The Credibility Gap: Why Super League Clubs No Longer Trust the RFL’s Numbers

A vast credibility gap has opened up between the Super League’s clubs and the Rugby Football League (RFL), explaining why a growing rebellion simply does not trust the governing body’s numbers—or lack thereof—on expansion. The entire conflict is underpinned by a fundamental belief among dissenters that the RFL’s case for a 14-team league is not credible.
This credibility gap was created by the RFL’s failure to provide any hard data. By not sharing a detailed financial model or a business plan, the RFL has given the clubs no reason to believe in its vision. In the world of business, a proposal without numbers is not a credible proposal, and the clubs are now treating the expansion plan with the scepticism it deserves.
The RFL’s verbal assurances have failed to bridge this gap. The claim that the “rationale” was provided at the July meeting is seen as insufficient. The clubs need to see the spreadsheets, the forecasts, and the risk analysis. Without this evidence, the RFL’s arguments lack weight and credibility.
The opposition from Sky Sports has further widened the chasm. For the clubs, Sky’s position is a credible, external validation of their own fears. It is a data point from the real world that suggests the RFL’s internal calculations, if they exist, are deeply flawed. It has made the clubs trust Sky’s business acumen more than their own governing body’s.
To save its expansion plan, the RFL must now find a way to close this credibility gap. It needs to stop asking for trust and start providing evidence. It must present a case that is so financially sound and transparent that it becomes credible in its own right. Until it does, the clubs will continue to believe that the RFL’s numbers simply don’t add up.