England coach backs £35m NRL investment to boost Super League
England coach Brian McDermott says NRL investment in Super League is crucial to growing the European competition and developing deeper talent.
McDermott backs a £35m NRL investment offer that Super League clubs rejected in October. The problem is not the sport or players, he says, but how it is marketed.
The gap between the competitions is stark: the NRL just signed a$5.3bn TV deal over seven years, while Super League gets £21.5m yearly. McDermott notes the NRL funds age-group development that English clubs cannot match, which limits the talent pool for future England teams.
An NRL partnership would help build that pipeline from junior to professional level.
- £35 million
- NRL investment offer
- A$5.3 billion over 7 years
- NRL TV deal
- £21.5 million per year
- Super League annual TV value
- 15 October
- Rejection deadline
Why it mattersWithout investment and partnerships, English rugby league risks falling further behind Australia, weakening the sport globally.
AustraliaNRL's potential investment could reshape English rugby league and alter the player development pathway both nations rely on.
Corroborated bytheguardian.com
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