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An improbable All Blacks jersey sponsor has emerged as NZR look to plug financial hole
By Ian Cameron
As New Zealand Rugby look to cash in on a controversial private equity deal, a left field potential All Blacks jersey sponsor has emerged - at least according to reports in France.
The NZR are currently in the midst of a potential 15 per cent sale of the revenue-generating side of their business, with American Tech Giant Silver Lake tabling NZ$465m for what amounts in effect to a roughly one-seventh share of the All Blacks.
The deal is currently been met with opposition by the NZRPA, the players' union that represents professional rugby players in New Zealand, who count a number of top-level All Blacks on their board. Players fear a number of things with the deal, including a loss of connection with the grassroots of the game and the commercial influence such a deal would have on future decision making.
Now Midi Olympique are reporting that Mohed Altrad, the billionaire owner of Top 14 side Montpellier, is in a dialogue about becoming the All Blacks' jersey sponsor as part of a new multi-million dollar deal.
Altrad, a building materials company, already sponsors France Rugby, a deal that is apparently worth €7m a season. A similar deal with the All Blacks would be worth significantly more.
Last year current jersey sponsor - AIG - announced it would be ceasing their sponsorship in 2021, ending a partnership which began in 2012. Their latest deal was purported to be worth NZ$120m to the NZR, or €71m . In 2020, it was reported in New Zealand that the NZR wanted to raise NZ$300m (€180m) with their new jersey deal.
Landing a $300m jersey deal would certainly help lower the financial necessity of bagging Silver Lake's NZ$465 deal, and wouldn't involve the sale of equity.
With television deals and 'bums on seats' no longer cutting it in terms of revenue, private equity deals appear to be new reality in rugby union. CVC's deals with the Six Nations, Premiership Rugby Ltd and the PRO14 have set a new standard in the sport, which other stakeholders are surely now likely to follow.
Renowned All Blacks guru Wayne Smith raised eyebrows last week when he said: "We need the money" when asked about the private equity play. "We need to get the capital." Whatever deals the NZR gets over the line, it's interesting times ahead.
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Latest Comments
Were you shocked by Sexton trying to rip Barrett's head off when he scored that final try in that return game?
Sexton once again the beneficiary of incredible double standards. Some of the rules simply didn't apply to him. The referee even watched that replay about 5 times in slow motion to see if he grounded the ball. If an NZ player had made that tackle it would have been a yellow card.
Ireland led by Sexton were the biggest bunch of whingers to ever play the game. NZ's dislike of Ireland was not caused by losing to them, it was caused by the Irish players, commentators and media being such giant crybabies.
I genuinely think Ireland are the best team in the world, and I think they will beat the ABs on Friday, but they are by some distance the team I like the least, and I know many people, not just from NZ, who feel the same.
Go to commentsThanks for the analysis Nick, thought provoking as usual. Couple of queries though, in the pic where you've circled Williams bind , I'm pretty sure it shows Stuart's knee on the ground, surely that's a NZ penalty? Also having had the chance to watch it again the All Black scrum seeems to improve after halftime, but before either England or the All Blacks replace their props. Not sure if that was the result of Tuipolutu coming on or some halftime tips. Either way this is only Williams second international season, so he'll be better for the experience.
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