Prem Rugby is on track to generate more than £200m in revenue next year as it works to counter the threat from the proposed R360 competition. A financial report due for publication this month, seen by the BBC, shows the league has reduced ‘‘collective underlying losses’’ by 44% and is recovering from a period of financial strain. Average player salaries have climbed above pre‑Covid levels to about £192,000, up from £177,000 in 2019.
The improved financial picture has arrived amid warnings from R360 founders that the current club model is ‘‘unsustainable’’. Earlier this year some major investors described the club game as ‘‘fundamentally flawed’’ and expressed concern that other teams could follow Wasps, Worcester and London Irish into administration.
There have also been encouraging signs for the Premiership: Newcastle’s takeover by Red Bull, rising ticket sales and TV audiences, and a lucrative new professional partnership with the Rugby Football Union. The Financial Monitoring Panel, which oversees the league’s finances, expects revenues to top £200m next year for the first time since the league moved to 10 teams and forecasts three clubs will break even by 2026. While operatin
