By Michael Chammas
London: The NRL has left the door open for a partnership with the Super League after what was described as an “exceptional” meeting in London on Tuesday.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo and ARLC chairman Peter V’landys arrived for talks with Rugby Football League and Super League club representatives prepared to walk away from a mooted deal due to months of procrastination.
However, informed sources said the meeting had been productive, with the NRL bosses now set to return home to Australia for a period of consultation over a potential arrangement that would see them take control of the competition in Europe.
“It was a very postive meeting, and we now have a road forward,” V’landys said. “We will go back and discuss with our stakeholders before working out the next step. The good thing is we now have a way forward. The meeting went exceptionally well.”
Abdo and V’landys met with representatives of Hull FC, Wigan and Warrington as well as the Rugby Football Leaguein London on Tuesday afternoon (Wednesday morning, AEST).
RFL senior executive director Nigel Wood was also in attendance and echoed the sentiment of V’landys.
“The RFL, RL Commercial and representatives from the Betfred Super League clubs met with Peter V’Landys and Andrew Abdo who are in England for the revival of the Ashes series,” Wood said.
“It was an excellent meeting, positive and progressive in every way, with much to build on. We look forward to discussions continuing.”
The NRL opened talks with club owners from Warrington and Wigan during the Las Vegas season opener in February and has been debating the idea of partnering up with the Super League.
This masthead revealed in April that the NRL agreed to consider a proposal to buy a 33 per cent stake in the Super League on the proviso it gets complete administrative control of the struggling competition from 2028 as part of a bid to grow the sport internationally.
The fans at the Super League grand final won by Hull KR.Credit: Getty
English clubs have been contemplating their next move and presented their views to NRL powerbrokers on Tuesday.
The meeting in Las Vegas at the start of the year was driven by Wigan owner Mike Danson and Warrington owner Simon Moran, who see the value in the NRL stamping its authority over the competition to help grow the sport in the United Kingdom and Europe.
However, the two clubs have been talking to their English counterparts, who aren’t all convinced that Super League should relinquish control without a major financial investment from the NRL.
While V’landys and Abdo have been happy to entertain the potential partnership deal out of respect to Danson and Moran, Tuesday’s meeting proved to them that it’s not just two clubs who want the NRL involved in the running of the competition.
Wigan Warriors fans outside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas earlier in the year.Credit: Getty
The NRL was concerned that self-interest could derail any potential for a deal given that it requires the blessing of all clubs to strike an agreement, however they left the meeting comfortable with the state of play.
The six powerful clubs – St Helens, Warrington Wolves, Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos, Hull Kingston Rovers, and Hull FC – have indicated a willingness to be part of the discussions.
However, some clubs are concerned that the NRL will reduce the competition from the recently expanded 14 teams to just 10 and don’t want to risk being cut from the top level of the competition.
Kangaroos assistant coach Willie Peters, who led Hull KR to premiership glory earlier this month, encouraged the clubs to be open-minded to an NRL investment.
“Of course, yeah,” he said when asked about the NRL’s potential involvement.
Willie Peters celebrates this month’s Super League premiership with Hull KR.Credit: Getty
“The game in Australia has evolved so much under their leadership, and I think it can only help. You’d be having conversations. You’d be wise to have conversations and go from there. There’s no doubt that if the NRL got involved, it would only add to the game over here.”
The NRL’s willingness to listen isn’t purely motivated by finances, but rather a desire to grow the game in both England and internationally on the back of a decade of growth in the Pacific region.
The purchase of a stake in the Super League would allow the NRL to go to market in the upcoming broadcast negotiations with a truly international product to sell.
The NRL fears that the game in England will continue to lose relevance if left to its own devices.
The recent success of ticket sales for the Ashes Tour in England – selling out both the new Everton Stadium and Headingley and setting a new UK Ashes record at Wembley Stadium over the weekend – has heightened the NRL’s enthusiasm.
Super League clubs were also made aware that Abdo and V’landys met with IMG powerbrokers in London on Monday.
IMG has a partnership with the Super League that stems back to 2022 when a 12-year strategic partnership with was struck to help sell the sport and its competitions in the UK.
IMG is owned by TKO Group Holdings, an American sports and sports entertainment company that owns UFC and WWE.
The NRL is in the process of mapping out its potential broadcast options and is believed to be meeting with IMG about how to work with them on a new television and streaming deal.
Abdo and V’landys also met with DAZN chief executive Shay Segev, who watched the opening game of the Ashes series at Wembley Stadium with the NRL bosses on Saturday.
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