Rugby League Gets Big Government Handout Many rugby league sides will have breathed a massive sigh of relief as the news broke overnight that the government had set aside a sum of £16 million to safeguard the sport through the Coronavirus pandemic.   RFL chairman Ralph Rimmer had been petitioning the government for support since the shutdown in mid-March, and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said that the government had made the move to ‘protect the entire sport’. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Rugby League Gets Big Government Handout Many rugby league sides will have breathed a massive sigh of relief as the news broke overnight that the government had set aside a sum of £16 million to safeguard the sport through the Coronavirus pandemic.   RFL chairman Ralph Rimmer had been petitioning the government for support since the shutdown in mid-March, and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said that the government had made the move to ‘protect the entire sport’. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Always plenty of things about which to criticise the RFL but I reckon Rimmer and his team have done pretty well in this case.

Wow if the RFL can get an emergency loan of 16m for the champ, lg1 and community clubs I can’t wait to see what super duper league funding Elstone has secured. As we know they are better off not being held back by RFL and the rest of the lower league scum.

good news. Will need to filter to about 30 clubs. Id still make them work for some of their deficits to strengthen them, the game needs more resillience and bailing them out 100% isnt the answer

Don't hold your breath. I doubt if Elstone has even generated enough money for Super League yet to cover his wages

great news now the RFL can finish off the project at Bradford

Fantastic news coming out of Bradford. We've managed to secure £13m of the overall £16m to redevelop Odsal as the national Rugby League stadium. I'm chuffed. We'll all emerge from this with a proper home for the sport.

rlBradford Secure £13m of government bailout to redevelop Odsalrl

Fairs fair if Carter, Pearson, Hudgell, Lenaghan and the rest are on their own when they’re divvying up the sky money they should be on their own now. You can’t have it both ways.

It’s just occurred to me, where is Robert Elstone?

You lot didn't give a toss when you was one of the top clubs in super league now your championship you talk as if you been there for decades, personally the whole structure been a mess since the greedy years in the eighties

Why do you think Hudgell and McManus have suddenly become keen for SL to come back under the wing of the RFL? As usual nothing to do with the good of the game but the good of their own clubs.

I'd recommend the lemon flavour

I’m conflicted on this too. I don’t want any team to go bust over this terrible time.

Although as has been said those that pushed for the split from the RFL and advocated giving nothing to the lower leagues, now want their cake and to eat it too. Any money they secured would have been for them, they said as much but now they want to come back to make sure they get some of the bailout secured by the RFL.

I know it’s a different beast but can you imagine the same in football. They secure a bailout and Manchester United ask for a handout? People would be in uproar. In fact when Liverpool and spurs decided to furlough staff basically asking government and tax payers to pay them instead there was uproar given how much the owner and clubs make in revenue. Should we be asking our leading super league lights to not take money?

In reality I know this can’t happen as every club needs the money to survive but it does highlight a problem.

PS - I know Bradford we’re just as ruthless when in super league with looking after themselves over the good of the game at times but this doesn’t mean I agree with that approach. To me we should be encouraging all teams to grow at their pace to get a secure professional game.

My own opinion, every club in superleague is worse off for not having the bulls in superleague,,,, FACT