Pittsburghers need Superbowl fix while in New Zealand
February 2, 2011 4:52 AM Subscribe
A few months back, I said to some friends "would't it be great to watch the Steelers in the Superbowl while we are on vacation in New Zealand?" I didn't really expect it to happen given we were losing to the Pat's at the time... now I need to figure out where to watch it.
We'll be in the Rotorua area during the event. Is the Superbowl something that folks watch in NZ? Are there any pubs where we could watch the game with our 18-month old in tow?
We'll be in the Rotorua area during the event. Is the Superbowl something that folks watch in NZ? Are there any pubs where we could watch the game with our 18-month old in tow?
Not being a Kiwi myself, I can't tell you whether people actually watch the Super Bowl in NZ. At the very least, I can guarantee you that it is being shown on ESPN there.
I grew up overseas in a country where soccer was king, but every year, they showed the Super Bowl on local TV. I don't know why, but that's the way it was. It was endlessly fascinating to watch local sportscasters take off their soccer hats and put on their American football hats, walking the local viewing audience through the quirks and complexities of the game.
Through the power of Google, I did find a sports pub in Rotorua, namely this one (details in the Google Maps link). It looks to be in a strip mall, so I'd imagine that the atmosphere might be quiet enough for a family to take in an afternoon football game. I checked the listings for the other sports channels, and the only other competition you might have in the 12 pm to 4 pm timeslot is a repeat of the Chelsea-Liverpool match. Since it's on a Monday afternoon and thus a part of the workweek, my uneducated guess is that you may not need to compete with very many people to get the channel changed.
posted by texano at 6:16 AM on February 2, 2011
I grew up overseas in a country where soccer was king, but every year, they showed the Super Bowl on local TV. I don't know why, but that's the way it was. It was endlessly fascinating to watch local sportscasters take off their soccer hats and put on their American football hats, walking the local viewing audience through the quirks and complexities of the game.
Through the power of Google, I did find a sports pub in Rotorua, namely this one (details in the Google Maps link). It looks to be in a strip mall, so I'd imagine that the atmosphere might be quiet enough for a family to take in an afternoon football game. I checked the listings for the other sports channels, and the only other competition you might have in the 12 pm to 4 pm timeslot is a repeat of the Chelsea-Liverpool match. Since it's on a Monday afternoon and thus a part of the workweek, my uneducated guess is that you may not need to compete with very many people to get the channel changed.
posted by texano at 6:16 AM on February 2, 2011
Not being a Kiwi myself, I can't tell you whether people actually watch the Super Bowl in NZ.
Not much, to be honest, so I suspect buttercup and family will have to generate most of the atmosphere. (I mean, everyone in NZ will know what the Super Bowl is, and some Kiwis, especialyl serious sports fans, will be interested in the game - but they'd be a minority).
My girlfriend has family in Rotorua, I'll see if I can get any pub recommendations from them.
posted by Infinite Jest at 6:42 AM on February 2, 2011
Not much, to be honest, so I suspect buttercup and family will have to generate most of the atmosphere. (I mean, everyone in NZ will know what the Super Bowl is, and some Kiwis, especialyl serious sports fans, will be interested in the game - but they'd be a minority).
My girlfriend has family in Rotorua, I'll see if I can get any pub recommendations from them.
posted by Infinite Jest at 6:42 AM on February 2, 2011
Is the Superbowl something that folks watch in NZ?
Nope, not really. I'm sure there are people who do what with it being on a sports channel, and US ex-pats, but I don't think it's something that really blips on the national consciousness if that's what you mean. I'm pretty sure I've never heard anyone mention it.
Still, if people watch table tennis grand slams, then they'll watch American superbowl. :)
Have a good trip!
posted by Elysum at 6:42 AM on February 2, 2011
Nope, not really. I'm sure there are people who do what with it being on a sports channel, and US ex-pats, but I don't think it's something that really blips on the national consciousness if that's what you mean. I'm pretty sure I've never heard anyone mention it.
Still, if people watch table tennis grand slams, then they'll watch American superbowl. :)
Have a good trip!
posted by Elysum at 6:42 AM on February 2, 2011
If everything else fails, I have a friend who just came back from India. He watched the BCS championship game on Skype, with someone in the States putting their computer in front of the TV and him watching the Skype feed.
Not good quality, but arguably better than nothing.
posted by Danf at 8:03 AM on February 2, 2011
Not good quality, but arguably better than nothing.
posted by Danf at 8:03 AM on February 2, 2011
American living in Wellington here. Very, very few people here watch the Super Bowl. I'm getting together with a few friends to watch it, but only because I was lucky to find a few kiwi friends who like American football/gridiron.
Infinite Jest is right above. Talk to a bartender/bar manager at a pub that already shows live sports ahead of time, and be sure to mention to him that you'll be bringing in some other people if they'll show it.
posted by hootenatty at 5:55 PM on February 2, 2011
Infinite Jest is right above. Talk to a bartender/bar manager at a pub that already shows live sports ahead of time, and be sure to mention to him that you'll be bringing in some other people if they'll show it.
posted by hootenatty at 5:55 PM on February 2, 2011
Best answer: OK, a response from my girlfriend (her aunt phoned around some bars, which I wasn't expecting or asking).
"I phoned Reg Hennessey from Hennessey's Irish Bar on Tutanekai Street, Rotorua, and he said that they'll definitely be showing the Superbowl. I mentioned about the 18 month old child, and I don't think you could say he sounded 'friendly', but said that if the other Patrons were being affected by the child's behaviour, then they would be asked to leave!!!
I phoned Novatel, and they have the Sports channels in their Clarks Bar, but he was going to have to ask the Manager if they would be able to view it without being charged!!!"
So Hennessey's Irish Bar could be a good option. (Google Maps).
posted by Infinite Jest at 5:30 AM on February 4, 2011
"I phoned Reg Hennessey from Hennessey's Irish Bar on Tutanekai Street, Rotorua, and he said that they'll definitely be showing the Superbowl. I mentioned about the 18 month old child, and I don't think you could say he sounded 'friendly', but said that if the other Patrons were being affected by the child's behaviour, then they would be asked to leave!!!
I phoned Novatel, and they have the Sports channels in their Clarks Bar, but he was going to have to ask the Manager if they would be able to view it without being charged!!!"
So Hennessey's Irish Bar could be a good option. (Google Maps).
posted by Infinite Jest at 5:30 AM on February 4, 2011
Response by poster: Well we ended up down the street at Pig & Whistle as we liked the menu better versus Hennesey's. Met a fellow from back in Pgh. Wish the outcome was the other the way around though.
Infinite jest, please thank your girlfriend and her aunt for us. Thanks everyone else as well.
posted by buttercup at 7:33 PM on February 6, 2011
Infinite jest, please thank your girlfriend and her aunt for us. Thanks everyone else as well.
posted by buttercup at 7:33 PM on February 6, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
I wouldn't expect that a lot of people would be watching it, but I'd imagine that most pubs would be able to show it, if you asked - just look for any pub advertising "live sport" or "Sky Sport" etc . At noon the pubs presumably won't be too crowded, and there probably won't be any other sports on TV that they'd be showing instead.
Of course, being in a tourist area like Rotorua I'd imagine that there would be other Americans wanting to watch the game. I'm sure you'd find something if you asked around the pubs - I don't know the area though, so I can't suggest anything.
posted by Infinite Jest at 6:13 AM on February 2, 2011 [1 favorite]