Ali Williams wants to engage Kiwis, creating the best sporting experience possible in Auckland - using the city’s new football club.
The former All Blacks lock – who played in 77 tests for over 10 years – is a co-owner of the Auckland FC A-League’s new boys on the block, alongside a slew of other high-profile Kiwis such as NBA player Steven Adams and ex-All White Winston Reid.
Williams joined Martin Devlin on the 'DSPN' podcast to share his goal of creating a vibrant and inclusive atmosphere at AFC home games.
“I’m trying different things because going to a stadium is about the experience, it’s not just the product on the field," Williams says.
"We’re creating tailgating, we’re creating boot parties with the ethnic communities and we’re calling it 'This Is Auckland', because we’re walking towards the diversity we have in this town."
AFC have bagged three wins from three to start their campaign, only the second club in A-League history to do so in their first season. On top of that, they’re yet to concede a goal, and sit pretty on top of the table after three rounds.
Two of their first three games have been at home, drawing impressive crowds of whopping 24,492 and 14,253 football fans.
“What is sport? To me, sport is entertainment, to me it’s not just about the result, it’s about the experience during the week,” Williams explains.
“It’s about making some noise, and it’s sort of letting those inhibitions go, and just having some fun…scream, yell… celebrate the good times, wear the bad times with each other. Come along to a game, experience it… you’ll know that it’s something different."
We want all these people to feel involved in this town because it’s their town, it’s not our town, it’s their town, it’s everyone’s town. That’s who we are.
Not since 2007 has the City of Sails had its own fully professional football team – the New Zealand Knights. That club along with the Football Kingz have tried and failed to establish a sustainable club in the country’s biggest city.
For AFC, the first three rounds of the new season could spell a brighter future.
Williams has no plans on separating fans at the ground either, and wants fans of opposing clubs to sit side by side and embrace their differences.
“We walk through the streets together, why in a stadium should it be any different?" He asked.
Williams was at last weekend’s win over the Phoenix, witnessing first-hand how energetic the atmosphere in New Zealand’s newest sporting rivalry is.
"It was pretty special… the noise they generate is unbelievable, and that creates a whole atmosphere and a whole spectacle in itself."
“It’s like playing in Europe, like playing in England… they just drown you out with voice and noise.”
There are rumblings that the club wants to build a football precinct in Western Springs, which would include a stadium, the capacity of which is still up for debate. Such has become possible after the Auckland council elected to move speedway racing from Western Springs to Onehunga.
Williams doesn’t want to speculate too much around the specifics of a new stadium though.
“There’s method to a lot of the madness, and we’re still in the hands of the council and seeing what that process comes to. Here’s the best part, it’s [a potential new stadium] costing the rate payers nothing… we’re not leaning on the rate payers to do anything.”
Listen to Ali Williams' full chat with Martin Devlin on the 'DSPN' podcast.
