Eden Park lights up blue ahead of final clash

Auckland's Eden Park will be illuminated blue every night this week ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific Final.

The Auckland Blues will play the Crusaders at Eden Park in the final on Saturday.

Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner said lighting up the park blue was a way of showing support for the city's team and he hoped other Auckland landmarks, such as Skycity, Vector Bridge and the Auckland Museum, would follow suit.

"As we prepare for the big game, Eden Park will be lighting up blue from [Tuesday night] to the weekend in collaboration with the Blues.

"This is just one small, yet visible way we can show our support for the team."

Sautner said after a challenging few years of lockdowns and Covid-19, the game would provide a much-needed lift for Tāmaki Makaurau. It is the first big sport events at the venue since the previous lockdown.

"This past year has demonstrated the critical role that live sport and entertainment play in shaping and unifying communities."

Sautner said the "positive downstream impacts" from this weekend's match would be significant for Auckland's economy, community morale, people's wellness and sense of belonging.

"The stadium reopening for sports fans is like the local library reopening for book lovers."

He said there were many new Eden Park staff members across catering, cleaning, and security and he asked for attendees' understanding.

The final kicks off 7.05pm this Saturday. Gates open at 5pm.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission