Fire, But No Smoke at Eden Park
Eden Park Trust Board
Friday 15 February 2008
For immediate release
The players may be on fire at Eden Park, but there will be no smoke. Now that the stadium is smokefree, the only thing
fans attending the double-header sporting weekend will be breathing in is the party atmosphere.
Operations Manager John Strawbridge says since the stadium went smokefree at the beginning of the year, non-smoking
patrons have enjoyed the smokefree air, while those who smoke have been gracious in moving to areas set aside for
smoking before lighting up.
From 1 January patrons have been asked not to smoke in any part of the stadium, including outdoors, other than in
designated smoking areas.
“Going smokefree is about giving fans a smokefree environment in which to enjoy their sport. We know that young people
are less likely to start to smoke if they don't see others smoking – so it’s about keeping our young fans smokefree too.
“Most people would rather watch sporting events away from others’ tobacco smoke, and smokers generally don't want to
cause offence.”
Smokefree environments are becoming the norm in New Zealand and internationally. Westpac Stadium in Wellington is
smokefree, and Mt Smart Stadium went smokefree last year in all seating areas for Warriors games and events.
An August survey found 80 per cent of respondents supported smokefree seating at Mt Smart. Fifteen per cent said the
move was ‘very good’ and 65 per cent rated it as ‘excellent’.
The Eden Park smokefree initiative is driven by the Eden Park Trust Board and has support from Auckland Rugby and
Auckland Cricket. It has the backing of the Auckland Regional Council, Auckland Regional Public Health, the Cancer
Society, Heart Foundation, Health Sponsorship Council, Action on Smoking and Health, Te Hotu Manawa Maori, Te Reo
Marama, Smokefree Coalition, the Public Health Association and the Stroke Foundation.
ENDS