The Blues
The Blues is a New Zealand professional rugby franchise based at Eden Park in Auckland, operating men's and women's teams in Super Rugby Pacific and Super Rugby Aupiki. It generates revenue through match-day ticketing, tiered memberships, merchandise sales, and corporate sponsorships led by naming partner nib NZ.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Blues does
The Blues is a professional rugby franchise founded in 1996 and based at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, operating under the governance of the New Zealand Rugby Union. The organization fields two squads: the Blues Men competing in Super Rugby Pacific and the nib Blues Women competing in Super Rugby Aupiki, both representing the Auckland, Northland, and North Harbour catchment. The club won the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific men's title and three consecutive women's Aupiki championships (2024-2026), and operates community programs through the Blues Charitable Trust.
The franchise generates revenue across four streams: match-day ticket sales at Eden Park (six men's and three women's home games per season), tiered membership subscriptions (All In, Three Game, and Blue Anywhere tiers priced NZD $25-$270), merchandise sales through the official online store, and corporate sponsorships. Key commercial partners include nib NZ (naming-rights sponsor since 2013 for the men's team and 2021 for the women's team), Always Made Special (merchandise partner through 2029), Airwallex (Official Business Finance Partner), Barfoot & Thompson, and DHL. The club is led by CEO Karl Budge and coached by Vern Cotter (men) and Willie Walker (women), with Jason Holland appointed head coach of the men's team from 2027.
The club's go-to-market combines event-driven match-day experiences at Eden Park with a direct-to-consumer membership and ticketing model through the Flicket platform and an online merchandise store. The organization invests in player development and retention, evidenced by recent re-signings of Taufa Funaki (through 2028), Maia Roos (through 2029), Payton Spencer (through 2029), and Zarn Sullivan (through 2028). In 2026, the Blues launched their Hall of Fame, inducting Sean Fitzpatrick, Zinzan Brooke, and Carlos Spencer as inaugural members, institutionalizing the franchise's three-decade heritage.
The Blues firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Blues
- Legal name
- The Blues
- Website
- https://blues.rugby
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Blues is a New Zealand professional rugby franchise based at Eden Park in Auckland, operating men's and women's teams in Super Rugby Pacific and Super Rugby Aupiki. It generates revenue through match-day ticketing, tiered memberships, merchandise sales, and corporate sponsorships led by naming partner nib NZ.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Blues industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Rugby Entertainment
- NAICS
- Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Team Sports Clubs (Football/Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Rugby, Cricket, etc.) (MPAKABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB)
Keywords
Where The Blues is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Blues business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Match-day Revenue: Revenue generated from ticket sales for home games at Eden Park. The club offers premium seating, general admission, and hospitality packages for six men's home games and three women's home games per season.
- Membership Subscriptions: Annual and seasonal membership programs providing ticket access to home games, member-exclusive events, merchandise discounts, and priority access to finals and All Blacks matches. Tiers range from General Admission to Premium with pricing from $38 (kids) to $270 (adults).
- Merchandise Sales: Direct merchandise sales through the official Blues shop including jerseys, apparel, and limited-edition items like the 30th anniversary scarf.
- Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship partnerships including nib (sponsor since 2013 for men's, 2021 for women's), Always Made Special (merchandise partner through 2029), Airwallex (Official Business Finance Partner), and other partners including Barfoot & Thompson, DHL, and various hospitality brands.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | All In Membership - Full season access to all six Blues home games and three nib Blues home matches plus exclusive perks |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Three Game Memberships - Access to three selected home matches |
| Subscription | Annual | Blue Anywhere Membership - Non-ticketed membership for remote fans |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Blues product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Blues is a professional rugby union franchise based in Auckland, New Zealand, that fields a men's team in Super Rugby Pacific and a women's team in Super Rugby Aupiki, competing at Eden Park. The franchise sells match tickets, multi-tier memberships, premium hospitality packages, licensed apparel and merchandise, and runs community rugby programs throughout the Auckland region. Revenue is supplemented by corporate sponsorships and broadcast-related arrangements administered through the New Zealand Rugby framework.
Product overview
The Blues is a professional rugby organization fielding two elite teams: the men's Super Rugby Pacific team and the women's Super Rugby Aupiki team (nib Blues). The organization operates as a club with a product portfolio centered on live rugby experiences, offering various membership tiers (All In, Three Game, and Blue Anywhere) that provide game access and member benefits. Additional offerings include hospitality packages, official merchandise, and community programs such as the nib Junior $10K Relay. The club celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Third consecutive Super Rugby Aupiki title won in 2026
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use The Blues
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Blues technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Blues partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Always Made Special (AMS)coreAlways Made Special (AMS) is a leading New Zealand merchandise and promotions business that has been a partner of the Blues. The partnership has been extended for three years through the end of the 2029 season. AMS delivers premium membership packs, in-stadia giveaways, promotional merchandise, and branded activations for the club. Established as one of New Zealand's largest corporate merchandise and apparel suppliers, AMS is known for trusted partnerships, creative thinking, and sustainable sourcing.
