The NRL’s remarkable growth and diversification
Record revenues. Strengthening balance sheets. Expanding global ambitions - The NRL has entered a new phase of existence.
Our first Happy Hour Sports Industry Networking event for 2026 is officially locked in!
Back by popular demand - We’re excited to announce that we’re teaming up again with MEE Agency to host our first sports industry networking event for 2026 in Melbourne.
Event details:
Date: Thursday 26 March
Time: 3:00pm - 6.30pm
Venue: Royal Saxon, Richmond
Tickets: $27
What to expect?
A late afternoon of post-work casual drinks in a fun and informal setting. No formalities. Drinks will be at Happy Hour bar prices.
Who should come?
The invite is open to those from agencies, rights-holders, brands, athletes, media, suppliers, recruitment, government, startups, education, or anyone else that has a passion for the industry and would like to connect.
*For information on past events and who attends, visit here
📢 Spread the word!
Help us bring as many people from the sports industry together by sharing this with peers who may be interested in connecting.
See you there?! 🍻 🥂
Essendon FC announced a new multi-year Co-Major partnership with global financial platform, Airwallex whose logo will feature prominently on the front of the Club’s playing and training guernseys, as well as across the Club’s digital, match-day, and community assets
Hawthorn FC and Anker SOLIX joined forces, with the global home battery leader joining the Club as a Premier Partner of its AFL and AFLW sides - the collaboration will be activated via player ambassadors, and it will be spread across digital marketing campaigns and AFL match-day signage
Hawthorn FC announced a new partnership with CorePlus, which will ensure the Club’s specialised purpose-built Pilates studio at Hawthorn's Dingley headquarters, the Kennedy Community Centre, is fitted with CorePlus premium reformer beds, mats, and mobility equipment
Gold Coast SUNS unveiled a multi-year partnership with Fiji Airways - The announcement comes as Fiji Airways prepares to launch its landmark first direct service from Gold Coast to Nadi in June 2026
GWS GIANTS launched a new partnership with Unibet with a creative, and attention-grabbing headline “GIANTS Sign Curnow*”, the announcement -revealed that Ed Curnow (brother of new Sydney Swans high-profile recruit, Charlie Curnow) had come out of retirement not as a player, but as the club’s newly created ‘Chief Unibet Sign On’ (Ed played 221 AFL Games)
Sydney Swans welcomed Tooheys as the Official Beer of its AFL and AFLW teams for seasons 2026 and 2027 - Tooheys Ultra Zero Carb will be poured at Sydney Swans HQ and at club events, and Toohey’s branding will feature at the SCG on match days and across the Club’s digital channels
Sydney Swans joined forces with IREN, which became the Club’s Official AI Cloud Partner for the 2026 AFL season
Melbourne Demons announced a 2-year partnership with St Andrews Beach Brewery which will see its range being offered at all club functions - The brewery also signed-on as the Co-Presenting Partner of both the AFL and AFLW Best and Fairest events
Western Bulldogs announced that Footscray’s own Hop Nation Brewing Co. will be its Official Beer Partner for at least the next 2 seasons - Hop Nation products will be available at Mission Whitten Oval during home matchdays, and its branding will feature across Club digital channels and content
St Kilda FC secured a partnership extension across its AFL and AFLW programs with German technology pioneer LOEWE, which will continue to feature prominently across the Saints’ assets, match-day experiences and on-field apparel
Supercars and Boost Mobile confirmed an expanded 3-year partnership which will help to power Supercars operations, teams, broadcast, and communications, complementing its established brand presence across the championship
Netball Australia unveiled a new 2-year partnership with Priceline Pharmacy - The partnership will come to life across Suncorp Super Netball matches, digital and content integrations, community engagement opportunities and online and in-store activations and promotions
Football Queensland announced Gatorade, and its parent company Asahi Beverages, as its Official Beverage Partner, which will see FQ-affiliated clubs receive exclusive discounts on non-alcohol products such as Cool Ridge water, Schweppes, Solo, Allpress Espresso, Sunkist, Pepsi and Gatorade
Melbourne Storm announced a new partnership with Brick Lane Brewing - To mark the launch of the partnership, Brick Lane Brewing unveiled Storm Lager, a new co-branded beer that will be available throughout the 2026 season
