Athletics New Zealand

What Athletics New Zealand does

Athletics New Zealand Inc. (Athletics NZ) is the national governing body for athletics in New Zealand, operating as a not-for-profit incorporated society headquartered in Auckland and serving as the country's sole member federation of World Athletics. The organisation oversees the complete athletics pathway across track and field, road running, cross country, and para-athletics — from foundation programmes for children (ASB Get Set Go for ages 3–8, ASB Run Jump Throw for ages 6–11, Colgate Games for ages 7–14, Launch Athletics for ages 14–16) through community club participation in a 160+ club network spanning 11 regional centres, to high performance programmes (Elite Performance Squad, Performance Potential Squad, Performance Development Initiatives) producing Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth Games, and World Championship athletes.

The organisation's product portfolio includes foundation youth programmes, the āhei Digital Planning Platform (free coaching tool with session plans, video library, progress tracking, and a para-athlete Adaptations System launched October 2025), the Athletics NZ E-Learning Portal (integrated with World Athletics WARECS and ANZ-developed courses), national championship events (Track & Field, Road, Cross Country), the Colgate Games North and South Island, and team selection/management for major international events including the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Core technology integrations include the GameDay member management platform (profile.mygameday.app/athleticsnz), Flicket ticketing for spectator sales, and the World Athletics eLearning system — no proprietary AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

The business model is a mixed non-profit revenue stack: (i) recurring club, coach (Community Coach, Accredited Coach), and official membership fees; (ii) transaction-based event entry fees across national championships, Colgate Games, and the Rotorua Marathon; and (iii) sponsorship, naming-rights, kit, media, and government grant revenue from partners including ASB (flagship strategic partner), Douglas Pharmaceuticals, Puma (kit), Colgate-Palmolive (sponsor since 1978), NZME (media), Go Media (outdoor), Matthews Eyecare, Auckland City Toyota, plus Sport New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand for high performance funding. The organisation is led by CEO Cam Mitchell with a 7-member volunteer board chaired by Courtney Ireland, operates with 63 paid employees supplemented by 2,000+ weekly volunteers, and receives no private equity or venture capital funding.

Name

Athletics New Zealand

Legal name

Athletics New Zealand Inc.

Website

https://athletics.org.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Athletics New Zealand is the national governing body for athletics in New Zealand, operating a 160+ club network across 11 regional centres that delivers the full pathway from grassroots foundation programmes (ages 3–16) to elite Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games representation for over 20,000 athletes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Sports Federation

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Olympic & Multi-Sport Governing Bodies (IOC/IPC, Continental Games Federations) (MPAKAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Anti-Doping & Integrity Bodies (WADA, match-fixing/integrity units) (MPAKAFAJ), Strength & Conditioning / Athletic Performance Training (HSADAEAB), Athletics Compliance, Eligibility & Governance (EDALAIAJ)

Keywords

• Athletics governing body
• Youth athletics programs
• High performance athletics
• Athletics coaching education
• Track and field events

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Club Membership Fees: Revenue from affiliated club memberships, coach memberships (Community Coach and Accredited Coach), official memberships, and community volunteer memberships. The club network supports 20,000+ athletes.
2. Event Entry Fees: Entry fees for national championships, Colgate Games, road championships, cross country championships, and other competitive events across track and field, road running, and cross country disciplines.
3. Sponsorship and Partnership Revenue: Strategic partnerships with ASB (naming rights for foundation programmes), Douglas Pharmaceuticals, Puma (kit), Colgate-Palmolive, NZME, Go Media, Matthews Eyecare, and Auckland City Toyota provide commercial revenue and in-kind support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Athletics New Zealand is the national governing body for athletics in New Zealand, organizing and developing the sport across all disciplines from grassroots to elite high performance. The organization delivers a network of 160+ affiliated clubs supporting over 20,000 athletes, foundation programs for children aged 3-11 (ASB Get Set Go and ASB Run Jump Throw), high performance athlete pathways for international competition, national events including the Colgate Games, and digital coaching tools including the āhei platform and E-Learning Portal.

