NRL open to buying Super League rugby after record revenues
Australia’s rugby league competition the NRL could buy England’s Super League after posting record revenues of £377m.
Australian Rugby League Commission chief Peter V’landys said they’d be open to buying the Super League if the cash-strapped English game approached the NRL.
made a net profit of nearly £50m in their latest accounts, which included games in Las Vegas.
The league will return to Sin City next month with the Super League also hosting a match, alongside an England versus Australia women’s Ashes match.
“That’s if they want us,” V’landys said. “The first thing is there’s always two people to an agreement. If they want us, we’ll certainly look at it.
“If they approached us, we’d certainly look at it. At this stage they haven’t approached us, but we’re a firm believer in having a strong game in England and we’re a firm believer in the international game.
“You can’t have an international game without England. I don’t want to breach any confidentiality, but it’s important for us that the game in the United Kingdom is strong. At the moment, it’s got its challenges.”
The NRL saw broadcast figures of 22.5m across Australia and New Zealand during last season with nearly 5m people attending a match.
Wigan Warriors, who will join Warrington Wolves in Las Vegas next month, last season won the quadruple, including the World Club Challenge.
It marked two consecutive seasons in which a Super League side won the tournament, after St Helens won in 2023. Both teams beat Penrith Panthers with Wigan winning at home and the Saints Down Under.
Wigan’s showpiece match drew 24,000 fans, the highest in the figure since 31,500 watched Sydney Roosters beat the Warriors in 2014 and the largest in England Leeds Rhinos toppled Melbourne Storm in 2008.
The Super League continues this weekend, while Donald Trump has been invited to the Las Vegas showpiece.