Parramatta Eels announced challenger brand, Betfocus as its new Official Wagering Partner which will deliver a more convenient, rewarding and responsible wagering experience for Eels fans
Cronulla Sharks secured a 2-year deal with battery-powered tool specialist Greenworks, which became the Club’s NRL shorts sponsor
Wests Tigers secured a 3-year partnership extension with McDonald’s Australia - The upgraded partnership will now see the famous golden arches featured on the back of the Wests Tigers’ NRL playing shorts
Dolphins resigned BallyCara as the club’s official Lifestyle Partner for a further 2 years
South Sydney Rabbitohs welcomed Strata Republic as its Official Strata Management Partner
Surfing NSW and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles renewed their partnership, extending the collaboration into its 9th year
Gemba was reappointed as the Melbourne Cricket Club’s customer research provider to help ensure member and fan experience remains at the heart of its decision-making
Football Australia and the ABC announced a partnership that will see the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™ broadcast via live audio, including all CommBank Matildas and knockout matches
Basketball Victoria formed a new partnership with VicHealth to tackle racism and strengthen culturally safe, inclusive and welcoming communities across the state
The Hungry Jack’s NBL26 regular season delivered record results - more here
Port Adelaide FC unveiled ‘Alberton Square’ - a landmark property development project set to deliver a world-class precinct encompassing commercial, health and wellness, community, and residential offerings - directly connected to the elite high-performance and community sport facilities at Alberton Oval
Prime Video hosted an event at the MCG to premiere its new AFL docuseries, ‘Final Siren: Inside the AFL’, with stars including Max Gawn, Marcus Bontempelli, Nat Fyfe and Toby Greene in attendance
NRL wants to create a fly-on-the-wall documentary series (similar to Formula’s Drive to Survive on Netflix) with global distribution as part of its vision to build a worldwide audience and attract new fans, as revealed by The Daily Telegraph
World Surf League, in partnership with Visit Victoria, announced that Spiderbait and Wolfmother will be playing a free, live show on site at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Bonsoy
Melbourne Victory’s Juan Mata, and South East Melbourne Phoenix’s Jordan Hunter, linked up with Ed Sheeran for a meet & greet
Melbourne Victory launched a matchday collaboration with Melbourne DJ duo Orkestrated - who pumped anthems pregame and at half time of Melbourne Victory’s ‘Original Rivalry’ clash with Adelaide United - more here
The NRL’s remarkable growth and diversification
Record revenues. Strengthening balance sheets. Expanding global ambitions.
The National Rugby League (NRL) has entered a new phase of existence. Not long ago, the League was fighting for stability. Today, it’s building for scale.
This is the story of how the NRL has grown remarkably over recent years, diversified its revenue streams, and positioned itself for the next era…
The NRL’s fan base is growing, and more people are watching, attending and engaging online
In 2025, the League recorded:
12.1m NRL fans (+10.0% YoY)
224.2m cumulative average viewers across Australia and NZ (+9.5% YoY)
4.98m attendees across 2025 (+3.6% YoY)
1.12m total participants across Rugby League programs (+7.5% YoY)
4.55m average viewers for the NRL Grand Final (+34.7% YoY)
9.6m social media followers (+13% YoY)
Source: NRL.com
The NRL is in the best financial position it’s ever been in
The League’s revenue has been growing steadily YOY:
2019 - $555m
2025 - $846m ($101m+ increase from 2024)
It’s aiming to surpass $1 billion in revenue in the coming years, the next TV rights deal will be key to achieving this.
Thanks to its healthy financial performance, Peter V’landys has stated that the code’s first $2 million player is now a genuine possibility.
Annual profits are helping deliver a strong balance sheet
In 2025, the league recorded a $64.8m profit - its 5th consecutive year of a positive surplus, with cumulative surpluses over that period totalling $291.3m.
These profit surplus’ have contributed to it reaching a record financial position, with net assets now $387.3m (+20% YoY) and up $329.8m or 573% since 2016.
The NRL’s mega property purchases are providing financial stability
The League has implemented a strategy to develop its strong, stable balance sheet, which has been underpinned by multiple investments in hotels and investment properties.
