Wondering which NRL clubs operate off the biggest budgets, have the biggest revenues in the comp or general financial soundness? Appreciate this will be guesstimate as not all clubs publish their accounts. Here's a guestimate to get the arguments flowing (and before Sharks fans start crying in their apartment brochures I am basing this on now not in a few years) based on various news reports of financial performances of clubs and some annual reports where available.
1. Brisbane - Big Money backers, News Ltd owned, biggest money spending supporter base
2. Parramatta - Leagues club cash rich and putting in, large fanbase, limited corporate appeal at this time and run at massive losses covered by LC
3. Melbourne - Strong financial backers, large money spending fanbase, strong corporate backing
4. Roosters - Strong financial backers, strong corporate backing
5. Raiders - Strong League club backers putting cash in, limited fanbase
6. Bulldogs - Leagues club backing, large supporter base, strong sponsorship portfolio
7. Warriors - Strong corporate backing, large fanbase, one of the few to make a profit in recent times
8. Penrith - Large Leagues club backing but history of small football dept revenue
9. Cowboys - Strong supporter base and corporate backing, made one of the smallest losses in 2016 of the loss making clubs
10. Cronulla - Years of losses but new development clearing debts and improving long term financial picture
11. Souths - Large fanbase and rich owner but seem financially precarious to bad seasons on the field as revenue primary fan generated
12. Manly - Rich owners, small fanbase, poor corporate facilities impact
13. St's - League club funding drying up, running at losses, good corporate support
TBD -
Titans - New owners, very small fanbase, on the nose with corporates for now
Newcastle - New owners with Leagues club cash behind them, large fanbase, long history of financial strife
Wests - Newish owners, leagues club backing, sizeable supporter base, stadium issues impact game day revenue generation