Captain Kieran Read is likely to become the first All Black to earn more than NZ$1 million (US$721,675) per season in pure salary after New Zealand Rugby (NZR) agreed a major pay boost under a collective agreement with its Players’ Association.
In a move detailed yesterday, New Zealand Rugby agreed to boost its player payment pool by NZ$70 million from NZ$120 million to NZ$190 million over the next three years.
The boost recognizes increases in sponsorship and broadcast revenue, including an estimated NZ$40 million windfall from next year’s British and Irish Lions Tour, and is designed to protect New Zealand’s leading players from raids by overseas clubs.
Read comes off contract next year and is poised to announce a new deal through the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which could take him past the NZ$1 million barrier.
Former captain Richie McCaw and star flyhalf Dan Carter are thought to have earned more than NZ$1 million from salaries and endorsements, but Read’s seven-figure payment would be salary alone, before other earnings.
Many players would benefit, as New Zealand Rugby has set aside NZ$24.8 million for top-ups to players salaries from Super Rugby and provincial contracts, an increase of NZ$8.9 million on the previous agreement.
Player revenue-sharing accounts for about 36.5 percent of the body’s income from broadcasting and sponsorship.
“We’re really pleased to be in a position where the game has grown its revenue overall,” contracts manager Chris Lendrum said. “This collective was about delivering to the players their fair share of that money, because they’ve been so important earning it and then determining what the most efficient way to spend all that money was.”
Lock Brodie Retallick and winger Julian Savea are thought to be among the top earners in the current All Blacks team at about NZ$800,000 annually. However, rich overseas clubs continue to pursue New Zealand’s top players and the latest increases reflect New Zealand Rugby’s determination to repel those offers.
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