The opportunity:

Athletics NZ had an expanding programme of domestic and regional events, and wanted to explore what hosting World Athletics events in New Zealand could realistically look like. The aim was to understand the feasibility, strategic fit, and cost implications of different event options.

How we worked:

Daylight led the project with support from Purple Moon, Pagoda Consulting and Jo Coleman. The analysis drew on a combination of desktop research and targeted consultation. This included reviewing World Athletics bid specifications, examining pre‑ and post‑event reporting from comparable international events (particularly those hosted in the UK and Europe), and engaging directly with key organisations across high‑performance sport, government, venue operations, international athletics, and specialist suppliers. Together, this provided a robust evidence base to assess feasibility, strategic alignment, and cost.

The outcome:

The assessment provided Athletics NZ with a clear, evidence‑based view of the opportunities and constraints associated with hosting World Athletics events in New Zealand. The analysis highlighted the practical challenges around venue availability, cost, and the scale required to deliver World Athletics properties to their full potential. It pointed toward strengthening and developing regional and domestic event concepts as a more strategic pathway, while still keeping open the possibility of larger international opportunities over time.

Other event-specific work: 

• Commonwealth Games Concept Development (NZOC, with Purple Moon)

• World Triathlon and Host City Tauranga: background, responsibility, opportunity (Tauranga City Council)

• Royal Whanganui Opera House stakeholder consultation (Whanganui District Council, with Jo Coleman)

• The Ocean Race Auckland Stopover: assessment of proposal (Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, with Jo Coleman)

• Funding proposal development (Supercars Championship, Golf NZ, Tennis Auckland)

• Strategic Framework and Functional Delivery Review (Balloons over Waikato, with Jo Coleman)