NZ Rugby boss Mark Robinson calls on government to use the sport for international investment

Source: Radio New Zealand

Mark Robinson thinks that an opportunity for the government to attract international business is right under its nose. The outgoing NZ Rugby (NZR) chief executive said that the sport is “an amazing opportunity for our country” and should be used far more broadly with government support.

“It’s something we’re good at as a country, it’s something that’s in our DNA. It’s something we’re passionate about and care about, and it’s something that we’re on the international stage. It provides really unique, offerings to the country at multiple levels,” said Robinson.

“I think the government’s been quite clear. They’ve got priorities … one of those is apparently about attracting international business. I’m not close enough to know where the sport’s on that agenda in terms of taking international investment.”

In September, the government launched the Sport Diplomacy Strategy 2025-2030 to coordinate efforts of nine agencies and “focus resources where they can have the greatest impact”. The initial focus is on India, the Pacific, and the United States, with Associate Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop saying that “these are markets where we can deliver strong diplomatic, and economic results”.

The All Blacks’ recent visit to Chicago was an example of what Robinson says the All Blacks brand power can achieve in one of them, with the revenue generated from the fixture against Ireland the highest for any test since the 2017 Lions tour.

Robinson’s walk to the door

It’s fair to say that Robinson is leaving NZR with as clear as conscience as he’s ever had. The former All Black midfielder took up the role of CEO in 2020 knowing full well that no matter what he did, he was doing arguably the least popular job in the country.

Some politicians might disagree with that, but at least they know that people vote for them at some stage. Being the boss of by far the most scrutinised sport means you are never going to please everyone, more often than not doing the complete opposite.

Robinson has overseen some sweeping changes to NZR, mostly financial and that’s raised the chagrin of fans who have criticised the governing body for not focusing enough on the game itself. However, he’s unapologetic about the direction the organisation has taken.

“We are a tiny, isolated island on the other side of the world with a leading sports brand. So we’re trying to grow value so we can invest in all levels of the game,” said Robinson.

“And unless you take a different approach to able to do that, we will not be successful in enhancing value of the game domestically and globally without some sort of partnership, and just to hope to be able to do that. I still remain of that view.”

But there are a few key areas that have dominated Robinson’s tenure. One is the All Black coaching situation, which he’s already aired some strong words about. While both he and Ian Foster will likely never agree on the way that all went down, saying “revisionist history” and “we’ve held the high ground” was a pretty stark departure from the closed-shop mentality of the past.

In fact, you could make a good case for NZR’s very well-earned reputation as a media-averse cone of silence being a relic of the past. While that attitude was very much tied to the All Blacks themselves, organisational access and openness has greatly improved under Robinson’s tenure.

One thing that has remained a somewhat frustratingly closed shop has been the partnership between NZR and private equity group Silver Lake. After seemingly endless talk about the deal being put together, which took the better part of two years, Silver Lake has barely been mentioned since and no representative has ever publicly fronted to speak on its behalf.

Robinson said that’s just the way the California-based firm operates.

“I don’t think it’s exclusive to NZR or the All Blacks or anything like that. I just think it’s their position. They love the game; they care about the game at all levels … there’s been a lot of time in New Zealand with stakeholders and partners and that sort of thing.”

He did acknowledge All Black fans’ concern at not knowing much about a group that effectively owns a part of the team that represents an entire country, but maintained that “there’s nothing mysterious or, unusual or unique about them in that regard”.

While Robinson’s announcement in June that he was stepping down was a bit of a surprise, when you look back on 2025 it does make a bit more sense. He has been upfront about transforming NZR’s financial model and while Silver Lake was a big part, that wasn’t all of it.

“The body of work over the last six years, I’m really proud of. If we look at community participation, it’s come back to pre-Covid times when a lot of sports haven’t been able to do that and the investment we’ve made in the community game through provincial unions is at an unprecedented level.”

That last part may raise a few eyebrows by those at the grassroots and provincial level who are facing all sorts of challenges keeping school-leavers both playing and attending rugby games, but the fact is that the All Black-dependant revenue model is generating more money than ever before. Robinson is adamant that it’s not just the best, but the only way forward for the game here.

“I think the positioning of the (All Black) brand now through digital reach and the fact that we’re in markets like the US with such a strong following, shows that our strategy in terms of the work we’ve done overseas is definitely worth it. Now we’ve got a handful of global partners, and we’ve got a growing fan base and much more strategic connection than we’ve ever had.”

Robinson didn’t have any advice for whoever succeeds him, with a replacement expected to be in the role by April next year. It’s likely to be a very different dynamic to his tenure as it’s extremely unlikely that the challenges he faced, in particular Covid and the governance saga, will happen again.

Then there’s the fact that the NZR board is now chaired by the high profile and likely far more prominent David Kirk, who may well end up being the face of the organisation far more than the CEO.

But that’s a story for 2026, a year that’s shaping up to be the hardest yet for the All Blacks in the professional era. Robinson will watch on from his new home in Australia, content with what he’s achieved over the last five years.

“We’ve done a phenomenal, positive work, and I’m really proud of that.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand