‘Watershed’ deal for rugby league
RUGBY league and its major governing bodies, the Rugby Football League and Super League, have agreed a 12-year strategic partnership deal with media giants IMG to ‘reimagine’ the sport.
The agreement follows the recent decision for the RFL and Super League to realign and form a new joint venture company to give the sport the best chance of long-term growth.
IMG, who have worked with sports such as UFC in the past, will be tasked with strategically repositioning and transforming rugby league, potentially allowing it to have new opportunities for long-term growth and attract newer audiences to the game.
The agency will initially focus on everything from competition restructuring, content production and innovation, domestic and international distribution of media rights to digital transformation.
It is a landmark moment for the sport, which has constantly been besieged with administrative restructures and boardroom reshuffles, but has now struck a deal to bring a global brand to the sport to shape its future.
“In recent years, an immense amount of work has gone on, in initially protecting the sport through the pandemic and then setting it on a course for real growth,” the RFL chairman, Simon Johnson, said.
“The Governance re-alignment was key and a prerequisite to attracting a partnership such as this. IMG is a global giant in the sports and entertainment industry and this alliance is fantastically exciting for our future.
“Coupled with the Men’s, Women’s
and Wheelchair World Cups which are set for the autumn on home soil, I have no doubt 2022 will now prove to be a watershed year in the history of Rugby League - and this announcement will be the keystone in future success.”
The chairman of Super League, Huddersfield Giants owner Ken Davy, said: “Over the last 18 months, Super League has focused on analysing and defining the future of the competition, with two key elements being identified. These were to grow commercial revenues in a realignment with the RFL and the other was to find a strategic partner.
“We consulted widely on the strategic partner to find someone who bought into our vision for the Super League competition and the sport of rugby league as a whole.
“In IMG we have a worldrenowned partner that has all the requisite strengths to ensure the sport’s continued growth and development.”
Adam Kelly, co-president of Media and Events at IMG, added: “Rugby League is loved for its thrilling, fast-paced action and we see tremendous potential to further energise the sport and its competitions in the UK, engage with fans on a deeper level and drive long-term growth.
“We are excited to embark on this long-term partnership with the RFL and Super League and look forward to utilising IMG and Endeavor’s unparalleled expertise, experience and global network to create and add value for Rugby League and its commercial partners.”