In July it was claimed that there had been massive job losses at the British Basketball League. But our focus here will be on a similar situation in another leading sport. That same month, the i reported that Rugby Football League and Rugby League Commercial, the organisations at the top of the game, were likely to make at least ten members of staff redundant. The big clubs are not happy with how the sport is being run; in particular, the marketing company IMG is being paid £450,000 a year, but so far to little effect, with no new sponsors found and TV coverage reduced.
Rugby league is the eighth most popular sport in the UK, but Super League attendances average well below ten thousand. Financially, the sport is not in great shape. In 2022 every Super League club in England lost money, the total (after tax) being over £12m; this figure excludes Catalans Dragons, who play in Perpignan in France. The largest loss was of £2.5m at Huddersfield Giants, and the smallest, at Salford Red Devils, was still over half a million. Salford may be helped out if the local council take full ownership of the Community Stadium where they play. Wigan Warriors had an operating loss of over £1m, from a turnover of £6.6m (they lost over £1.75m in 2021). Government support during Covid has been ended, and the loans involved are now having to be repaid.
Bradford Bulls, who play in the Championship as a part-time club, make use of a corporate hospitality suite to boost their income. The owners put in cash, and insist on keeping the elite academy, which costs £140,000 a year to run. Wakefield Trinity were the top-spending team in the Championship: they had been relegated from the Super League, have an extremely rich backer, and are still full-time, though they may have to leave their Belle Vue stadium, as it does not comply with current standards.
Central funding has decreased quite drastically, largely because of a cut in TV coverage. In League One – the lowest of the three tiers – Swinton Lions, for instance, have suffered a reduction in central funding of £150,000 since 2021. In 2023, West Wales Raiders, based in Llanelli, withdrew from the league. In the last few decades, attempts to expand the sport to clubs in Blackpool, Chorley, Nottingham and Sheffield have all been unsuccessful.
Three clubs, including Bedford Tigers, have applied to join League One next season. So maybe league can still expand beyond its traditional heartlands, but it will probably be a struggle.
Paul Bennett
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