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Liverpool's ownership group, FSG, could be involved in a new breakaway rugby league that could rip up the sport and create a brand new structure for the game.
According to the Daily Mail, FSG, alongside Manchester United's owners, the Glazers, and the Red Bull group, are keen on investing in a new tournament. They could each buy franchises in a proposed new set-up which will be called R360.
In a move that could reshape how the sport looks moving forward, half of the England rugby squad are said to have provisionally agreed to join the rebel division. On offer are million-dollar salaries, with the competition set to begin in just over a year on free-to-air television.
England’s 2003 World Cup winner Mike Tindall and leading agent Mark Spoors are both involved, while the franchises are said to be available for around $20 million (£15 million) each — relatively small change in the context of a soccer club owner.
"I would be amazed if [the league] doesn’t happen now," one source mentioned in the report stated. "This is going to be revolutionary for rugby. The British club game is in a bit of a mess — there are players queuing up to join."
It is said that the eight men’s teams will eventually have squads of 35 players. They will be based in London, Tokyo, Dubai, Cape Town, Boston, Miami and two other venues still to be decided. Later, four women’s sides will also be created.
The plan, as things stand, is for the league to begin in September of 2026. Fixtures would be played all around the world in a Formula One-style global format.
R360 already has sponsor plans and a broadcast deal in place. While it could be screened on free-to-air television initially, partnership deals with Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok are also being explored.
A player draft — similar to the one used in cricket’s Indian Premier League — to determine who plays for which team will be broadcast. Money is one reason for such plans, but also to grow the appeal of the game.
As it stands, rugby has a limited appeal in the UK relative to other major sports. Around the world, there is plenty of scope to increase the viewing figures.
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Liverpool.com says: It does very much feel that sport is heading the way of F1, which has been transformed by the behind-the-scenes documentaries and entertainment element that is currently being emphasised alongside the action itself.
Sports like rugby, which don't have the same widespread appeal as soccer, could definitely learn from following a similar model. Getting all the best players in a breakaway league would be a breakaway from tradition, but could unlock another level.
For FSG, given the relatively small investment it would take initially, there could be scope to win big. If the model can be applied to rugby, then it is the kind of move that the Liverpool owners have shown an interest in previously.
English (US) ·