RUGBY LEAGUE COMMERCIAL’S managing director, Rhodri Jones, believes the body has proven its worth amidst uncertainty over the sport’s future.

Created in 2022 as a joint venture between the RFL and Super League, RL Commercial became fully operational at the start of January 2023.

Its stated aim was to improve the sport’s commercial appeal, digital presence and fan engagement.

With viewership and crowds increasing, RL Commercial could well be deemed a success, but with Super League clubs increasing their power in recent months – not least with the decision to push through a 14-team top flight for 2026 – there have been some claims that RL Commercial could find itself by the wayside.

However, Jones believes that should not be the case, outlining the body’s success since its creation.

“It’s quite a simple equation – what we’ve seen over the last three years with RL Commercial, there’s been an absolute focus on the commerciality of the sport,” Jones told the League Express podcast.

“The numbers we have delivered shows that the laser-focus on the commerciality of the sport is delivering.

“There is a governance side of the sport that needs looking after and managing. There have been significant changes that have gone on there in the last couple of months.

“When you put focus in a certain area of the business and it’s delivering results, for me, it’s important still exists.

“It might become a bit more merged higher up the ladder in terms of having one board but in terms of the function of RL Commercial, it has to remain not least for the next 12 months because we’re about to embark on a new rights cycle for broadcast.

“That comes to an end in 2026 so we cannot lose focus. The reason why it existed and the relationship with IMG was to deliver bigger, better, more people and ultimately a better TV deal for the sport.

“We are going to find out the reality of our work over the last three years in the next three to six months and then we have to deliver the outcome of that as well.

“We can’t lose that laser focus because ultimately the function I lead is the money generating part of the sport and that’s what everybody needs.”