'The No.1 sport in Australia': NRL smashes records in most financially successful year in code's history
The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has announced that 2024 was the NRL's most financially successful year in the code's 117-year history.
Addressing its members at its annual general meeting on Friday, the ARLC revealed it would report a $62.3 million difference between revenue and expenditures.
This is the game's fourth consecutive surplus, with total surpluses tallying $226.5m over the last four years.
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Chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission Peter V'landys. Mark Kolbe via Getty Images
These surpluses have grown the game's net assets to $322.4m since COVID-19. This is an increase of 24 per cent from 2023.
Total revenue also increased by $43.7 million to a new record of $744.9 million.
ARLC chairman Peter V'landys explained that the NRL is enjoying a phase of new growth.
"With more girls, boys, women and men watching, attending and playing our game than ever before, rugby league is indisputably the number one sport in Australia and the Pacific," he said.
"Financially the game has never been stronger. This is the fourth consecutive year we've reported a very healthy surplus, allowing us to maximise the opportunity for reinvestment in the game.
"Our continued focus on running an efficient organisation and diversifying our assets has meant we've been able to increase support for clubs and states and invest more than ever into the grassroots. This is on top of record payments to players."
Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary hold aloft the Provan-Summons Trophy after winning the 2024 NRL grand final. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Across season 2024, viewership in Australia and New Zealand surpassed 200 million people for the first time. This is up 8.6 per cent from 184.7 million in 2023 and 133.2 million six years ago.
The NRL's 153.7 million cumulative viewers over 213 matches was 10 per cent higher than rival code the AFL's figure of 140.3 million over 216 matches.
In 2024, almost 4.8 million fans also attended matches to set a new benchmark for the game. This is an increase of one million from 2018.
"After a record-breaking kick-off to the season in Las Vegas, rugby league was again the most watched sport in the country and attendances across the season were the highest on record," V'landys said.
"The women's game continues to forge ahead in leaps and bounds and the international game is flourishing on the back of a highly successful Pacific Championships.
"These results are a vindication of the Commission's vision for growth and investment in every level of the game and it is pleasing to see the greatest game for all in such wonderful health."
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo was adamant that 2024's results would provide a platform that the game would continue to build on in 2025.
"We are extremely proud of the 2024 results with revenue growth, record fan interest, new assets, well-funded and successful NRL clubs and state leagues and a booming participation ecosystem setting us up for a bigger and better 2025," he said.
