“It Doesn’t Make Sense”: The Simple Logic Driving Opposition to Super League Growth

A simple, powerful argument is driving the growing opposition to Super League’s expansion: “It doesn’t make sense.” This is the sentiment expressed by club insiders who are baffled by the league’s decision to grow at a time of financial contraction and against the wishes of its main broadcaster.
The lack of sense, according to critics, starts with the money. The league’s main broadcaster, Sky Sports, doesn’t want the expansion and won’t pay more for it. At the same time, most clubs are losing money. The logical conclusion is that adding more teams will simply mean less money for everyone, making a bad situation worse. Why, they ask, would the league voluntarily do this?
The timing also makes no sense to the dissenters. With one club, Salford, already facing potential insolvency, the league’s priority should be stability. Yet, the RFL is pushing for a major structural change that introduces more variables and more financial dependents. It appears to be a move that runs counter to the immediate needs of the competition.
The process itself has been described as nonsensical. Pushing through a major expansion in a few weeks, without providing detailed financial plans or even meeting minutes, defies the logic of good governance and strategic planning. It has created an impression of chaos rather than control.
In the face of this, the RFL’s argument of a democratic vote is struggling to hold up. For the opposing clubs, the issue is not about democracy, but about logic. They believe the expansion plan fails the most basic tests of business sense and financial prudence, and they are now fighting to bring a dose of common sense back into the decision-making process.