Starting from march 2022, we are planning a trial of a new way of enjoying and playing more badminton. Introducing the Stadium Pass.

It is envisaged the new Stadium Pass will provide more opportunities for players across all levels to play more badminton, more often. Members and players are encouraged to provide feedback on the new operating model as we finalise the design. It is important to note that any Stadium Pass holders are not considered affiliated members of the Association (unless affiliated via a club or Wellington North Badminton’s representative programmes) during the initial trial period.

If you would like to become an early adopter of the new model, or have feedback on the Stadium Pass, email office@wnba.org.nz. Feedback should be submitted by 3 December 2021.

What is the Stadium Pass?

The new Stadium Pass we are looking to adopt and trial, is a proven model used by squash and tennis across NZ. The new Stadium Pass will work like a gym membership, where players can sign up to either a monthly or annual (available after the initial trial period) pass. Whilst their account has an active pass, players can book courts to play as often as they like, with some restrictions during peak hours to allow for fair and equitable access. Players are allowed to book courts to play singles (2-3 players) or doubles (4+ players), and all players for the booking must have an active pass, otherwise a casual/visitor fee will be charged and paid in advance of the booking. The Stadium Pass costs, and casual/visitor fees are set out as per the fee schedule below.

Stadium Pass Fee Schedule

Peak Hours and Restrictions

To ensure fair access, particularly during peak hours, some restrictions will be put in place. During peak hours, players are only allowed to book one hour at a time with no concurrent and consecutive bookings. Regardless of the time of day, players can only book one court at any one time (i.e. no concurrent bookings). Players will be able to book courts 7 days in advance (instead of the current 3 weeks).

If Player A, B, C, and D have booked a court on Thursday from 17:00-18:00, they will not be able to book another court from 18:00-19:00. However, they can book another court from 19:00-20:00, or for as long as they like from 20:00 onward during off peak hours.

Trial Period and Transition Plan

It is expected the trial may take up to 2 years, until the end of 2023. This will allow both the Association and players to have an immersive experience of the proposed model. We will continue to take feedback and tweak the design of the new model as required to ensure it is robust and provides maximum benefits to players. For more details, please refer to the Stadium Pass Discussion Document.