All Blacks rugby for sale

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sky sports wrote:

New Zealand Rugby set to debate selling All Blacks share to American investors
Rugby officials argue the sale would secure future financial sustainability after finances were battered last year by the coronavirus pandemic; the All Blacks have won the Rugby World Cup three times and were also runners-up in 1995

New Zealand Rugby are set to debate whether to sell a stake in the commercial value of the All Blacks to American investors at its annual meeting later this week.

New Zealand's 26 provincial unions will vote on a recommendation from New Zealand Rugby it should bundle its commercial interests into a new entity and sell a 12.5 per cent stake in it to California-based Silver Lake Partners for $279m (around £200m).

If the recommendation is carried, it will mark the first time in more than 115 years the All Blacks would not be wholly owned by New Zealanders.

Rugby officials argue the sale would secure its future financial sustainability after its finances were battered last year by the coronavirus pandemic.

In documents to be presented to the annual meeting, NZR proposes transferring its commercial assets to a new company to be called Commercial LP and to transfer NZ$43.75 million ($31.5 million) from the sale price to that entity as operating capital.

A further NZ$39 million ($28 million) will be distributed to stakeholders, mainly the provincial unions, who are also cash-strapped after last year's disrupted season.

NZR said it will also establish a legacy fund for longer-term strategic initiatives to ensure the sustainability of all levels of rugby in New Zealand.

Silver Lake Partners was launched in 1999 and has focused mainly on investment in the technology sector with holdings in companies such as Airbnb, Twitter and Dell Technologies.

It also holds a stake in City Football Group which owns Manchester City and which it lists in its Content and Entertainment industry vertical.

NZR has embarked on a nationwide roadshow tour to sell the Silver Lake deal to provincial unions with the concept facing push-back from players who have sought assurances that important traditional and cultural symbols such as the silver fern and the All Blacks haka will not be sold and commercialized.

The All Blacks have won the Rugby World Cup three times and were also runners-up in 1995.

The recent, failed Super League in European football has also caused a tremor of concern among some New Zealand Rugby fans.

Those fans fear the attitudes of owners shown in the attempt to establish that Super League showed an apparent indifference to history and to fans' close attachment to clubs which might also be reflected in the rugby deal.

Opponents say the American investors are unlikely to be interested in the grassroots level of New Zealand's national sport, and likely to press for the All Blacks to play more matches in high-value markets overseas.

Silver Lake will seek to grow the value of its investment by enlarging the All Blacks fan base around the world but also by increasing income from current revenue streams such as broadcast deals, ticket sales and merchandise.

i would say England maybe next but they are already owned by a heartless corporation more interested in the elite than grassroots and care very little about rugby in the RFU.

It's their money (the Yanks) they can spend it where they want, shaddup at least you still have a club to support, you'm all thick innit, cowards, morons.........
Past caring really not only is every sport in the world being ruined by the money men but they are getting cheered on by an army of butt licker wannabes.

Always had a love/hate opinion of the All Blacks because they're good at eyeing up under-20 talent from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga and shipping them back to New Zealand and giving them an All-Black shirt if they merit it. Naturally these young players grasp it with open arms as it means fame and greater wealth than turning out for their home countries.

I suppose it's possible that the All blacks have also brought a certain amount of trouble on themselves by charging an enormous wedge just to put a team out....

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i agree with what your saying about them farming talent from the islands but to be fair England and others do it aswell and i dont agree with them doing that at the rate they have been in recent years.
I would like to see IRB start protecting Fiji,Samoa, Tonga and Nambia from having their talent raided and not allowing those nations to grow.

Angry wrote:

i agree with what your saying about them farming talent from the islands but to be fair England and others do it aswell and i dont agree with them doing that at the rate they have been in recent years.

Very true, however, NZ started what everyone bar Argentina followed. The French have a talent scout in residence out there with the sole aim of hoovering up promising players.


I would like to see IRB start protecting Fiji,Samoa, Tonga and Nambia from having their talent raided and not allowing those nations to grow.

Agustin Pichot the former Argentine scrum half stood for the election of World Rugby Chairman against Sir Bill Beaumont in 2020 but lost out by 5 votes. Pichot was noted for wanting a player to be resident in a country for 5 years rather than the current 3 before they could play for them. His failure to be elected meant that many fringe players from all countries missed out on a potential caps.

Hugh Midde wrote:

Angry wrote:

i agree with what your saying about them farming talent from the islands but to be fair England and others do it aswell and i dont agree with them doing that at the rate they have been in recent years.

Very true, however, NZ started what everyone bar Argentina followed. The French have a talent scout in residence out there with the sole aim of hoovering up promising players.


I would like to see IRB start protecting Fiji,Samoa, Tonga and Nambia from having their talent raided and not allowing those nations to grow.

Agustin Pichot the former Argentine scrum half stood for the election of World Rugby Chairman against Sir Bill Beaumont in 2020 but lost out by 5 votes. Pichot was noted for wanting a player to be resident in a country for 5 years rather than the current 3 before they could play for them. His failure to be elected meant that many fringe players from all countries missed out on a potential caps.  

Even 5 years is too short.

Angry wrote:

Hugh Midde wrote:

Angry wrote:

i agree with what your saying about them farming talent from the islands but to be fair England and others do it aswell and i dont agree with them doing that at the rate they have been in recent years.

Very true, however, NZ started what everyone bar Argentina followed. The French have a talent scout in residence out there with the sole aim of hoovering up promising players.


I would like to see IRB start protecting Fiji,Samoa, Tonga and Nambia from having their talent raided and not allowing those nations to grow.

Agustin Pichot the former Argentine scrum half stood for the election of World Rugby Chairman against Sir Bill Beaumont in 2020 but lost out by 5 votes. Pichot was noted for wanting a player to be resident in a country for 5 years rather than the current 3 before they could play for them. His failure to be elected meant that many fringe players from all countries missed out on a potential caps.  

Even 5 years is too short.

You're preaching to the converted MR A.

However, Semi Radradra of Fiji and the Bristol Bears might disagree with you on account he's banking £1,000,000 per season.

Excuse me for hitching a ride on the All Black's rugby thread but it may have slipped by that Luke Cowan-Dickie, Sam simmons, Stuart Hogg and Jonny Hill of the Chiefs have been selected for the Lions tour of South Africa where they'll be up against the most physical players on the planet.

Out of interest I've added this clip of Jonny Hill doing what lock forwards aren't usually associated witth..


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forgiven im sure there will be a lions thread on here soon for sure. I hijacked the 6 nations post ranting about the rfu's review into the recent 6 nations performances and jones reign as head coach.