Crusaders hospitality and membership packages hitting the market soon as One New Zealand Stadium races towards completion
April marks a year until One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha will open its doors for the very first time, which means excitement keeps building for all that it will offer Christchurch.
Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge says the new stadium has been a long time coming.
“We have spent thirteen seasons at Apollo Projects Stadium, and we are grateful for the opportunity to play in a stadium that was built in 90 days after the earthquakes, but the team, coaches and management are so pumped for a new stadium, the hairs on my neck stand up just thinking about it,” Mansbridge says.
Apollo Projects Stadium first opened on 24 March 2012 in front of 17,500 fans when the Crusaders played the Cheetahs. It was their first game in Christchurch in 680 days after the earthquakes relocated them to Timaru and Nelson for their home games.
Its life span was only expected to be 3-5 years, but it’s now hosted more than 300 events since 2012 when the earthquakes permanently closed Lancaster Park. It’s hosted 115 Crusaders matches – three of which were Super Rugby finals.
“It’s served us well; we have won seven Super Rugby titles during the stadium’s lifetime. None of our current squad have ever played anywhere in Christchurch but Apollo, so it’s all they know – which makes the move to Te Kaha even more exciting,” says Mansbridge.
With a new stadium comes new opportunities for membership and hospitality offerings.
2026 Crusaders memberships will be available for fans to purchase later this year, with details of the packages and benefits available getting announced very soon.
One of those packages is an Ōtautahi Lounge Membership. The Ōtautahi Lounge is a space like no other – with two feature bars, a private terrace, premium food and beverage offerings and dedicated bowl seating. These memberships will be available for fans to purchase, and will include a range of exclusive Crusaders benefits, but there will be a limited number available.
“For those who want to secure guaranteed first access to a seat in One New Zealand stadium once they go on sale later this year, I’d encourage them to sign up now to be a 2025 member and they will automatically be added to our priority waitlist so they don’t miss out.
“It blows my mind how intimate Te Kaha is. The proximity of the field of play to where the fans will be sitting is unbelievable, I can’t think of anything more exciting than being that close to the action, I think we’ll get punters wanting to play the game they’ll be so excited.”
In addition to the membership options on offer, the Crusaders will also have four exceptional options for local businesses to purchase all seven Crusaders home games, including the first right to purchase all playoff games, and any All Blacks Test Matches in Christchurch at the Stadium.
“We have worked closely with the team at Venues Ōtautahi to ensure we have the right mix of hospitality available for our current commercial partners, but also additional capacity to meet the needs of those brands and businesses who also want Crusaders game-day hospitality.
“We also are fully aware of the commitment the local community has made to make the Stadium possible, so we have worked very hard to ensure that our pricing reflects the quality of the new customer experience, and at the same time is meeting the expectations of the market.”
The Crusaders hospitality options include: the premier Crusaders Ōtautahi Lounge where you can enjoy premium dining, and top-tier service with panoramic stadium views from Level 1 at One NZ Stadium; The Crusaders Field Club delivers unrivalled proximity to the players and on-field action – it’s as close as you can get without lacing up; for a unique, elevated perspective, The Crusaders Platform offers a stylish, social setting with exceptional views and catering, and Crusaders Premium Reserve, combining comfort and atmosphere in prime seating location, with 11 seats and dedicated food and beverage service to your group.
The Crusaders are asking for expressions of interest from any businesses and brands who would like to purchase any of the four hospitality products. Expressions of interest open on Thursday 24 April and close on Monday 30 June.
“It’s a bittersweet time for us,” says Mansbridge.
“Apollo is like the child of One NZ Stadium, everything that is good about Apollo is in the new stadium and even more. It’ll be sad to see Apollo go, but I can’t wait to get into the new stadium next year to make more memories and call it our home.”
General Tickets for Crusaders games held at One New Zealand Stadium will be on sale in early 2026.
Crusaders Expressions of Interest
2026 Crusaders Hospitality One NZ Stadium - EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Crusaders Hospitality Information Pack
2026 Crusaders Hospitality One NZ Stadium - MORE INFORMATION
For more information, please contact:
Maddy Lloyd
Communications and Media Manager
027 749 7435