14 team Super League ‘not silver bullet’ says Warrington CEO as reasons for support explained

Warrington Wolves CEO Karl Fitzpatrick has insisted while they supported a move to expand Super League to 14 teams in 2026, changing the structure is ‘not a silver bullet’ to transform the sport’s fortunes.

The Wolves were one of nine clubs to support an increase in the competition’s size from the beginning of next year, prompting a furious debate about the positives and negatives of such a switch.

Hull KR, Hull FC and Wigan were the three clubs who did not vote in favour. In explaining why Warrington did approve the proposals, Fitzpatrick admitted their focus revolved around the removal of loop fixtures.

Speaking to Love Rugby League, Fitzpatrick said: “On balance we thought loop fixtures were the main issue in the game right now. There’s no support or appetite for them it doesn’t give quality and fairness and going to 14 allows us to remove them.

“Why do it in 2026 and not 2027? I could understand if we delay but we’ve been discussing this for a long time, it wasn’t just discussed on Monday.”

Fitzpatrick quoted a figure of around nine per cent reduction in attendance for games that are repeated as a result of loop fixtures: something he says costs clubs a significant sum of money.

He said: “It’s supporter fatigue, basically. If you throw a cup and play-off game in there you could be playing a team five or six times. I could be in the minority but everyone I speak to says get rid of loop fixtures. So we have.”

However, the Wire CEO was quick to stress that he did not believe simply going to 14 would solve all of rugby league’s problems – saying that anyone who believes that is ‘kidding themselves’ and new, younger audiences simply have no interest in such a move.

He said: “As a club, I would like to emphasise that we’re relatively relaxed about it in terms of going from 12 to 14. We weren’t going to die on this 14-team hill.

“We’re relaxed; you could have ten, 12 or 16 teams. If we don’t present and market the sport in the right way to new audiences and broadcasters, then it doesn’t matter how big your league is.

“This is not the silver bullet, and I really have to stress that point. Super League has been going for 30 years and within that period there’s been around nine or ten iterations of structure.

“Thinking that 14 teams is going to solve everything.. you’re kidding yourselves. It’s just not the silver bullet that some people think it may be. As a sport we get obsessed on what our league structure is. Do you think younger audiences care about that? They don’t.”

Fitzpatrick also insisted he believes there is the player pool to support 14 elite teams.

He said: “That’s a good debate. I do think there is enough talent to accommodate another two teams. The quota system has been extended from seven to ten and it provides a gateway for more talent.

“Some clubs have shown that recruiting late in the day like the new teams might have to can be done, and there are players out there to make this work.”

And when asked about what positives he felt were in place with a 14-team league, Fitzpatrick stressed simply expanding the competition is part of a wider strategy.

“It’s going to broaden the Super League footprint isn’t it,” he said.

“There will be additional stories there may be an extended play-off system, and that may create more narrative.

“You then look at the teams mooted. Toulouse, Bradford and York are the three frontrunners for me so if you look at each one of those, they bring potential value.

“I stress again that going to Sky and saying it’s a 14-team league.. so what? But if it’s part of an overall package and a wider direction of travel, which I believe it will be when this strategic review is concluded, then it’s just the start.”