NRL clubs are reportedly set to seek up to $30 million in financial assistance from the NRL thanks to the game's relocation to a Queensland hub.
While the NRL are footing the bill of the relocation for 13 clubs - being all of those based outside of Queensland already - clubs are concerned by the amount of money they are losing on match days.
That situation has only been made worse over the past two weeks thanks to Queensland's snap lockdown in an attempt to control their own COVID situation.
While that lockdown is now set to lift and crowds will be allowed back, albeit at 50% capacity, from next week, clubs are still reportedly set to lose between $1.5 million and $4 million each.
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That comes in gate takings and corporate facilities which clubs would normally be able to host at their own home venues.
The Daily Telegraph's David Riccio, speaking on SEN Radio, revealed clubs would ask the NRL for the combined $30 million in an attempt to recoup the losses.
“The claim is this, all 16 clubs have collated the cost of games being played away from their home grounds to relocated venues in Queensland to be around $30 million,” Riccio said.
“It’s estimated the losses are between $1.5 million and $4 million depending on what club you’re talking about.”
Riccio however, believes the move to Queensland actually improved the game's bottom line.
“If they’d stayed in New South Wales, it’d be much more than $80 million in losses and this is why,” Riccio explained.
“This weekend there’s going to be 50 per cent of capacity crowds back inside South East Queensland.
“That’s huge for the game, and that’s huge for the clubs, because they’ll start to get a bit of financial return back.
“The first time they moved up there, crowds were allowed in stadiums and that helps the bottom line
It's the second season in a row the game will have lost money, following a months-long shutdown last year which caused a renegotiation of the broadcast agreement.
That caused the NRL to shed up to $50 million from their budget in an attempt to tighten the costs facing the game.
The NRL are footing the bill for this year's bubble on the back of those financial savings though, with clubs and players not facing any cuts despite the sudden expenditure.
With the NRL unlikely to return to Sydney for the remainder of the season, it could cost the NRL up to $30 million just to complete the regular season, while the finals will reduce costs as teams leave the hubs.
It's understood the NRL are currently exploring all possible options to play the grand final in front of a full house, with Suncorp Stadium the preference, but New Zealand and Melbourne also in the running after Storm owner Matt Tripp promised to bankroll the game if it was played at the MCG.
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The NRL are understood to be open to the idea of financially assisting clubs, and will make a decision once they understand the financial impact or benefit the finals and grand final will have on the game.
