There is no chance of the Ashes series being played at the end of the year.
That’s the view of former Cronulla Sharks chairman Damian Irvine, who says the NRL’s focus will be on securing their broadcasting monies rather than travelling to England.
“The NRL rely heavily on their Foxtel rights,” he told Rugby League Back Chat.
“That is around their competition and their Origin series for their main TV rights. They are not going to risk any of that, they are going to get competition games and content on in their domestic league before they worry about an Ashes series. Unfortunately, the RFL and the Ashes series aren’t going to be on their list of priorities, it’s not going to happen.
“It’s a £1million loss straightaway if the Ashes don’t happen, let alone Challenge Cups and major key events. What crisis like this brings out is that if you’re shaky financially from the start, you’re not well-equipped to deal with catastrophic situations which we’re in now. it’s just highlighting how hand to mouth the game is.”
