astreizix
Juniors
- Messages
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Nope it has a 4k grass hybrid pitch which folds away and an astro field for NFL comes out of the ground to replace it, quite incredible! Rugby League has been played there
Would Spurs let Rugby be played on it during the season though?
www.foxsports.com.au
they are talking about holding R360 April to Sept. EPL finishes May. You'd think they'll play in non soccer stadiums pre May then soccer stadiums when the countries seasons have finished. Its touted as being a grand prix style format so think Magic weekend in a different location each round. From a broadcast point of view that makes production much cheaper and even from a marketing point of view you are only marketing one event per round not 8 games.
Rumours of a big-money, breakaway rugby union league called R360 stealing some of rugby league’s best talent has the game on red alert.
So what is this new initiative threatening to shake up the sporting landscape?
Rugby360 is a breakaway rugby union league led by Mike Tindall and investors aiming to awaken the sport of rugby union from its current slumber.
Rugby360 is a concept designed to make the sport commercialised for modern audiences and media networks, according to Insider Sport.
Drawing on the financial ambition and disruption pioneered by the Indian Premier League (IPL) and LIV Golf, R360 proposes a radical shift in how rugby is structured and sold.
The league has attracted interest from potential backers across the Premier League, Formula One and the NFL, with multiple bids for franchise slots already under consideration.
R360 promises a fresh format built for digital platforms and global broadcasters, with fast-paced matches, city festivals, and fan-first experiences.
R360 draws heavily on the IPL and NFL: city-based franchises, no relegation, cost caps for parity, and a short, dynamic calendar.
Its long-term vision includes a women’s league, an initial centralised operation, and expansion to eight franchises by its third year.
The league also commits to mental health support, family travel provisions, and opportunities for players to build personal brands globally.
WHO IS INVOLVED?
R360 is led by Mike Tindall (MBE), a former Rugby World Cup winner and Royal Family member and investors, some of which are reportedly from the cashed-up Saudi Arabia.
Tindall is joined by Bath Rugby executives Stuart Hooper and John Loffhagen – the ex-legal counsellor of the LIV Golf Tour – as the architects of “R360”, and its mission to drive a generational change to Rugby Union.
WHAT PLAYERS WILL BE TARGETED AND HOW MUCH WILL THEY EARN?
At the heart of R360’s offer is a commercial leap forward.
Dozens of elite players have signed heads of agreement, with the world’s top 40 stars set to earn more than £1m (A$2.1m) per season — a level of remuneration currently matched by fewer than five rugby players globally.
Tindall argues this is the minimum required for rugby to retain and reward its best talent on a global stage.
“Rugby is feeling the fallout of the last few years,” Tindall said on the R360 investor brochure.
“Financial mismanagement, declining investment in the club game, and a product that is struggling to evolve, clubs around the world are being propped up by the international game.
“Rugby’s lack of innovation and ability to change risks losing its appeal to new audiences and its younger market.
“We need to give the sport its Super Bowl moment.”
NRL PLAYERS AND R360
The NRL has been earmarked as a potential gold mine for R360 recruits.
Already players such as Warriors star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Knights skipper Kalyn Ponga and Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen have been linked to R360 deals.
With the potential to be one of the biggest earners in either code in the world, no doubt more NRL players will sit up and take notice when the first domino falls and a player officially and publicly signs on the dotted line.
The NRL season is long and physically taxing running from February until October with international players sometimes playing Test matches as late as the end of November, with Origin also played in the middle of the year.
The chance to play less games in R360 and get paid more in a less physically demanding sport would appeal to some players, who risk career ending injuries every time they step on a rugby league field.
However, ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has warned NRL talent to be incredibly cautious regarding a potential switch, urging recruits to do a “risk analysis”.
“Whoever goes with them, if they are going to go with them, they are taking an almighty risk because no-one has seen a business model, no-one has seen how they are going to generate revenue,” V’landys said to Code Sports.
“It’s like anything, if it seems to be too good to be true, it just might be. It’s like when you make an investment. You might get a greater return, but you’re also taking a bigger risk.”
V’landys also questioned how R360 will generate the revenue needed to hand players the hefty pay packets being promised.
“The first thing I would ask myself is how are they going to pay for this. I would want to understand how they are going to fund it,” he said.
“I would caution players to do a risk analysis. We’re keeping an eye on it but everything so far, you can’t substantiate how it will happen.”
NRL’s warning over $2m paydays; stars who could make move — Rugby’s rebel league explained
NRL’s warning over $2m paydays; stars who could make move — Rugby’s rebel league explained
The NRL would want the next TV deal done before R360 signs the top 50 players.
Warriors CEO Cameron George made an interesting point.
They do this in the super league and imo is well overdue in the NRL.
That'll have the range rover brigade choking on their pimms lol
What does F1 approach to Rugby mean though?
Sounds like they'll have X number of clubs representing cities who will play a magic weekend type event around the world.
The organisers must be smoking some serious ice if they think people in Miami, Dubai, Singapore …etc will be filling stadiums to watch players they’ve heard of playing a sport they’ve never heard of.
It'll be an interesting test of 'if you throw enough money at something you can make it a success'. In theory if theyve got enough investor money and they make each weekend a massive event; think stars on the pitch, major bands playing between games etc, then who knows. Cant see it but then Im sure if youd said 25 years ago that India would host the biggest and richest cricket comp in the world or that F1 teams would have $1billion budgets you'd have been laughed at.
But Union already do this with thier 7’s circuit which has been losing money and played in empty stadiums.
