This week: Mark Robinson, CEO of New Zealand Rugby, shares how he’s scaling the All Blacks with a a values-led approach that links grassroots investment, late-stage talent development, and international expansion with commercial innovation. This approach grew participation among women and youth, together with building a media content ecosystem that reached billions.
How Mark has scaled the All Blacks:
Reinforcing community rugby as the foundation for elite performance, driven by 26 provincial unions across New Zealand
Developing talent through late specialization, with a focus on character, leadership, and resilience from age 17 onward
Innovating rugby formats to meet modern family dynamics and increase youth participation, including safer, low-contact versions
Expanding the All Blacks brand globally through strategic investment and targeted growth in Asia, North America, and Europe
Why it matters: New Zealand Rugby is executing a whole-of-game strategy that connects grassroots growth with global brand expansion. In 2024, player registrations rose 6% to over 155,000, with record participation among women and girls, teenage boys, and Heartland Unions. Backed by Silverlake, NZR is scaling internationally while reinvesting $44 million into youth development through 26 provincial unions. By delaying specialization until age 17 and prioritizing leadership and character, they’re building athletes who perform under pressure, and embody the brand.
👇 Scroll down for the full breakdown + my personal thoughts of the scale.
What is it? New Zealand Rugby is the governing body behind the All Blacks, the most successful team in global sport history, with an 81% win rate in the professional era.
Location? Rugby in New Zealand is an economic engine and cultural cornerstone for a nation of just over 5 million people.
Youth & Community? New Zealand Rugby develops talent through a late-specialization model, engaging players around age 17 via its 26 provincial unions. In 2024, total registrations reached 155,568 with women and girls making up 33,757, a 15% increase from the previous year and up nearly 40% since 2022.
How will the Team Generate Revenues? In 2024, New Zealand Rugby generated NZ$285 million in income from sponsorships, matchday revenue, and digital media growth (NZR+ content reached one billion views, with 25% from the US and UK). The Silverlake-backed Project Future deployed $11.7 million into NZR+ and $44 million was reinvested into grassroots and women’s rugby. With over 13 million social followers and rising global viewership, NZR is building a scalable commercial model anchored in media, merchandise, tourism, and broadcast rights. (Read more here)
“Our strategy is whole-of-game: grassroots, high performance, and commercial growth all work together. One pillar can’t succeed without the others. We’ve invested heavily in women’s rugby, and the growth in school and club-level participation has been phenomenal.”
My Thoughts & Future Outlook
The lessons learned from our conversation with Mark Robinson are, to me, the key to building sports assets that win on the field, grow community, elevate women’s participation, and engage new fans. The All Blacks’ system built on character, discipline, and high performance resonates deeply with me. It’s no surprise that women’s rugby is surging in a structure that genuinely values inclusion and excellence. When building sports clubs or franchises, should defining the culture be the foundation for growing the asset? I find it a useful method to establish a clear pathway for attracting new participants, developing talent, engaging new fans, growing sponsorship revenues, and delivering results on the field with a high-performing team.
As a young rugby fan, the All Blacks felt intimidating, the Haka alone made them seem unbreakable. After reading Legacy more than 10x and speaking with Mark, I view their brand as a global source of inspiration, especially for young athletes and families. Their values show up in popular culture, from underdog sports films to series like Ted Lasso, where humility and performance under pressure resonate deeply. That kind of storytelling is powerful and it’s central to commercial growth. Can the All Blacks’ culture be replicated to build elite teams and sustainable franchises across Europe and North America?
Next week, we speak with the founder of a leading private equity firm with assets in women’s sports, basketball, North American clubs, and media. Plus a football club taken from Italy’s 5th division to the professional ranks, and just launched a new docuseries on ESPN.
Best,
Edoardo Grandi
