The Rugby Football League (RFL) is in talks with Australia’s NRL to secure a £50m loan package, a significant shift from the £35m guaranteed investment deal that Super League clubs rejected last week. This new proposal, outlined in a document titled 'Project Magic' by Rugby League Commercial, will be discussed by the 14 Super League club owners at a meeting on Tuesday.
The initial NRL offer involved a £7m-a-year investment for five years in exchange for a 10% stake in Super League, with funds distributed to clubs. However, 'Project Magic' details the RFL's desire for a £50m payment-in-kind loan, which would be used for central growth initiatives and global expansion, and would be retained by the RFL rather than distributed to clubs.
NRL chief executive Peter V’Landys is scheduled to visit the UK next week to potentially finalise a deal. While the Super League clubs were united in rejecting the previous offer, agreement on this new path may prove challenging. Larger clubs like Wigan, Warrington, and Hull KR reportedly favour partnering with the NRL, but smaller clubs such as Wakefield are more sceptical.
The 'Project Magic' document also outlines a 10-year plan to expand Super League to 18 or 20 clubs, launch a joint streaming platform with the NRL, and create a fully professional women’s competition. The RFL's investment plans include £13.5m for improving clubs' commercial capabilities, £10m for player pathways, and £5m for broadcasting services.