Blues chief executive Andrew Hore reveals ‘$500k-$1m' surplus but sounds warning about Super Rugby model
Saturday, 8 February 2025
Eden Park final against Chiefs in 2024 delivered windfall.
Lower-drawing semifinal against Brumbies likely incurred a loss.
Hore says NZ Rugby still undervalues Super Rugby’s contribution.
Blues chief executive Andrew Hore has confirmed a profit of “between $500,000 and $1 million” following their title-winning exploits in 2024, but has issued a warning that the current Super Rugby model remains fragile for all clubs.
Super Rugby clubs do not disclose their annual results, but the annual reports of the provincial unions who own a share in them provide the most accurate available insight.
The Auckland Rugby Union, which owns a 38.75% stake in the Blues, released their annual report last month with revenue of $452,000 from “services and fees” from the Blues as a result of that share.
When approached by The Post, Hore confirmed that meant the Blues had an enjoyed a positive year, saying that final surplus was in the $500,000-$1m range.
That is a good result in tough economic times, but Hore said it could have easily gone the other way.
“It’s fragile,” Hore said. “If we hadn't had the final against the Chiefs or that Hurricanes one [in round 12] where we got 26,000 [at Eden Park] it's a loss.
“And this is why we need to encourage the powers that be [New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia] to appreciate that actually there is value in the growth and development of Super Rugby.”
The Blues’ financial fortunes last year, Hore said, actually turned on the Chiefs beating the Hurricanes in the semifinal in Wellington.
That result that meant the Blues would host the final after finishing second on the ladder, behind the Hurricanes but ahead of the Chiefs.
Hore said the payday from the final showed the commercial possibilities in Super Rugby, but believed the competition was not yet set up well enough to reward the Super Rugby clubs.
“Even the quarters and semis don't guarantee profitability at the moment,” Hore said.
“And collectively, the five Super clubs put in over $20 million of investment into the high performance area.
“Also, and we'd be the only professional team in Auckland that has to do this - including Moana Pasifika - we also invest directly back into the community game.
“And that is why Super, under the construct and the model that we've inherited, it's actually vital that we get it right.
“Don’t underestimate how much of a fine line we're on.”
The Blues likely lost money hosting the semifinal against the Brumbies, with the Australian team far less of a draw for Auckland punters.
Hore said that was no slight on the Canberra side, but urged NZR and RA to empower new Super Rugby Pacific chief executive Jack Mesley to elevate the competition to reflect the quality of athletes and teams involved.
“If we can get the competition well-marketed, competitive and packaged for the fan, that’s what we need to focus on,” Hore said.
“As wonderful as I think that [Super Rugby] is, it should be better.”
Mesley is starting to instigate changes such as a belated fantasy competition and a player of the year award, but Hore said the Super Rugby commission needed to have real teeth.
“It can't be masqueraded as something that it's not,” he said. “It's got to be invested in, developed, and the fruits will grow.
“Right across the competition, the way we've set it up is very rugby style, which is about looking after our people [at community level].
“This is why it actually hurts as an administrator when it's not recognised that you can do a lot of good for the game if we actually focused on it.
“That won't all necessarily come from teams in black. It can be teams in black, plus.”
The Auckland Rugby Union, meanwhile, reported a profit of $1.57m for 2024 despite a poor NPC campaign.
The result was buoyed by $1m in test match fees it received from the All Blacks-England and All Blacks-Argentina games at Eden Park.