In 2024, the League invested over $35m to acquire two new hotels:
Ibis Styles Hotel, Port Macquarie ($15.5m)
Mantra Hotel, Brisbane ($22m)
At the time that brought its property portfolio to five hotels collectively valued at over $100m - Other investments also included:
Mercure Kawana Waters, Sunshine Coast ($20m)
Quest Hotel, Sydney ($20m)
Gambaro Hotel, Brisbane ($30
The League appears set to continue viewing property as a key to strengthen its financial position, evident by the current “Group Revenue Manager” role it’s advertising.
Government partnerships – the (sometimes subtle) key revenue driver
Traditional revenues such as broadcast, ticketing, hospitality and sponsorship remain foundational to the League’s growth, and Government partnerships have become an increasingly material growth lever.
Major events such as Magic Round, State of Origin and the Pacific Championships, and community initiatives and programs, are underpinned by state and federal support.
Although the financial growth over recent years has been remarkable, the league is looking forward, and is exploring bold plans to help continue its momentum.
The League’s expansion plans are multifaceted and ambitious
Although broadcast revenue has been a key revenue driver for the NRL (like it is with most sports), NRL CEO, Andrew Abdo has stated that the League is eager to diversify its revenue streams.
The NRL has gone all-in in Las Vegas
Last weekend, the NRL opened its season in Las Vegas, for the third year in a row, as part of a five-year deal with the Nevada Tourism Commission.
The league has been marketing itself as “Australia’s biggest sport” and although this is often debated, partnerships and initiatives with some of the world’s biggest sports leagues (Nascar, WWE, UFC etc), teams (LA Rams, Las Vegas Raiders and personalities (e.g. Rob Gronkowski), has helped build/reinforce this positioning at home and abroad. Playing in one of the world’s most reputable sports and entertainment capitals, and at the prestigious $2 billion-dollar, 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium also helps.
Crossover initiatives with the above partners has supported the League’s expansion agenda - By leveraging established audiences and cultural capital in the US, the code has been able to introduce itself to American sports fans without incurring the significant customer acquisition costs typically associated with large-scale market-entry advertising campaigns.
The League’s Las Vegas venture has been built into a multi-day experience that has something for everyone:
Fans - NRL Fan Fest, Fan Fun Zone, NRL OzFest
Community - NRL Nines, School gala day
Business – NRL Business of Sport Conference
Match day: 45,719 fans flocked to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium on match day - an estimated 20,000 travelled from Australia, 10,000 were from England and 5,000 came from other countries overseas.
Viewership: In Australia, 2.1 million viewers tuned in, up 7% from last year.
Related: Everything you need to know about the NRL’s Las Vegas expansion (2024), Can the NRL’s Vegas Gamble Pay Off? (2025)
Expansion within the USA and beyond
The League has big plans to continue with its global expansion and multiple paths are being considered:
USA: Its 5-year Vegas deal at Allegiant Stadium expires at the end of 2028 but Peter V’landys has stated that the League wants to stay in America for 2029 and beyond – it’s exploring a potential 10-year presence in Vegas with the Nevada government, and Miami has also recently been floated as another potential destination
Global Round: It’s considering plans for a Global Round - London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Japan, Miami and Paris have been listed among the potential host cities (in addition to Las Vegas). London’s Wembley Stadium has been flagged as a potential location for a match, potentially as early as next year
State of Origin in New Zealand: It recently confirmed that New Zealand will host its first-ever State of Origin match next year at Eden Park, Auckland - The Australian Rugby League Commission made the announcement alongside the NZ Government and Auckland Council
Related: How international forces are shaping sport in Australia
Closer to home…
The Australian Government made a large investment commitment to help the league unveil the Papua New Guinea Chiefs
The Australian Government has played a significant financial and strategic role (to support security and trade) in supporting Papua New Guinea’s (‘PNG Chiefs’) entry into the NRL - committing $600m over 10 years.
The rise of the Rugby League Pacific Championships
The Rugby League Pacific Championships used to be little more than a placeholder. Once the NRL Grand Final wrapped, the calendar quietened, and attention turned to pre-season speculation. International fixtures were space fillers, not showpieces. But not anymore. What once filled the quiet between seasons has become the game’s most powerful growth window.
Related: How the Pacific Championships became Rugby League’s new growth engine
Perth Bears
The Perth Bears are entering the NRL as the competition’s 18th team in 2027, largely thanks to the support of an $85m investment from the WA Government.
