Ric Salizzo

Ric Salizzo

Ric Salizzo is the driving force behind some of New Zealand's most iconic moments in sport and entertainment.

A true visionary, Ric has proved himself time and time again as a master audience builder and sports specialist.

His journey began as the first ever All Blacks media manager, where he produced the groundbreaking behind-the-scenes documentary The Good, The Bad and The Rugby to critical acclaim.

Beyond the field Ric has produced two of New Zealand's longest running and most popular sports shows (Sports Cafe and The Crowd Goes Wild), demonstrating an innate understanding of what captivates audiences.

Ric's creativity extends beyond sports, as evidenced by his role in conceiving two chart-topping music-sport collaborations. A best-selling author, he brings his storytelling prowess to life, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of sports, entertainment, and culture.

With a seat on the board of Blues Rugby and a background in sports management, Ric has been at the forefront of strategic decision-making in the sports realm.

For the last five years Ric has been the CEO of Rugby United in New York - and at the cutting edge of the latest innovations in sports media and marketing.

Ric has seen it all in sport and has the stories to prove it. His keynote speech entertains, informs and inspires, and will leave your audience wanting more.

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Ric Salizzo: The Forrest Gump of NZ sport

Episode 88

Ric Salizzo is New Zealand sports broadcasting royalty – journalist, television presenter and producer – turned rugby consultant in New York.

Ric started his career as a journalist with TVNZ before becoming the All Blacks’ first ever media liaison officer in 1992. Prior to that he pioneered sports media coverage producing the behind-the-scenes documentary The Good, the Bad and the Rugby which kickstarted a series of follow ups over the years.

After four years inside the All Blacks camp he then created, and hosted the wildly popular Sports Café, a cult hit which ran for 11 years creating some memorable TV moments and turned Marc Ellis and Leigh Hart into household names. He then moved behind the camera as the executive producer of The Crowd Goes Wild, which has been running for 16 years.

Now based in New York working in Major League Rugby, Ric shared some of the best bits from his career.