifa referred all questions about the surplus to the LOC. In a text message, LOC CEO Dave Beeche said: “NZF are going to make any comment on the outcomes of the tournament going forward.” NZF officials declined to comment. Read more.
Source: SunLive, Thursday 15 Oct, 2015 The McLaren Valley Music and Arts Festival will no longer be taking place in the Bay of Plenty next year. The new music and arts festival that was set to take place at McLaren Falls Park next January will now be relocated to a central location somewhere in Auckland. McLaren Valley Music and Arts Festival director Paxton Talbot. The festival’s relocation has come about after ongoing negotiations with residents in the area failed to resolve a number of outstanding concerns. Festival director Paxton Talbot says he is incredibly disappointed to be unable to hold the festival at McLaren Falls Park, but adds the event will go ahead in Auckland on January 11-12. “We have been working extremely hard for many months to go through the resource consent process,” Paxton explains. “But ultimately we needed to make a decision to move the Festival. “We did explore a range of other options in the Bay of Plenty and other areas, but Auckland is the best solution given the timeframe.” Ticket purchasers will be offered full refunds or ticket holders can retain their tickets for transfer to the new event. Paxton says he is working closely with all contracted artists on the change of location. “We know so many people were excited about this Festival and we are sorry to disappoint our fans who have believed in the vision. We are working to create something special for the event in Auckland.” Tauranga City Council communications manager
McLaren Valley Music and Arts Festival director Paxton Talbot. Photo Credit: Photo: Tracy Hardy Aimee Driscoll says they are disappointed the festival won’t happen this summer in Tauranga. The council worked in partnership with the festival organisers, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and other stakeholders towards “a successful event at McLaren Falls Park”. “We left no stone unturned to find an alternative location in Tauranga, but given the timeframe the organisers decided to move to Auckland,” says Aimee. “We understand that ongoing negotiations between the festival organiser and residents failed to resolve a number of outstanding concerns.” Aimee says as events play a key role in showcasing the city locally, nationally and internationally, council want to see more major events happing in Tauranga. “We encourage event organisers to approach us as events celebrate Tauranga’s arts, sports and cultural diversity, bring community pride and increase economic activity year-round. “[Council] enjoyed working with the festival team and we look forward to working with them in the future. We wish them all the best for this event,” she adds. Ticket purchasers will be offered full refunds or ticket holders can retain their tickets for transfer to the new event
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International motorsport event for Baypark in promoting rallycross came when he was chief executive of West Palm Beach International Raceway in Florida. He says the events there attracted good competitor numbers but modest crowds and convinced him a stadium environment would be more successful. “Baypark is the only stadium in New Zealand which has everything on site,” said Mr Dixon. HIGH FLIERS: Promoter Ron Dixon is partnering with Bay Venues and Motorsport BOP to bring the sport of rallycross to ASB Baypark Stadium. Source: Bay of Plenty Times, 18 October 2015
rallycross to the Baypark venue.
The sport of rallycross is set to make a high-profile return to the New Zealand motorsport calendar with an international event planned for Mt Maunganui’s ASB Baypark Stadium next year.
In rallycross, fields of between six and 10 cars race on a specially prepared circuit combining tarseal and gravel sections along with jumps and other obstacles.
International stars will compete against New Zealand’s best rally drivers over two days of high-speed competition in the inaugural New Zealand International Rallycross event over the February 27-28 weekend. Longtime motorsport promoter Ron Dixon - father of IndyCar champion Scott Dixon - announced the plans for an under-lights rallycross spectacular at Baypark. Mr Dixon is partnering with Bay Venues and Motorsport BOP on the two-day event which would use a mixed surface 1.5km track and feature a series of quick-fire heat races leading to a final. Circuit and stadium-based rallycross events have gained huge followings in Europe and North America in recent years, Mr Dixon says. He is aiming to bring the intense action of international
Events Update, November 2015
It has boomed in Europe and North America in recent years and Australia is now reintroducing the sport. “Rallycross was developed in Europe several decades ago as a faster-paced and more spectator-friendly alternative to traditional rallying,” said Mr Dixon. “It’s now recognised at the highest level with its own FIA World Rallycross Championship, with Petter Solberg - a former WRC driver who is hugely popular with New Zealanders - winning the inaugural World Rallycross title in 2014.” Rallycross events were staged in New Zealand from the early 1970s until the mid1980s at several race circuit venues and most prominently on a purpose-built track at Hamilton’s Mystery Creek. Interest in the sport is now being rekindled with a rallycross track under
construction at the Highlands Motorsport Park complex at Cromwell. Mr Dixon has run rallycross events previously in the United States and hopes to attract significant numbers of competitors to entertain a potential audience of 17,000 in ASB Baypark Stadium. “Most of the competitors will be New Zealand rally drivers and competitors with special hillclimb cars and some classes for off-road racing cars and trucks. I’ve being talking to car clubs and so far the response is very favourable. “But I’m also working to have a couple of high-profile international drivers there as well.” To create the 1.5km track length and provide the tarmac element necessary for rallycross, the track will run through the speedway pit gate into the sealed pit area and return to the arena via a ramp and through a gap in the speedway safety fencing near the southern end ticket booths. The action outside the arena will be shown on a big screen.