Since being announced, the Club has been busy building a strong foundation, backed by experienced leadership under CEO Anthony De Ceglie.
Although the Club’s first match is still a while away, the Bears have secured major commercial partners, which include:
Cash Converters (front of jersey)
Budget Direct (sleeve)
McDonald’s
IBM
Southern Cross Austereo
New Balance
Gage Roads
Atlas Building
The League’s upcoming broadcast negotiations are a key factor in its WA growth ambitions
WA is an AFL fortress. Seven West Media controls the dominant newspaper, TV network, and AFL rights. But the NRL’s 2027 entry shifts the media equation, giving Nine prime-time content in a fresh market and time zone just as the league’s $2 billion broadcast deal comes up for renegotiation.
The Perth Bears haven’t played a game, but the business case is already doing the talking.
Related: Perth Bears: An $85M government investment for a projected $200M return
The global and domestic sports landscape is competitive, and the NRL will continue to face fierce competition
The threat of R360 has been neutralised… for now
One recent challenge emerged in the form of proposed breakaway competition R360, which targeted the NRL’s elite players with the promise of significantly inflated contracts. While that threat has been neutralised, it sharpened the NRL’s focus on financial competitiveness.
In response, Peter V’Landys has been quick to highlight the league’s strong 2025 financial performance and that the NRL is now better-positioned to increase the salary cap and elevate top-tier player payments, making the code’s first $2 million-per-season player a genuine possibility.
The battle in the pacific
It’s been reported that the Australian Government is considering a proposal from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa to receive a total $150m over five years to fund their rugby programs – this is in response to rugby league’s growing presence in the region, and follows the Federal Government’s $600m package for the NRL’s Papua New Guinea team.
The AFL continues to set the benchmark with revenue generation and it’s using its strong financial position to fuel growth
In 2025, the AFL recorded $1.2 billion in revenue (It announced a YOY increase of $164m), largely driven by the contracted increase in broadcast and media revenues in line with the first year of the new broadcast agreement. It also reported an underlying operating surplus of $67.9 million in 2025 (+$22.5m YOY).
The revenue gap between the AFL and NRL is currently bigger than ever
The widened gap is partly thanks to the AFL’s new TV deal commencing. As shown in the graph below from ‘@footyindustryAU’ on X.
NRL revenue as a % of AFL revenue dropped from 72% to 70% as a result
Since 2014, the AFL has outearned the NRL by $3.156 billion'
With its deep pockets, the AFL is investing heavily in the NRL heartland, and it’s delivering unprecendented growth in the northern markets
Whilst the NRL focused their efforts in Las Vegas, and overseas, the AFL has launched its opening round in the NRL’s NSW and QLD heartland’s.
The AFL has previously announced that it’s investing $1 billion in game development and community initiatives to reach 1 million registered participants by 2033 - A significant proportion of this funding will be focused on growing the game in NSW and QLD. The League’s investment is paying dividends in the Northern markets - More here.
In addition:
The AFL’s broadcast partner, Seven Network has also been extending coverage further in NSW and QLD.
Opening Round has also played a pivotal role in accelerating growth across the northern markets - This week, the AFL launched the 2026 AFL Opening Round in Sydney.
The AFL has paused its international expansion plans up until recently, when AFL CEO Andrew Dillon travelled to India to hold meetings with a range of sports commissioners and business leaders.
International sports are expanding into Australia
Globalisation isn’t new to sport, but the pace, scale and ambition we’re seeing today is unprecedented.
Australian codes (such as the NRL) are pushing beyond traditional borders, expanding into new markets through overseas fixtures, international brand launches and diplomatic partnerships.
Related: Why China is key to the Australian Open’s international growth strategy
Meanwhile, the world’s most powerful leagues and investors are planting deeper roots here, reshaping the commercial landscape and redefining who plays where, who watches, and who profits.
The NFL has a plan to grow its international business over a 10-year period and Australia is part of the plan – later this year the Los Angeles Rams and the San Fransisco 49ers will play a regular season NFL game at the MCG.
As Australia becomes both an exporter and importer across the spectrum of sports, the industry faces a new era of opportunity, and competition, on a global stage.
