RFL should ‘walk away laughing’ from NRL offer with brutal verdict given

One of rugby league’s leading player agents, once strongly tipped to become the new chief executive of the Rugby Football League, has delivered a blunt verdict on the sport’s current approach to investment and its broadcasting deal — insisting neither will reverse Super League’s fortunes.

Graeme Taylor, who represents some of the competition’s biggest names, enjoyed significant support from clubs and senior figures across the game for the top job.

Central to Taylor’s vision was securing meaningful investment that would genuinely develop the product rather than merely prop up the status quo.

Speaking to Love Rugby League, Taylor said: “Let’s get the central truth out of the way first: investment is non-negotiable. We cannot hide from it. But accepting any cheque just because it’s waved in our faces is suicide.

“If the publicly reported figure of £31 million over five years is real, we should walk away laughing. That’s less than £500,000 a club. Do any of us seriously believe that stops an owner writing another cheque of their own? Of course it doesn’t. It’s a sticking plaster on a gaping wound.

“The only investment worth taking is one that develops the product so the next wave of money actually wants to come in. Here’s the allocation that matters, League Transformation & Growth, at least £25 million:
• Technology upgrade:
• Strategic hires and key roles
• Marketing:
• Super League rebrand:
• On-field visual and matchday experience:
• Innovation and next-level development:
• Player profile and brand building:

“That is how you make the sport saleable. The NRL didn’t sprinkle a few hundred grand on clubs and watch the product magically improve. They built something consistent and professional.”

He continued: “Look at our clubs. We should operate like franchises. Walk into a McDonald’s anywhere in the world and you know exactly what you’re getting. In European rugby league we all flip burgers, but one club is the Knightsbridge flagship and another is the industrial-estate burger van. Then we act surprised when they don’t grow the sport or at the same rate. Consistency of standard is not optional. It is the product.

“Is the centre currently fit for purpose? Do we have the right people? Hungry people? People who will drive the game harder rather than manufacture excuses? In too many cases the answer is no. Not always because of the individuals themselves, often because the structure is
under-staffed, decisions are deferred out of fear, or people ended up in roles by default rather than design. Fear of making the hard call is killing us.”

That has impacted the sport’s ability to get a stronger broadcast deal.

“Sky Sports know the landscape,” Taylor said. “No serious alternative bidder is circling, so they treat us like a second-class citizen. The coverage is poor, and that is me being generous. No other major UK sport is presented the way we are on that platform.

“When I challenged the board about output quality I was told Sky don’t like being criticised. Tough. If you are supposed to showcase our product, do it properly or step aside. I’ve been told Sky have over 100,000 subscribers who take the service because of rugby league. At an average of £80 a month that’s roughly £96 million in revenue.

“They pay us around £21 million plus production costs of £3-5 million. Nice margin. And they know they don’t have to improve the deal because nobody is applying real pressure. So force the issue. Build Super League+ properly and make it the only place to watch every game. Even at 75,000 subscribers paying £50, you’re looking at £45 million. Spend £10 million on proper programming, behind-the-scenes content and showcasing the sport properly, and you still have £35 million to distribute. It is not rocket science. It just requires people prepared to think differently and act.

“There is investment out there. I have had four or five meaningful conversations with serious parties. None of them will put serious money into the current structure. The sport either changes or it drifts back towards amateurism. Look at darts seven or eight years ago — playing in front of a few hundred people. Now they sell out arenas worldwide. We could be the next version of that story. But only if the people running it have the balls to make it happen.

“If the NRL is the right partner, great. But they need to commit £50 million to developing the European game, not simply lining owners’ pockets, and they must guarantee that Europe does not become a glorified NSW Cup or Queensland Cup feeder. Will they? I doubt it.

“What does concern me is the volume of noise and carefully leaked “information.” Why? This piece is an attempt to put a view in front of people that the green on the other side of the fence looks automatically greener.

“We have the greatest sport on the planet. Now go and deliver an output that matches it.”