Revealed: The business behind Auckland Football Club

• Auckland Football Club aims for financial break-even in a few years, focusing on fans and players.
• The club is backed by investors including Bill Foley, Anna Mowbray and Stephen Adams.
• They’ve built the business rely less on broadcasting revenue, unlike traditional sporting codes like rugby.

On the cusp of closing a successful first season and hoping on a home turf final game, the fresh A-League Auckland Football Club (AFC) is targeting financial break-even in a few years’ time.

The club is backed by American businessman and billionaire Bill Foley, with the remainder shared by a stacked syndicate of investors, including Zuru co-founder Anna Mowbray, ex-All Black Ali Williams, NBA superstar Stephen Adams and former All Whites players including Allbirds co-founder Tim Brown.

“We will in year one, in year two, lose money, but we’ve actually carved out a pathway to sustainability - to break even - without relying heavily across broadcast money,” AFC chief executive Nick Becker told Markets with Madison.

“Which is … completely different to other codes."

AFC chief executive Nick Becker.

Fandom

The core business of the club was based on fans and players, Becker explained.

The former has three tiers (we’ll get to the latter later on).

“We’ve got hardcore fans, we’ve got families, and then we’ve got ‘main eventers’.

“Our research shows that people need to come to three or four games before they even start considering a membership.”

The club strategically invests in its match-day experience to entice all ends of the fan spectrum, with its VIP Black Knight Club membership lounge having both family-friendly and adult activities on offer.

“At one end of it we’ve got a kids fan zone, at the other end of it we’ve got a cocktail bar.

“Premium experiences at sport in New Zealand have a long way to catch up to other countries.”

Its most extreme fans in the crowd were involved in The Port - AFC’s hardcore fan club - which Becker said was built completely organically.

Fans before the Auckland FC vs Wellington Phoenix football match at Go Media Mt Smart stadium, Auckland. Photo /Sylvie Whinray

Players

Becker stays out of what happens on the field.

The team is led by AFC’s football director Terry McFlynn and head coach Steve Corica.

“They’re the experts.

“We look at the actual business side of it all, we [the executives] are not sitting there going, ‘can you play right wing?‘, ‘have you got a good shot?‘.”

Although he noted player transfers could be lucrative for the club long-term.

“The big and hardest job is everything else,” Becker joked.

Markets with Madison goes behind the business of Auckland Football Club with CEO Nick Becker (right) in today's episode above.

Sponsorship

That includes securing sponsorship from big brands, namely Anchor milk, ANZ, 2 Degrees, McDonalds, New Balance and NZME’s New Zealand Herald, among others.

Plus, a place for the team to play and train in Auckland’s Go Media stadium (formerly known as Mt Smart Stadium) and North Harbour Stadium.

Another, although less resilient, revenue stream for the club comes from broadcasting.

Becker described the existing rights deal as “dreadful”.

“It’s quite publicly known to be a very bad deal.

“So we’ve actually had to pivot and had to look at different revenue streams.

“It’s always going be a core revenue stream for sport, without a doubt, [but] I think what we’re seeing now is a sort of change from your traditional Sky Sports model to the streamers coming in.”

Bill Foley is the majority shareholder of AFC and owner of NZX-listed Foley Wines. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Ownership

“Bill’s been investing in New Zealand for over 20 years,” Becker said of the club’s majority owner.

AFC adds to Bill Foley’s existing hospitality ventures here, such as listed New Zealand company Foley Wines, which made a $1m net profit in the six months to the end of December 2024.

The AFC is not Foley’s first foray into sports team ownership.

He also owns the Vegas Golden Knights team in America’s National Hockey League (NHL), AFC Bournemouth in the English Premier League and has a stake in French club FC Lorient.

So when will the AFC make a full return on investment for its backers, and will that require an eventual shareholder sale?

Watch the full interview with Nick Becker and go behind the business of Auckland Football Club, in today’s episode of Markets with Madison above.

Get investment insights from executives and experts on Markets with Madison every Monday and Friday here on the NZ Herald, on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this programme is of a general nature, and is not intended to be personalised financial advice. We encourage you to seek appropriate advice from a qualified professional to suit your individual circumstances.

Madison Malone (nee Reidy) is host and executive producer of the NZ Herald’s investment show Markets with Madison. She joined the Herald in 2022 after working in investment, and has covered business and economics for television and radio broadcasters.