New Zealand Rugby is targeting a US payday exceeding $10m for an upcoming All Blacks test in 2028, following a record-breaking fixture against South Africa in Baltimore.
New Zealand Rugby is aggressively expanding its footprint in the United States after discovering that the All Blacks brand can fill iconic American stadiums regardless of the opponent. The recent test between the All Blacks and the Springboks at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore is believed to have delivered a record payday.
Baltimore Record Crowd Drives Commercial Strategy
The Baltimore fixture drew a crowd of 68,000 tickets sold at M&T Bank Stadium, marking a record rugby crowd in the US. Data tracking showed that tickets were purchased across all 50 states alongside seven Canadian provinces. While estimates suggest that about 90% of the spectators were supporting South Africa, New Zealand Rugby maintains that the allure of the All Blacks remains the primary driver of these high sales.
Ticket pricing for the Baltimore test also showed strong commercial demand. Primary release ticket prices were 20% higher on average than the prices for the match against Ireland in Chicago the previous year, while secondary tranche prices climbed significantly higher.
Targeting $10m-Plus Paydays and West Coast Venues
Building on these financial returns, New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Lancaster outlined ambitious plans for future fixtures in the United States leading up to the Rugby World Cup and beyond.
We’re in talks currently about a fixture here next year in the US, it’ll be in another state. We would like to be here every year leading up to the World Cup and beyond. It’s a very important market for New Zealand Rugby, it has proven successful every time we’ve come here and we want to keep building on that.
Steve Lancaster, NZR chief executive
While a potential match in Florida next year carries concerns over summer heat during a World Cup year, the All Blacks are almost certainly returning to the US in 2028. For that fixture, organisers are looking at an iconic venue with sufficient capacity to clear $10m-plus if sold out. Additional fixtures are projected for 2029 and 2030, with Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry scheduled to return to New Zealand in 2030 alongside an agreement for a fourth test at a neutral venue on the US West Coast—such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Seattle, which offer a one-leg direct flight from New Zealand.
Shifting Away From Promoter Risks
This US expansion is part of a broader push by New Zealand Rugby to take greater control of event promotion, ticket sales, and marketing to secure a larger share of match-day income. In 2016, when the All Blacks played Ireland, NZR charged a flat fee of $3m and left the promotion and financial risk to a third-party promoter.
With a small domestic population of five million people creating a finite commercial base, offshore fixtures have become an essential tool for revenue growth. Last year, 47% of NZR income came from sponsorships, 31% from media rights, and just 11% from match days—an inverse profile compared to England, which generates roughly 70% of revenue from match days.
We have got ambition and imperatives to maximise return. We have also got a small population and market with five million people. It’s a finite commercial base. So we need to take games offshore to maximise engagement and interest and grow the global fanbase. This market is really important to us.
Steve Lancaster, NZR chief executive
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