A growing number of Super League clubs fear the answer is yes to a terrifying question: is the Rugby Football League (RFL) gambling with the future of the sport? This fear is driving a late but determined effort to stop a “rushed” expansion to 14 teams, a move that clubs believe is a high-stakes bet with no guaranteed payout and a very real risk of financial ruin.
The gamble, as the clubs see it, involves betting against their own broadcaster. By pushing an expansion that Sky Sports reportedly opposes, the RFL is risking a future where the league’s primary income stream is drastically reduced. For clubs already struggling to make ends meet, this is not a risk they are willing to take.
Furthermore, they believe the RFL is gambling on the financial stability of new, unvetted clubs. The compressed timeline for applications and assessment has raised serious doubts about the due diligence process. The clubs fear the league could be admitting new members who are not financially sound, adding more instability to an already fragile system.
The biggest criticism is that the RFL is making this gamble without showing its hand. Clubs insist they have not seen the financial calculations or business plan that would justify such a risk. This lack of transparency has led to the charge that the RFL is gambling not with its own money, but with the livelihoods of the clubs, players, and staff across the entire league.
The RFL maintains its plan is a calculated move for growth, based on a democratic vote. But the dissenting clubs see it differently. They see a reckless gamble with the very soul of professional rugby league, and they are now doing everything in their power to persuade the house to call off the bet.