SUPER LEAGUE’S financial struggles have been laid bare by former executive director of Sunderland FC, Charlie Methven.

Methven, who co-hosts the Business of Sport podcast, is now in charge of Jamaica Premier League side Mount Pleasant.

However, Methven also has rugby league connections, with Oxford United FC – the club Methven grew up supporting – being previously owned by Wigan’s former owner Ian Lenagan.

Of course, Super League’s issues have been well documented in recent years, with the NRL seemingly poised to get involved.

And to demonstrate the issues being faced by the 13-man code, Methven drew comparisons between Challenge Cup winners Wigan and football side Grimsby Town, who ply their trade in League Two.

Methven, on the Business of Sport podcast, said: “Wigan Warriors are probably the biggest name of all and they have total revenues of £7.5, maybe £8 million this year.

“St Helens, their traditional biggest rivals, £8.5 million. Leeds currently is the biggest revenue club, £10 or £11 million.

“You’re looking at revenue numbers which probably equate to a top-end League Two club in football.”

Co-host of the podcast Charlie Stebbings added: “That Wigan Warriors number was very close to the conversation I had with Grimsby Town’s CEO, Polly (Bancroft) of £6.9 million.

Methven responded: “Wigan Warriors and Grimsby Town, think about those two.

“With the greatest of respect to Grimsby Town, I don’t think even Grimsby fans would claim that in national sporting terms, they’re on a level with Wigan Warriors.

“Yet their revenues are about the same as Wigan Warriors, so seeing the business side of it is quite eye-opening, the numbers are frightening for the longevity of the game in this country, if it stays in the same form.

“The Sky deal they had was previously £40 million a season, 2024-26 is £21.5 million per season.

“That’s a per club distribution of £1.24 million per club, so in the context of a Premier League club getting £100 million, we’ve got a rugby league club here getting £1.24 million.”