MSP Sports Capital has taken a majority stake in the Black Foils, New Zealand’s SailGP team led by Olympic champions Peter Burling and Blair Tuke.
The deal brings MSP into SailGP for the first time, adding the New Zealand team to a portfolio that includes or has included McLaren Racing, Everton FC and the X Games League. MSP was founded by investor-operators Jeff Moorad and Jahm Najafi, who between them have backgrounds across the MLB, NBA, NFL, Formula 1 and European football.
Burling and Tuke will stay on as Co-CEOs, continuing to run the team day to day both on and off the water.
“Today’s an incredibly important milestone for the Black Foils, and the start of an exciting new chapter for us in SailGP as we represent New Zealand on the world stage,” Burling said. “MSP are world-class partners, with an understanding of elite sport and what it takes to build something that lasts.”
Tuke said he and Burling set out from the start to build the Black Foils into a world-class team and sporting brand. “We are thrilled to partner with MSP and work towards that goal and continue to grow the team. We wouldn’t be at this point without the support and effort of a big group of people, and we also want to acknowledge them today.”
MSP Chairman Jahm Najafi called SailGP one of the fastest-growing sports leagues in the world and said the New Zealand team was viewed as one of its flagship franchises. MSP CEO Jeff Moorad said the goal was straightforward: win championships, represent New Zealand at the highest level and build on the country’s sailing culture.
The sale means all 13 SailGP teams are now owned by strategic third-party partners, completing the league’s shift away from the centrally-owned model it launched under in favour of private team ownership. SailGP was founded by Oracle’s Larry Ellison and Sir Russell Coutts.
It follows a run of ownership changes across the 2026 season, including Quantum Pacific’s purchase of the Spain SailGP Team, the sale of Rockwool Racing to Orlando Magic owner Doug DeVos, and last year’s Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds backed takeover of the Australian team, the Bonds Flying Roos.
SailGP Co-Founder and CEO Sir Russell Coutts described the sale as a significant milestone for the league. “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 return to racing this weekend at the Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax, Canada.
VIDEO: Blair Tuke dockside in Halifax “A new chapter, and a really exciting one”
