NRL CHIEF executive Andrew Abdo last week confirmed for the first time that the ARL Commission could be open to buying a stake in Super League as part of the NRL’s plans to grow the game internationally.
Abdo, speaking to Sport Confidential from Las Vegas, was reluctant to confirm that the NRL had made an approach but was prepared to speak hypothetically.
“Theoretically, you can see the value,” he said.
“Now we need to go and practically test that and have a conversation with Super League. Our board is open to doing that.
“There are synergies across three areas – there are synergies with revenues, there are synergies in costs and there are synergies with the actual athletes, clubs and competitions.
“If we can get that in sync around time of year and we can have a better relationship with them, it can only be good.”
In last week’s League Express Podcast, RL Commercial managing director Rhodri Jones denied knowing anything about any NRL interest in Super League, although Jones was in Las Vegas at the weekend and may have asked for clarification from his NRL equivalent.
“This is another aspect of the international strategy. We want Super League to be firing, the northern hemisphere to be growing,” added Abdo.
“We’re open to discussing ways we can work together with Super League.”
