NRL revenue up 10% & record $50 million surplus

[DIEHARD]

NRL increase revenue by 10% & record $50 million surplus.

THE NRL is expected to announce this week that the record-breaking 2014 season had a revenue increase of more than $30 million and the code delivering a net profit of $50m.

NRL chief executive Dave Smith has already presented the results to the clubs and could make them public on Friday — a day after the release of the league’s 2015 advertising campaign.

The Australian can reveal that revenue swelled last year to $345m — an increase of just over $30m from the $314m figure posted for 2013.

It is believed revenue spiked on the back of the very successful State of Origin series, the finals series and grand final plus the inaugural Auckland Nines tournament.

NSW ended an eight-year Origin series drought and the second game on the Nine Network was the highest rated program for the year with 4.1 million viewers.

South Sydney’s grand final win over Canterbury, which ended a 43-year premiership drought, also on Nine, was the third most watched program of the year with 4 million viewers.

The game also benefited from a record number of club memberships, a rise in ticket prices and increase in crowd figures, and a spike in participation largely fuelled by the decision to merge with touch football.

The latest figures put the NRL well ahead of schedule after revealing last year that it was hoping to achieve a central revenue target of $300m by 2017.

While the AFL is still ahead on revenues, it is understood the NRL is closing the gap and heading towards a strong position for the next broadcast rights deal when the current arrangement finishes at the end of 2017.

It is believed half of the net profit will be put towards a sustainability fund which already has $50m as a financial buffer for the code.

The NRL announced last year it hoped to have $80m in savings by the end of 2017.

Last year’s net profit figure of $50m is around the same as 2013 — it was $49.6 million in 2014 — and could have been higher but expenditure also increased.

In 2013 the game outlaid $265m and it is believed that figure swelled last year to $295m due to a number of factors including an increase in club funding and development, more funds for state leagues and affiliates, and the addition of senior management positions at Rugby League Central.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/

[TITAN PETE]

It's great for the game & I'm sure the majority of the money has come through the success of Souths ,which doesn't look like stopping anytime soon & NSW finally winning SOO.

The Best Sporting Product on Earth ��

[Toads]

Yup, thought the same when I read it (success of Souths). That, and a bit smart investment of the $$$ received from the last TV deal.

[TITAN PETE]

NRL ratings set to get even better in 2015

NRL.com
1:00pm Wed 25th February, 2015


On the back of a massive year in television ratings in 2014, NRL could be an even bigger spectacle in 2015 boosted by live free-to-air Sunday football.

NRL provided the three highest-rating shows on Australian television last year and held four of the top five sporting programs. Built on anticipation of the NSW Blues snapping an eight-year State of Origin drought, Origin II drew a massive 4,118,000 viewers.

Origin Game I, the second-highest rating show of the year, drew 4,093,000 viewers becoming the most-watched Origin series opener in history.

The NRL Grand Final, which saw the Rabbitohs snap a 43-year premiership drought, was the third most-viewed program with 3,965,000 viewers – the most-watched Grand Final ever.

In other positive ratings news, the mid-season Trans Tasman Test was the most-watched in that fixture's history, up nine per cent on last year to draw 1,470,000 million viewers. Ratings in 2015 could be even bigger.

[DIEHARD]

In other positive ratings news, the mid-season Trans Tasman Test was the most-watched in that fixture's history, up nine per cent on last year to draw 1,470,000 million viewers. Ratings in 2015 could be even bigger.

Wow that is amazing! I love my Test Matches. And we get this without really doing anything to promote it.

[CanterburyMember]

This is what happens when we have the right people running the game. They will make mistakea from time to time but its how they learn from them and move on that is great.