Related: How international forces are shaping sport in Australia
2XU - Head of Wholesale - ANZ
ACT Brumbies - Events & Operations Coordinator
Adelaide Crows - Head of Commercial Growth
adidas - Manager, Field Key Accounts
AFL - Project Manager
AFL - Stadium Experience Lead
Amer Sports - Sports & Community Marketing Manager (Wilson)
Bastion - Senior Client Manager
Bastion - Strategic Partnerships Director
Bastion - Strategy Manager
Bursty - Project Manager
Brisbane Bullets - Corporate Hospitality Manager
Brisbane Racing Club - Digital Marketing Manager
Carlton FC - Commercial Business Connector
Carlton FC - Retail Team Lead
Collingwood FC - Campaign Coordinator
Collingwood FC - Club Integration Manager
Collingwood FC - Partnerships Digital Lead
Cricket Australia - Senior Manager, Strategy & Business Enablement
Cricket Victoria - Commercial Partnerships Manager
Cricket Victoria - Media & Communications Manager
Delaware North Australia - Manager Event Planning, MCG
Easygo - Senior Product Designer - Sportsbook
Easygo - Sponsorship Executive
Entain Australia & New Zealand - Account Manager
Fanatics - Head of Operations (AUS/NZ)
Foot Locker - Digital Experience/ Lifecycle Lead
Football Victoria - Executive Manager – Operations and Membership
Foxtel - Producer - Fox Sports
Gemba - Account Director
Hostplus - Partnerships & Events Specialist
IRONMAN, Oceania - Live Content & Production Manager
JD Sports Australia & New Zealand - Project Manager
KOJO - Digital Account Executive
LSKD - Head of Marketing
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - Sponsorship and Campaigns Lead
Melbourne Park - Partnerships and Premium Experiences Executive
MKTG Sports + Entertainment Australia - Senior Brand & Communications Strategist
Netball Australia - Senior Content Manager (12-Month Parental Leave Cover)
New Balance - Digital Marketing Coordinator
NRL - Group Revenue Manager
Netball NSW - Consumer Business Manager
Nike - Director of Stores, Pacific
Nike - Lead, Account Marketing Sporting Goods/Sport Specialty Pacific
Nike - Lead, Integrated Media
Nike - Professional, Sportswear/Sport Retail Brand/Experience, Pacific
Nike - Senior Professional, Stores & Partner Marketing Pacific - Jordan APLA
North Melbourne FC - Senior Events Manager
Octagon - Senior Analyst
Paralympics Australia - Program Development Officer - Partnerships and Sustainability
Picklebet - CRM Campaign Lead
Pixellot - Regional Commercial Partnerships Manager
PUMA - Key Account Manager - COBRA
PUMA - Senior Key Account Manager - Strategic Accounts Style
South Sydney Rabbitohs - Partnerships Manager
Sportsbet - Customer Marketing Specialist (CRM)
Sportsbet - Insights Analyst
Sportsbet - SEM Specialist - 12 month FTC
Sportsbet - Social Content Creative Director
Sports Entertainment Network - AFL Record Supervisor
Sports Entertainment Network - Campaign Implementation Manager - Maternity Leave Contract
Sports Entertainment Network - Campaign Implementation Manager - Maternity Leave Contract
Sports Entertainment Network - Commercial Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Commercial Manager - Ballpark
Sports Entertainment Network - Head of Commercial
Sports Entertainment Network - Incentive Travel & Events Director - Ballpark
Sports Entertainment Network - Partnerships Coordinator
Sports Entertainment Network - Senior Partnership Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Strategy & Solutions Manager
Surfing NSW - Digital Lead
St Kilda FC - Commercial Partnerships Manager (10 Month Contract)
Stadiums Queensland - Operations Manager - Cbus Super Stadium
Stadiums Queensland - Senior Event Coordinator - People First Stadium
STH Group - Head of Stakeholder Servicing - RWC Experiences 2027
Swimming NSW - Chief Executive Officer
Tabcorp - Product Manager
TGI Sport - PR & Communications Manager
Total Sport + Entertainment - Videographer (Mid-Senior)
Toyota Material Handling Australia - Sponsorship and Events Manager
Vitaco Group - Communications and Partnerships Manager - Musashi
West Coast Eagles - Head of Content
World Rugby - Senior Image & Look Manager (Men’s RWC 27)
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