Mount Smart Stadium
| Company type | Public stadium |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports and entertainment venue |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | Mount Smart Domain Board |
| Headquarters | Penrose, Auckland , New Zealand |
Area served | Auckland, New Zealand |
Key people | Auckland Council (owner), Auckland Stadiums (operator) |
| Products | Sporting events, concerts, athletics events |
| Owner | Auckland Council |
| Website | www |
Mount Smart Stadium, presently called Go Media Stadium due to sponsorship agreements, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand. It functions as the main venue for the New Zealand Warriors competing in the National Rugby League and for Auckland FC in the A-League Men. Additionally, it accommodates rugby union and international rugby league fixtures. The stadium is situated within the excavated remains of the Rarotonga / Mount Smart volcanic cone, approximately 10 kilometres south of Auckland’s central business district.
History
The Mount Smart Domain Board was formed in 1943 with the goal of converting the former quarry into a public park. By 1953, approval was granted to develop a sports stadium on the site, which officially opened its doors in 1967. In 1978, the venue hosted three matches during the World Series Cricket tour of New Zealand, and throughout the early 1980s, it was used for athletics events such as the Pan Am series.
During the 1988 Great Britain Lions tour, the Auckland rugby league team secured a 30–14 victory over Great Britain at Mount Smart in front of an audience of 8,000. The stadium’s inaugural rugby league international took place on 23 July 1989 when New Zealand played Australia in the Kangaroos’ third test match of their 1989 New Zealand Tour; Australia emerged victorious with a score of 22–14 before 15,000 spectators.
Mount Smart served as the principal athletics facility and hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1990 Commonwealth Games. It was also the site for all home qualifying games of the New Zealand men's national football team (the All Whites) during their successful qualification for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, drawing substantial crowds.
The highest recorded attendance at the stadium is 45,000, achieved during an Adele concert in 2017. When known as Ericsson Stadium, it was the venue for the Super League’s 1997 World Club Championship Final between Australian sides Brisbane Broncos and Hunter Mariners; Brisbane won 36–12 before an audience of 12,000. The stadium also hosted most matches of the 1999 Rugby League Tri-nations, including a closely contested final that New Zealand narrowly lost.
Owned by Auckland Council and operated by Auckland Stadiums, Mount Smart has expanded its range of activities over time. Notably, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, commercial bungee jumping was offered from its grandstand roof. On 22 September 2019, it staged the first standalone match of the NRL Women's Premiership, featuring the New Zealand Warriors against St. George Illawarra Dragons; the Dragons won with a scoreline of 26–6.
Naming right
On 12 July 2006, the stadium's name reverted to Mt Smart Stadium. The owners at that time, Auckland Regional Council, reviewed other sponsorship proposals but found none satisfactory and chose not to actively pursue a new naming partner.
For one game on 14 July 2017—the Warriors versus Panthers match—the stadium was temporarily renamed Manu Vatuvei Stadium to pay tribute to club icon Manu Vatuvei.
On 15 May 2023, following a naming rights agreement between Auckland Stadiums and an advertising firm, it was rebranded as Go Media Stadium. This partnership was subsequently extended on 10 July 2024 through to at least May 2028.
On 18 August 2023, as part of a fundraising initiative for former NZ Warriors coach Daniel Anderson—who became quadriplegic after a bodysurfing incident—the stadium was temporarily titled Daniel Anderson Stadium for a single day.
From 19 August 2024, to commemorate Shaun Johnson’s final home game before retirement, the venue was named Shaun Johnson Stadium for one week.
Tenants
Mt Smart Stadium serves as the home venue for the New Zealand Warriors, who compete in both the Australian National Rugby League and the NRL Women's Premiership. In the past, it was the base for the Football Kingz during their participation in the Australian National Soccer League. Their successor team, the now-defunct New Zealand Knights, played their home games at North Harbour Stadium, located across Waitematā Harbour.
Since 2022, the stadium has also been the designated home ground for the Moana Pasifika team competing in Super Rugby.
The Athletics Ground, also known as Mt Smart Stadium Number 2, is utilized for athletics competitions and local rugby league fixtures. It acts as the home field for the Auckland franchise competing in the Bartercard Premiership.
In March 2024, newly established A-League Men club Auckland FC announced that Mt Smart Stadium would host its debut season. By July 2024, Auckland FC had secured a five-year agreement to retain Mt Smart as its home venue through at least 2029.
Concerts
The stadium can accommodate around 47,000 attendees for concerts, with capacity expandable up to 60,000 by adding temporary stands to the north and south ends.
Mt Smart was Auckland’s primary location for the Big Day Out music festival until 2012, after which Western Springs Stadium became the festival’s new host starting in 2014. Among significant events held at Mt Smart was the 1986 Rainbow Warrior Benefit Concert, which featured performances by artists such as Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, the Topp Twins, Dave Dobbyn, and included a reunion of Split Enz.
In 1981, The Mauri Hikitia, an album produced by Maori musicians in support of the stadium’s development, reached number four on New Zealand’s music charts. Contributors to this project included artists like Rhonda, Ken Kincaid, Deane Waretini, and members of the Lightwood family.
Michael Jackson performed two concerts at Mt Smart in November 1996 as part of his HIStory World Tour, attracting a total crowd of 86,000 people. Additionally, during her Adele Live 2016 World Tour, Adele held three shows at the venue, drawing an audience of 130,000 over four consecutive days.