Bitter feud between ARLC and state bodies worsens following revelation of NRL’s profits

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys says they have never spent more money on “participation and development” while QRL boss Ben Ikin claims grassroots footy is yet to see any of the game’s $58m profit of the past year. Go inside the bitter feud between the two bodies here.

ARLC chairman Peter V'Landys at the North Qld Cowboys season launch. Picture: Supplied by North Qld Cowboys

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys says they have never spent more money on “participation and development” while QRL boss Ben Ikin claims grassroots footy is yet to see any of the game’s $58m profit of the past year.

Speaking at the Cowboys season launch in Townsville, rugby league’s head honcho took the bitter feud between the ARLC and state associations to a new level on day it was revealed the governing body’s revenue from the past year was nearly $700m, with assets reaching nearly $300m in value.

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys at the North Qld Cowboys season launch. Picture: Supplied by North Qld Cowboys

“We’ve given record distributions to clubs, record distributions to players, and we’ve never spent more money on participation and development,” V’landys said.

The QRL and NSWRL launched joint litigation against the ARLC this week over unresolved funding issues and both parties have been quick to throw barbs in the aftermath.

Ikin responded to the ARLC’s profits by declaring surplus funds had been handed to NRL clubs and put into the NRL’s push into the US while community footy starved.

“It’s heartening to see that the ARLC’s bank account is overflowing, NRL clubs and players have never had more money, and there’s a big cash buffer to buy hotels and grow gambling revenue in America,” Ikin said.

“Here’s hoping grassroots gets a look in at some point.”

Ben Ikin has responded to revelations around the NRL’s profits in 2023. Picture: Liam Kidston

While V’Landys said the NRL was reaching great heights off the field, he stressed things could have been different had the Covid pandemic worsened and made comparisons with financial problems at the Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby franchise.

“It’s no secret that during Covid we only had enough funds to survive three months,” V’landys said.

“After three months we couldn’t pay our bills. I used to say ‘how long have we got?’ He (head of finance Tony McGrath) said you’ve got till November, December then we’re out of money.

“That’s the perilous position we were in. We’ve worked very hard in the last few years to get us to a position now that I think we have future proofed. We’re going to have 260 million in net assets.”

“Every year you look at other sports at the moment, soccer is not doing very well, there’s a couple of rugby union clubs that are going broke.

“We’re very fortunate that with rugby league that we are in a strong financial position so if we ever have another Covid we’re not going to be three or four months away from not being able to pay our bills.”

Originally published as Bitter feud between ARLC and state bodies worsens following revelation of NRL’s profits