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NRL suspends 2020 season

"We can no longer guarantee the safety of our players."

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The 2020 NRL season has been suspended.

Peter V’landys and Todd Greenberg addressed the media late today.

The league had desperately fought for its continuation as it explored every possible avenue for survival, with its financial solvency dependent on having its matches broadcast to meet the contractual requirements of its lucrative TV deal.

But with the announcement that Queensland would be shutting its borders, the latest curveball hurled toward the game’s administrators, the NRL faced a juggling act that proved insurmountable.

“Our pandemic and biosecurity experts said due to the outbreak it is no longer safe for our players to play,” V’landys said.

“We are going to look at all the options.

“We thank the players for all their players and fans for the support. This decision hasn’t been taken lightly. Our experts are very concerned with the rapid rate.

“We were alarmed at how everything changed over the past 24 hours.

“We’ve left it open and will make further announcements in the future. All options are still on the table but what’s paramount is the health of our players.

“It’s catastrophic, I don’t think we’ve ever come across a financial crisis like it.”

He said the NRL would survive long term.

“You can’t understate it, it’s probably the biggest challenge the game will ever face financially,” he said.

“Rugby league will always survive in some way but I can’t guarantee it will in the same way. We’re ready for the worst.”

Greenberg added: “Today is a difficult day for the rugby league community and at head office.

“We’ve briefed our clubs and all players have been told. We’ve asked players to not turn up to training tomorrow.

“While I say it’s a tough day for the game, I know it’s a tough time for everyone across our community.

“All we can do as a sport is remain united and follow the expert advice to keep everyone safe.

“We look at returning as soon as it is safe to do so.”

This post updates.

Source: Nine News, NRL

  • Tagged with NRL

12 Responses

  2. For me this is the Worst News & Day Ever!! This Absolutely Sucks, no NRL means nothing else to do, watch and no sport & entertainment.!! Hope this doesn’t destroy the NRL & All Sports in the future, scary times ahead.
    Stupid Virus kills everything.. This blows..!

    1. The NRL are in trouble because of their profligate business culture, any company or business that compulsively spends above its revenue would have ended up the same.
      As most of the wealthier clubs rely on pokies and alcohol and food sales for extra revenue even these cashed up teams will be struggling.
      Whether the NRL is worth rescuing will depend on those with a vested interest like Nine and Foxtel, hopefully not the government, millionaire players should not need tax payer subsidies to maintain their standard of living.

      1. The AFL is worse. They should have much more money including the Clubs, they generate more of the stuff you mentioned plus most have more membership fans and now the AFL are in more trouble, they are in major debt and are struggling all around. What have they done with all the money they get, Crazy.!!

        Also the NRL Players you say don’t get millions of dollars, hardly any are millionaires, no where near that. The average they get is $400,000, $500,000, unlike AFL they get more..
        So AFL is in more trouble than the NRL.!

  3. Time to change my Foxtel package. At least I’ll be saving money there for the rest of the year. I’ve been debating whether to change to Kayo and ditch it all together. Problem solved.

  4. How do these buffoons have any shred of credibility left?
    The end of the season was apparent to everyone but them …and the fact the NRL has no money to ride out the storm is surely the basis of a full inquiry …I wonder what rorts and wastes of broadcast money riches that will uncover ?
    Oops better not go there right boys ????

  5. Fox Sports must be quite worried, no AFL, NRL, A-League, Cricket etc to show on it’s various channels? I wonder what they are going to show for the next 6 – 9 months? Old repeats of past Grand Finals etc?

    1. Seeing you doubt her existence read the interview

      smh.com.au/sport/nrl/what-if-a-player-dies-why-pandemic-expert-told-nrl-to-shut-down-20200324-p54dhh.html

  8. “Our pandemic and biosecurity experts said due to the outbreak it is no longer safe for our players to play,” V’landys said. Derrrrrrr.

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