Super League and NRL at Odds Over £50m "Project Magic" Counter-Proposal
British rugby league's governing body is pushing to reshape a investment deal with Australia's NRL, seeking a £50m loan package to replace a £35m offer that Super League clubs rejected last week.
The Rugby Football League (RFL) — the sport's governing body in England — has circulated an alternative vision dubbed "Project Magic," a document produced by Rugby League Commercial that lays out a 10-year plan for the sport's growth. RFL chief executive Nigel Wood sent the proposal to the 14 Super League club owners the day before they voted down the NRL's original offer, and the owners are due to discuss it at a meeting on Tuesday (The Guardian).
The NRL — Australia's top rugby league competition, run by the Australian Rugby League Commission — made its formal offer earlier this month as part of a recapitalisation project worth about A$60m (£35m) over five years, equating to £7m a year. In return, the NRL would have taken a 10% stake in Super League, with the money distributed directly to clubs (ABC News).
Project Magic flips that model. Rather than handing money to clubs, the RFL wants to retain the £50m centrally — described as a payment-in-kind loan — to fund what it calls "central growth initiatives" and accelerate global expansion. The proposed spending includes £13.5m on improving clubs' commercial capabilities, £10m on the player pathway (the development system that feeds talent into professional teams), and £5m on broadcasting services.
The 10-year plan also sets out ambitions to expand Super League from 14 to 18 or 20 clubs, launch a joint direct-to-consumer streaming platform with the NRL for overseas markets, and create a fully professional women's competition.
Not everyone is convinced. An RFL source told The Guardian that the loan proposal is "no longer its preferred option" but remains significant enough for clubs to discuss. Meanwhile, NRL sources have described their position as "take it or leave it" and said it is far from certain they would entertain a £50m loan instead.
The bigger Super League clubs — Wigan, Warrington and reigning champions Hull KR — are strongly in favour of partnering with the NRL. Smaller clubs like Wakefield are more sceptical, worried they could be left behind in any restructured landscape.
Behind the numbers, there is a power struggle. The NRL is demanding significant governance reforms, including the creation of an independent commission to run the sport in the UK, which would reduce the RFL's influence. A source with knowledge of the discussions described Project Magic as an attempt by Nigel Wood to retain control if the NRL deal closes.
Talks between the two bodies have been ongoing since meetings in Las Vegas in January. NRL chief executive Peter V'Landys is due to visit the UK next week in the hope of finalising an agreement — though whether that agreement resembles anything either side has put on the table so far is another matter entirely.
