Amid Rugby World Cup fever, football in New Zealand has had to take a back seat.
But while Tauranga was overlooked as a host for the rugby, football is set to come to town in its place with the Wellington Phoenix arriving to play a pre-season match against the Central Coast Mariners.
This Sunday will see Baypark play host to the biggest football match held in the Bay of Plenty, which has created a real buzz with Phoenix fans. Barbara Caie, president of the Papamoa Football Club, a regional referee and Phoenix fan, can't wait for the game. "It's cool. We're buzzing. We watch them all the time, it's just neat," she said.
Mrs Caie said a group of her fellow referees were going to the game and said they would be wearing as much yellow as they could muster. And it's not just Bay fans who are heading to the game. Guy Smith, spokesman for the Wellington Phoenix supporters' group Yellow Fever, said there had been a lot of interest from their members nationally to make the trip to Tauranga.
"When the game was announced we were excited. Tauranga has a good football history and we've never been there before. We have members in the Waikato and Auckland that will be going down."
Liz Bryan, a travelling supporter from Wellington and member of the Yellow Fever executive, has joined a carload of fans coming up from Wellington and said she knows of other Wellingtonians making the trip north. At the Wellington home games, the Yellow Fever section of the crowd is a sea of yellow and black. Ms Bryan said the stands in Baypark will be similarly adorned come Sunday.
"I've got five of my very tall flags and our normal Yellow Fever banner. We'll bring all of that stuff. We're looking forward to it."
The Yellow Fever website forum has seen fans from as far as Christchurch expressing interest in a trip to Baypark. Mrs Caie said it was crucial the local community supported the team as a decent crowd could turn organisers' heads.
"New Zealand Football is waiting to see how well this is supported. If the footballing fraternity supports this, it gives us some sway for other events. We need the Bay people to get behind it."
The game is scheduled for the same day as the Rugby World Cup pool match between Ireland and Russia in Rotorua, but Phoenix chief executive Nathan Greenham doesn't necessarily see that as a clash. While the Rugby World Cup is a one-off event, the Phoenix were trying to gain consistent national exposure for football, he said. "This game is about bringing pro football to the Bay of Plenty. We have a responsibility to the New Zealand football community to spread the good word. We understand that Tauranga has a strong football community and we're looking for a strong turnout."
The game will be a big match-up against the Mariners, one of the A-League's traditional achievers. "It's a very, very important pre-season preparation for us," Mr Greenham said.
"We need to get off to a good start. Our goal this season is to win the Hyundai A-League."