RFL confirms return to profit

The RFL have confirmed they have made a £75,000 profit, it’s first in three years, at the AGM today.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was the first time the meeting had been held virtually.

This news comes after the governing body had made significant losses in the last two years, including £325,000 in 2018.

It is also despite a significant loss in match and broadcast revenue totaling over £1m. Staff numbers are also down.

As well as that, the number of people participating in rugby league has gone up by over 7,000. It has jumped from 102,304, to 109,501.

Marc Lovering, the RFL’s Director of Participation and Development, said: “This represents a third successive year of growth in this funding cycle, slightly above the Sport England target of 5% growth – and the RFL continues to make good progress against other contractual targets on which the Sport England public funding is based.

“In terms of regular participation, we have achieved growth across our core areas of Primary, Junior, Youth and Open Age for the first time this cycle. ”

Finally, Clare Balding OBE has officially become the new President of the RFL, replacing Tony Adams MBE, while Carl Hall will remain as vice-president for another six months.