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David Beckham - Source: Photosport -
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Questions are being asked about whether the football match between LA Galaxy and the Oceania All Stars was a success and how it will affect the Auckland rate payers who funded the event.
Those that were at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night seemed very pleased to see David Beckham and his team. But in a city more than twice the size of Wellington, Auckland could only half fill the stadium - compared to a sellout in Wellington just a year ago.
Auckland rate payers may be concerned at shots of a half full Mt Smart, because the Auckland Regional Council underwrote the event on their behalf.
ARC Chairman Mike Lee is blaming the recession for the poor attendance.
"The whole world has changed in the last few months," Lee says. "It's a different place, it's a different time, it's a different mood."
The council needed an attendance of 20,000 to break even on bringing Beckham to Auckland. However, just 16,000 showed up and 1,800 of these seats were given away in a buy one, get one free deal.
"I think we've taken a loss here," Lee says. "But that will not impact on the rate payers. This will be ring-fenced off and the Mt Smart business unit will have to trade its way out of this."
Dean Lonergan has run many events and he believes there are definite reasons why people stayed away this time.
"Firstly, Beckham has been here before," Lonergan says.
"Secondly, the team they were playing, no one could identify with like the Phoenix last year. Thirdly, maybe the ticket prices were too high."
Mt Smart stadium is already a drain on rate payers - it lost $1.5 million last year. The council says it will be some time before they know how much this match has cost this public facility.
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