Union pledges smooth ride at Baypark

The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union has today reassured fans pondering if it's worth the effort heading to Baypark Stadium tomorrow for the Steamers' ITM Cup clash with North Harbour following April's Super 15 debacle at the ground.
Traffic chaos in and out of the venue, double-booked and stolen seating, long queues for food and beverage and delays getting through ticketing booths led to widespread condemnation of the game's organisation, with many disgruntled fans vowing never to return to Baypark to watch rugby.
Chiefs and Baypark management, not the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union, were in charge of the game and Bay Rugby chief executive Mike Rogers has promised a far smoother ride for Steamers fans tomorrow in the first of three consecutive home games in a compressed nine-day stretch.
In mitigation, organisers of the Super 15 game were caught on the hop by a larger-than-expected crowd of 17,000 turning up but Rogers said their game-day operation would be vastly different.
Fulton Hogan had been contracted to take care of traffic management and the Bay Union had done away with an agency and was in charge of ticketing itself.
Rogers said the new initiative of throwing open the grandstands, aside from a small portion for corporates and sponsors, as general admission ($20 for adults and $15 for children under 15) seating on a first-come, first-served basis would help alleviate confusion.
"We're not expecting a crowd anywhere near that [April's] size although we'd be bloody delighted if we did, and I think a late Saturday afternoon game should assist in getting people to the ground, into the venue and into their seats."
There would be an express lane through the ticketing booths for pre-paid ticket holders, sponsors and corporates, with Rogers promising ample staff at the gates for supporters paying on the day.
"We're doing things slightly differently from the Chiefs with our general admission initiative rather than having every seated numbered ... [and] while there was some very public backlash from that Chiefs game which highlighted several issues, I hope people can appreciate the difference.
"The Chiefs came in and ran that game and their understanding of the venue and capacity versus the crowd that they got created some pressure points. We've worked hard with our rugby public and we do have an experienced team that runs a good event so it's hard to say whether people's experience at that game will negatively impact what we do in the ITM Cup.
"Ultimately I'd say the weather will be the big decider in terms of the size of the crowd." Tomorrow's forecast is for rain early in the day, clearing to showers.
Just as the players face a challenge from the condensed ITM Cup schedule, so too the Bay Union with the next home game in Rotorua on Tuesday against Waikato before a return to Baypark five days later to play Wellington.
Bay of Plenty and Tasman are the only top-tier provinces that split their home games between two cities.