The last road block to New Zealand Rugby signing a $200 million deal with US private equity firm Silver Lake has been removed, with the 26 unions and the Maori Board voting in favour of the deal in Auckland yesterday.
The deal will see Silver Lake invest $200 million in a new commercial entity that will control all revenue-generating assets of NZR.
The provincial unions had wanted any cap on the amount of money they would receive from future revenue removed, a seat on the CommercialCo board, like the players association and more clarity around how the money would protect the future of the community game.
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson spoke to Susie Ferguson.