“I went to the second Jetsprint event this year and it was fantastic. It confirmed all my feelings about stadiums being the ideal venue for this type of sporting event. “Their event is a much bigger undertaking. I don’t have to dig a hole and fill it with water and then put it all back again.” Mr Dixon estimates track setup and tear-down would take place two days either side of the rallycross event. The local car club Motorsport Bay of Plenty Inc. - will provide the key officials and marshals to staff the event. The February 27-28 rallycross date means a change to the recently released 201516 Baypark Speedway calendar, which had the BOP Super Saloon Car Champs scheduled on Saturday February 27. Tauranga mayor Stuart Crosby was pleased to see the rallycross event was on the cards for Tauranga. “Particularly in regards to Baypark, which is becoming an adrenalin venue with other motorsports,” Mr Crosby said. “For the Rallycross to come to Tauranga will be a great start for a long and successful event strategy.”
Mr Dixon’s experience
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New event medical provider ProMed arrives in Southland
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SOURCE” Stuff.co.nz, 16 October 2015 A new private medical provider specialising in remote events will start work in Southland this weekend. See what over 325 of your colleagues are liking! Like our Facebook page HERE.
Ex-St John paramedic, Don Gutsell set up ProMed in Timaru 11 years ago and has since expanded nationwide and into Australia. During that time, business in the South Island has tripled and ProMed has gone from covering two events a month to eight every weekend. “The need’s growing all the time - I would say there’s a high demand,” Gutsell said. Gutsell said a number of Southland-based events organisers had expressed interest in ProMed’s services, but travelling down from Timaru was costly. After discussions and negotiations with some Southland clients, who agreed to use the service regularly, Gutsell decided to expand the business down south. The expansion is a homecoming of sorts for Gutsell, who grew up in West Otago. About 10 staff and two fleet vehicles will be stationed in Southland, with the team preparing to get to work at the Riverton Marathon and Riverside Speedway this weekend. Having another medical services provider at events meant the demand and pressure did not fall solely on St John, Gutsell said. St John were “doing a damn good job” and it was a case of volunteers having enough time to commit to so many
Events Update, November 2015
ProMed operations manager Kirk Blumers and owner-operator Don Gutsell with one of the company’s ambulances. IMAGE CREDIT: JOHN HAWKINS/FAIRFAX NZ activities,” Gutsell said.
certificate.
“People’s time is very precious today.”
“All we’re trying to do is meet the demand of the public so their event can go ahead.”
As a private provider, ProMed did not have the same problems because they had permanent paid staff, Gutsell said. St John South Island communications advisor Ian Henderson said he wasn’t concerned about competition between event medic providers because of the sheer number of events they cover. In the past year, St John provided paramedic and first aid services for 316 events in Southland. It was important to note some other first aid service providers were not able to transport patients to hospitals if they were injured at an event, Henderson said. “St John may still be required if paramedic services and transport is necessary.” Gutsell said there was not a lot of competition between providers because the skills required a high level of training beyond a first aid
Having been a paramedic for a long time, Gutsell knew it was important to have an experienced team. Many of his staff were former military and had no qualms about “getting dirty”. “Most are ex-military medics who are used to working in remote and austere locations,” he said. Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia and East Timor were just some of the places staff members had worked, and they were always ready to “just get on and do the job”. Gutsell was excited about the future of ProMed, which was recently registered as a charity to cope with the costs of growing their clientele. “There’s not enough money to fund where we’re going,” he said. “We need hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the rate of growing events.”
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