Product overview

Athletics New Zealand operates as a national governing body offering a multi-tiered product portfolio spanning grassroots participation to elite competition. The core offering includes a network of 160+ affiliated clubs supporting over 20,000 athletes. Youth engagement is driven through foundation programmes ASB Run Jump Throw (ages 6-11) and ASB Get Set Go (ages 3-8), supported by the āhei digital coaching platform. The flagship youth event is the Colgate Games (North and South Island) for ages 7-14. High performance pathway includes Elite Performance Squad (EPS), Performance Potential Squad (PPS), and Performance Development Initiatives (PDI). Additional offerings include an E-Learning portal, Launch Athletics for teens, and major events including the Commonwealth Games team selections and Rotorua Marathon.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Club Athletics Network Network of 160+ athletics clubs across New Zealand supporting over 20,000 athletes of all ages and abilities, linking into regional and national events structure.
• ASB Run Jump Throw Foundation athletics program designed for 6-11 year olds, developing athletics-specific skills in a fun, inclusive way using modified equipment and games.
• ASB Get Set Go Foundation movement program for children aged 3-8 years providing developmentally appropriate activities for developing lifelong movement skills including physical, cognitive, and social-emotional skills.
• āhei Digital Planning Platform Free digital coaching platform for affiliated clubs that helps coaches and volunteers deliver Run Jump Throw and Get Set Go sessions with video library, session plans, progress tracking, and inclusive adaptations system.
• Colgate Games Annual athletics event for children aged 7-14 years held in both North Island and South Island locations, providing competition and participation opportunities with medals for 10-14 year olds.
• Athletics NZ E-Learning Portal Online learning portal containing courses from Athletics NZ and World Athletics, webinars, and a library of club, officials, and coaching resources.
• Launch Athletics Showcase experience for 14-16 year old athletes featuring a fast-paced 3-hour program with team-based competition, music, food, and entertainment.
• Elite Performance Squad (EPS) High performance programme for established athletes demonstrating capability to perform with distinction at senior pinnacle competitions.
• Performance Potential Squad (PPS) High performance programme for more established athletes preparing to enter the high performance environment and tracking toward senior pinnacle competitions.
• Performance Development Initiatives (PDI) Programme providing emerging athletes and coaches with opportunities to develop skills, knowledge, and experiences needed to progress within the Athletics NZ pathway.
• Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games New Zealand athletics team participation in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland from July 23 to August 2, 2026, with 21 athletes selected for the team.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ clubs mentioned on homepage, with 160+ cited elsewhere, supporting 20,000+ athletes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• ASBflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026ASB is the strategic partner of Athletics NZ with support spanning the full athletics pathway from grassroots (ASB Run Jump Throw and ASB Get Set Go naming rights) through to elite athletes on the international stage. The partnership helps Athletics NZ grow participation, strengthen community programmes, equip coaches and teachers, and back New Zealand athletes at world events.
• Douglas PharmaceuticalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Community Partner and naming sponsor of the Sir Graeme Douglas International track meet. Named in memory of Sir Graeme Douglas after whom the event venue is also named.
• PumacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Kit Partner providing high-performance and high-tech athletic gear to New Zealand's top athletes competing on the world stage. Puma is a leading global sports brand designing and manufacturing footwear, apparel and accessories.
• Colgate-PalmolivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Colgate Games since 1978, making it one of the longest continuous sports sponsorships in New Zealand. Supports the iconic youth athletics event for athletes aged 7-14 years with both North and South Island Games.
• NZMEcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Media Partner providing media expertise across radio, print and digital. Supports promotion of major events including NZ Track & Field Championships, Sir Graeme Douglas International, and Red Stag Rotorua Marathon, plus annual member recruitment campaigns.
• Go MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Outdoor Media Partner since 2021, donating outdoor digital billboard space to promote grassroots athletics, Colgate Games, national championships, and member recruitment campaigns nationwide.
• Matthews EyecareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner, a third-generation family-owned optometry group founded in 1957. Largest independent optometry group in New Zealand with passion for community health and wellbeing.
• Auckland City ToyotaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Vehicle Partner providing reliable, innovative vehicles to support both athletes and event logistics. Aligned with Toyota NZ's commitment to grassroots sports and local community support.
• World AthleticsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal governing body for athletics. Athletics NZ is a World Athletics member, tasked with enhancing and promoting all aspects of athletics activity in New Zealand. Provides international competition pathways, rules, education systems (WARECS), and world championship opportunities.
• Oceania Athletics AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional athletics confederation. Athletics NZ participates in Oceania championships and events as the pathway to world-level competition.
• Sport New ZealandcoreOthersGovernment agency dedicated to promoting sport and recreation in New Zealand. Provides resources, research, and guidance for parents, coaches, volunteers, and youth sport development.
• High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ)flagshipOthersGovernment agency providing high performance sport system leadership. Supports Athletics NZ HP athletes with funding, athlete support services, and infrastructure including medical, physiotherapy, nutrition, and psychology services.
• Paralympics New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational governing body for para sport. Athletics NZ supports para athletes through dedicated Para Athletes programme with classification support and pathway to Paralympic Games.
• New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Olympic committee. Athletics NZ nominates athletes for Olympic Games teams and participates in long list processes for Games teams.
• New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletics (NZSSAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganises NZ Secondary Schools Athletics Championships annually and selects teams for international secondary school age group competitions.
• New Zealand Masters AthleticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts annual national athletics championships for masters athletes (35+ years). Athletics NZ supports this segment through club network and event calendar integration.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Athletics Australia: National governing body for athletics in Australia — the closest peer given shared trans-Tasman governance structure, World Athletics membership, similar high performance pathways, and community club-led delivery model.
• Athletics Canada: National federation for athletics in Canada, delivering a comparable pathway from grassroots programmes to Olympic and Paralympic teams with affiliated clubs and a coach/official education system.

Broad incumbents

• USA Track & Field: Larger, more commercially developed US national federation running comparable grassroots-to-elite programmes, with significantly greater sponsorship scale and event production capability.
• UK Athletics: National governing body for athletics in the UK with a broadly analogous structure of affiliated clubs, coach education, and high performance support — a meaningfully larger but structurally similar organisation.

Regional players

• Scottish Athletics: Regional governing body for athletics within Scotland, with a comparable member club network, coaching pathways, and event calendar — operates in a different geography but with similar scope and scale.
• Swimming New Zealand: Another New Zealand national sport organisation operating an analogous community-to-elite pathway with affiliated clubs, coach accreditation, and HPSNZ-backed high performance programmes.
• Athletics Ireland: National governing body for athletics in Ireland with a comparable club network, high performance pathway, and country-level World Athletics affiliation — instructive peer for a small-market federation.

Others

• World Athletics: Global governing body of which Athletics NZ is a member federation — provides the international rule framework, education systems (WARECS), and world championship pathways that Athletics NZ operates within.
• High Performance Sport New Zealand: Government Crown agency providing high performance funding and athlete support services to Athletics NZ and other national sport organisations — a key funding and infrastructure partner rather than a competitor.
• Sport New Zealand: Government agency funding community sport delivery that Athletics NZ relies on — provides policy guidance, research, and resources rather than competing directly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@athleticsnz_nz

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Athletics New Zealand