BlackBull Markets Signs Sponsorship Deal With Auckland FC
Auckland FC has added a hometown partner to its books, signing online broker BlackBull Markets as a premium sponsor ahead of the new A-League Men season.
The deal connects a quick-growing New Zealand financial services firm with the country’s newest football success story. Auckland FC stunned the competition last season by winning the Premiership title in their debut campaign, wrapping up the plate with games to spare.
For BlackBull, the sponsorship is both local and global. The broker is headquartered in Auckland, regulated in New Zealand by the Financial Markets Authority as a derivatives issuer, and operates internationally under a Seychelles licence. Founded in 2014, the company has built a base in forex and contracts-for-difference trading, with clients across Asia-Pacific, Europe and Latin America.
Auckland FC’s ownership links add an extra layer. The & Entertainment, the investment vehicle of US billionaire Bill Foley. Black Knight also owns Premier League side AFC Bournemouth and the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, and has minority stakes in Hibernian in Scotland and FC Lorient in France. Earlier this month, the network expanded again with a reported 25% holding in Croatian champions HNK Rijeka.
That structure allows sponsors to tap into cross-club exposure, pre-season tours and content networks that reach beyond New Zealand. But for BlackBull, the draw is also about visibility at home. Go Media Stadium in Auckland regularly drew strong crowds during the club’s inaugural season, and the title win gave the team a national profile in a market long dominated by Wellington Phoenix.
Sports a sharper business in New Zealand in the past 18 months. Rugby, once unchallenged as the main commercial code, has viewn partners rethink spending later than flagging audiences and governance troubles. Football’s surge, particularly Auckland’s fairytale first season, has created a new shop window for companies looking for clean exposure and younger demographics.
BlackBull has experimented before with brand-building beyond finance, including local philanthropic projects. The Auckland FC tie-up is its most visible sports play yet. Sponsorship details have not been disclosed, but the club lists the broker as a “Premium Partner,” a tier that usually involves front-of-house branding, matchday activation rights and digital media inventory.
Auckland FC themselves have been busy off the pitch. In September the club announced new logistics and technology partners, refreshing its commercial roster before the 2025-26 season kicks off. With the side defending the Premiers Plate and Foley’s multi-club empire deepening, the rights package is far more valuable than a year ago.
The context is not lost on fans. The team’s debut in October 2024 drew more than 20,000 to Go Media Stadium, and crowds stayed solid through the season as Auckland raced past rivals to clinch the title. When Melbourne City dropped points in the run-in, Auckland secured the trophy with two matches to spare, making headlines across the A-League.
For BlackBull, being on that ride provides access to audiences that go well beyond its usual circle of traders. For the club, it adds another local name to an expanding sponsor stable, balancing the international reach of Foley’s network with homegrown backing.
