THE RFL’S strategic review of the current state of Rugby League will include 130 recommendations, League Express understands.
Headed by Nigel Wood, who stepped down as chief executive of the Rugby Football League in 2018 after 10 years in the position, the members of the Strategic Review panel were tasked last March with assessing where the sport currently stands, with the objective of making the product as good as possible and a more attractive proposition for private investment.
That review is set to be revealed before the end of the month, League Express understands, with 130 recommendations under 13 distinct headings covering all aspects of the game, from governance to Super League, to the community game, as well as the international game, with recommendations also covering Rugby League’s potential for expanding its revenue in the forthcoming years.
Some of those recommendations have already come into effect, such as the expansion of Super League to 14 clubs and the merging of the Championship and League One.
Back at the time of Wood’s appointment to the RFL board of directors, the leaders of the move to bring back Wood, Gary Hetherington and Derek Beaumont said: “The majority of clubs, including clubs from all levels of the professional game, were clear that they wanted a ‘club led strategic review’ of policy and direction.
“To achieve this, it was necessary that the chair and next in line at the RFL were replaced on an interim basis by the person who would chair the strategic review.”
They added: “The review will encompass the ‘whole of the game’ and will solicit views from as wide a cross section as possible, engaging the views of all clubs, and to include those of our biggest assets, our partners and supporters.”
The report will be circulated to the clubs before being released publicly.