Organisers of some of New Zealand’s most iconic sports under immense financial pressure feel they've been let down and left out by the Government's Events Transition Support Scheme.
The scheme will cover 90 per cent of unrecoverable costs for major events should a change in the traffic light system force a last minute cancellation but many in the sports sector aren't currently eligible.
However, organisers must have 5000 ticketed or registered attendees to receive the support, which is where the sport sector's been caught out.
The Government says the scheme exists to "bring people together", "support local communities” and "bring valuable economic benefits to our host cities and regions" which for most events, is in the six figures.
In a statement, Minister of Tourism Stuart Nash reiterated the scheme is open to all types of events so long as they do meet that 5000 threshold.
For some smaller events, like the Ironman, Queenstown Marathon and Tour of Southland, Nash said such events have had backing through the domestic and regional events funds.
That doesn’t help other sporting events though that lie outside those parameters.
Coast to Coast race director Glen Currie told 1News the iconic race doesn’t meet those particulars despite their large numbers.
“We have 1400 athletes participating and our numbers are dictated by DOC,” Currie said.
“We work on four support people per competitor so we have a five-to-six thousand people-moving feast, I suppose.
“But unfortunately we're told it has to be those participants which from our end is frustrating.”
A number of other sport events are in the same position such as Craig Gallagher and the Mototapu Challenge.
“It's creating divide between sporting and music and it's certainly not something we want to be part of,” Gallagher said.
“We all work together, use the same contractors, supplier, workers.”
But the flip side to that is with so much uncertainty, vendors that supply everything from portaloos to portacoms are wanting deposits of up to 50 per cent - now.
“They ask 'are you eligible for the scheme? Can you guarantee pay?,” Currie said.
“They’re choosing events who can so we're finding people who've been booked in for a year say no.”
Nash added the scheme was “temporary for summer”, designed to give event organisers greater confidence to plan and incur costs during the unique period of transition from the Alert Level system to the new traffic light system.
He added there were multiple other funds available to help events as well.
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