Black Foils Acquired By MSP; All 13 SailGP Teams Now Privately Owened

A landmark moment for SailGP and the New Zealand team ahead of the Canada Sail Grand Prix

Published 06/19/2026

The New Zealand SailGP Team returns to the start line in Canada this weekend and will mark their return by becoming the 13th and final member of the fleet to be acquired by third-party partners after MSP Sports Capital secured a majority stake.

This deal represents MSP’s first foray into SailGP, adding to an already exciting multi-sport portfolio that includes Premier League football club Everton, McLaren Racing Formula 1 team and the X Games League.

SailGP Co-Founder and CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “This is a very significant milestone for SailGP – and one we set out to reach from the very beginning. The goal of SailGP has always been to build something that world-class investors and sports operators would want to own – to have MSP Sports Capital, led by Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad, join our ownership group is further validation of that vision.”

The Black Foils become the final team to be acquired privately thanks to growing interest in SailGP. Hollywood A-listers Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds purchased the BONDS Flying Roos last season, while Anne Hathaway is part of the investment group behind the Red Bull Italy team. Real Madrid and France striker Kylian Mbappé has a stake in DS Automobiles France, too.

Jahm Najafi, Chairman, MSP Sports Capital added: “SailGP is one of the fastest-growing sports leagues in the world, and we are thrilled to partner with Russell Coutts and the SailGP organization. We believe the New Zealand team is one of its flagship franchises.”

The U.S. SailGP Team was purchased in 2023 for what was then the highest price in the league’s history. Led by Marc Lasry’s Avenue Sports Fund, CEO and Team Principal Mike Buckley and former Uber chief engineer Ryan McKillen and his wife Maggie, the diverse group of backers include actor Issae Rae, Olympian Lindsey Vonn, NFL wideout DeAndre Hopkins and soccer star Jozy Altidore.

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