In October 2025 Karl Budge was appointed as the new Blues CEO. 

Budge has previously served as the CEO of the ASB Classic, and been involved in the New Zealand Olympic Committee, SailGP, and the New Zealand Rugby Board. 

He joined Jason Pine to chat about plans and strategies for the Blues in 2026. 

On his relationship with other Rugby Union CEO's Budge said, "there's 80% that we get on like a house on fire, and want to collaborate and work together, and then there's 20% that we want to flog each other - and I quite like that dynamic."

LISTEN ABOVE