- AirwallexcoreAirwallex is a global financial platform that serves as the Official Business Finance Partner of the Blues and has expanded to become an official partner of the nib Blues women's team. The partnership extension features Airwallex branding on the nib Blues women's playing shorts. Airwallex supports the club's operations with modern spend management and financial solutions. The company has helped more than 1,000 Kiwi startups operate internationally and facilitates approximately NZ$2.4 billion in annual payment flows for New Zealand businesses.
- Barfoot & ThompsonminorBarfoot & Thompson is the presenting partner of the Blues Hall of Fame, which honors the legends and defining moments that have shaped the club since its inception in 1996. The inaugural Hall of Fame event was held at the New Zealand International Convention Centre.
- nib NZcorenib NZ has been a sponsor of the Blues men's team since 2013 and extended sponsorship to the women's team (nib Blues) in 2021. The partnership includes naming rights for the women's team, sponsorship of the nib Junior $10K Relay community program, and various match-day activations. nib has delivered $50,000 in funding to junior clubs and schools over five years through the relay program.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Blues competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chiefs: Hamilton-based New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific franchise, a direct league competitor with comparable matchday, sponsorship, and membership structures, and overlapping corporate sponsor pool in the NZ market.
- Highlanders: Dunedin-based New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific franchise; the Blues signed Cam Millar from the Highlanders ahead of 2027, illustrating direct player-market and on-field competition.
- Hurricanes: Wellington-based New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific franchise, which eliminated the Blues in the 2026 semi-final. Operates a similar membership, hospitality, and merchandise model serving the lower North Island.
- Crusaders: Christchurch-based New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific franchise, the most-decorated Super Rugby club historically and a direct competitor in the same league, with comparable membership, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue models.
- ACT Brumbies: Canberra-based Super Rugby Pacific franchise with a historically strong men's program; shares the league's membership and sponsorship model and competes in the same broadcast rights pool.
- Fijian Drua: Fiji-based Super Rugby Pacific franchise; the nib Blues defeated the Drua 28-21 in the 2026 Aupiki final and play them in the men's competition, making them a recurring direct on-field competitor with similar membership/sponsorship models.
- Queensland Reds: Brisbane-based Super Rugby Pacific franchise and one of the Blues' regular cross-Tasman opponents; operates the same league format with similar matchday, membership, and sponsorship revenue architecture.
- NSW Waratahs: Sydney-based Super Rugby Pacific franchise; another cross-Tasman league peer with comparable professional rugby team operations, memberships, and corporate sponsorship profiles.
- Western Force: Perth-based Super Rugby Pacific franchise and league peer; similar scale and structure with overlapping corporate sponsor categories (finance, logistics) where the Blues' Airwallex and DHL deals have counterparts.
- Moana Pasifika: Auckland-based Super Rugby Pacific franchise competing in the same league, sharing the Blues' regional catchment and stadium footprint (also plays at Eden Park-area venues), making it the closest local competitor for sponsors and fans.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Blues social profiles
Digital presenceThe Blues financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Blues leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Blues subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Blues funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Blues M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Blues
What does The Blues do?
The Blues is a professional rugby union franchise based in Auckland, New Zealand, that fields a men's team in Super Rugby Pacific and a women's team in Super Rugby Aupiki, competing at Eden Park. The franchise sells match tickets, multi-tier memberships, premium hospitality packages, licensed apparel and merchandise, and runs community rugby programs throughout the Auckland region. Revenue is supplemented by corporate sponsorships and broadcast-related arrangements administered through the New Zealand Rugby framework.
Is The Blues a public or private company?
The Blues is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Blues founded?
The Blues was founded in 1996. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Blues based?
The Blues is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does The Blues make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Match-day Revenue is the primary driver. The others are membership Subscriptions, merchandise Sales and sponsorship.
Who are The Blues's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chiefs, Highlanders, Hurricanes, Crusaders, ACT Brumbies, Fijian Drua, Queensland Reds, NSW Waratahs, Western Force and Moana Pasifika.
Does The Blues have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Blues.
What industry is The Blues in?
The Blues's product category is Professional Rugby Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKABAA, Team Sports Clubs (Football/Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Rugby, Cricket, etc.), with a secondary code of MPAGAMAB, Team Sports Matches (Club & National). Its NAICS code is 711211 and its SIC code is 7997.