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Super League (Europe) Limited
Company Information
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Contents
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Strategic Report
For the year ended 31 December 2024
The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 December 2024.
The principal activity of Super League (Europe) Limited (“SLE”) is the management Super League, the top tier of rugby league in the UK and France.
In 2022, Super League (Europe) Ltd entered into a Joint Venture with the Rugby Football League (“RFL”) and formed RL Commercial Limited. The principal activity of RL Commercial Limited throughout the year was to promote and drive growth of the game of Rugby League in UK and overseas markets. RL Commercial has been assigned the rights of all the commercial properties of the professional Sport and is charged with selling those properties as well as staging the Sport’s central events. Ownership of those rights still remains with SLE and the RFL respectively. RL Commercial Limited, began trading in January 2023. SLE predominantly receives revenue from RL Commercial as well as interest on its cash deposits. Total revenues received by SLE are attributable to SLE only to the extent that they are required to meet its operating costs. All surplus revenues over and above amounts needed to meet SLE’s operating costs are received in SLE’s capacity as agents of the clubs that compete in the Super League competition. Those surplus revenues are distributed to the clubs as beneficial owners of those revenues, and SLE retains only those revenues which result in it making nil profit after tax. Total income receivable by the Company from RL Commercial was £16,075k (2023: £17,249k). Review of 2024 More than any other year since the club’s dominance of British Rugby League for the decade leading up to the establishment of the Super League in 1996, the year 2024 belonged to Wigan. The Warriors, steered as intelligently from the chief executive’s office by the former playing great Kris Radlinski as they were on the pitch by the head coach Matt Peet, won a Grand Slam of trophies unique in the Super League era – World Club Challenge, Betfred Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and culminating in the Betfred Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford in October. Their achievements earned recognition well beyond Rugby League as they were named Team of the Year in the BBC’s Sports Personality Awards for 2024 – while Peet was pipped as Coach of the Year by Trevor and Jenny Meadows, who had plotted Keely Hodgkinson’s path to 800 metres Olympics gold in Paris. On the stage and in front of millions, Trevor – who briefly played for Chorley Borough – spoke of his admiration for Peet and the Wigan club, and his pride at being ranked alongside them. BBC Sport’s extended coverage of Rugby League under a new three-year deal to run alongside the continued investment and coverage from Sky Sports had been one of the major features of the 2024 season. Both networks covered Wigan’s breathless 16-12 victory over Penrith Panthers in front of a capacity crowd and record viewing figures in February – a fifth World Club Challenge win for Wigan to equal the record of Sydney Roosters, and their first since 2017. It was also a fourth defeat in the fixture for the Panthers, following their previous appearances against Wigan in 1991, Bradford Bulls in 2004, and another narrow defeat at home to St Helens 12 months earlier. But all who travelled with Penrith enhanced the club’s reputation as the classiest of acts, led by the father and son combination of Ivan and Nathan Cleary. The 2024 season would end with Penrith clinching their fourth consecutive NRL Grand Final victory, unprecedented in the modern era, the weekend before Wigan won their second – leaving little doubt that these were the two outstanding clubs in the sport.
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Strategic Report (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2024
Review of 2024 (continued)
Wigan’s Challenge Cup win in June was their 21st – seven more than any other club – but their first at Wembley since 2013. They beat Warrington Wolves, whose Wembley appearance confirmed their position as credible challengers, reflecting the early impact made by Sam Burgess following his first appointment as a head coach. Bevan French won the Lance Todd Trophy as player of the match, his second such award of the year as he had already won the equivalent award for the World Club Challenge, which was named after Bill Ashurst, a forward who played for Wigan and Penrith. French went on to complete a unique treble at Old Trafford in October, when he scored the only try in Wigan’s 9-2 win against Hull KR – a brilliant solo effort – to win the first Rob Burrow Award. That had been introduced at the start of the season, replacing the Harry Sunderland Trophy which dated back to Championship and Premiership Finals, and reflecting Burrow’s indelible link to the Grand Final through the try he scored for Leeds Rhinos against St Helens at Old Trafford in 2011. There was added poignancy to French’s award, as there had been to Wembley week four months earlier, after Leeds announced the end of Burrow’s heroic battle against Motor Neurone Disease on the evening of Sunday June 2, six days before the Challenge Cup Final – Rugby League and the wider sporting world paid tribute at Wembley, with applause after seven minutes of each of the day’s four finals. That began with the inspiresport RFL Champion Schools Final for Year Seven Boys – the Steven Mullaney Memorial Match – which was won by St Peter’s Catholic HS of Wigan against Cardiff’s Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf. St Helens beat Leeds Rhinos in the second Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final at Wembley – exactly as they had done in the first, this time with a convincing 22-0 scoreline extending their grip on the competition to a fourth year. And Finals Day was completed by Wakefield Trinity romping to a 50-6 win against Sheffield Eagles to become the fifth different winners of the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup since its introduction in 2019. The sight of around 6,000 Trinity supporters celebrating behind the posts, as they became comfortably the best supported 1895 Cup finalists so far, was another Wembley highlight – and Wakefield continued to enjoy their season outside Super League following relegation in 2023, as under their own effective management combination of Daryl Powell and the ebullient owner Matt Ellis, they finished top of the Betfred Championship table by a distance and then beat Toulouse Olympique in the Grand Final. Their return to the elite in 2025 was confirmed days later, secured through the grading system introduced through Rugby League’s strategic partnership with IMG, and replacing a London Broncos team who had battled bravely all season under the intelligent coaching of Mike Eccles, and who only finished bottom behind Hull FC on points difference. Catalans Dragons won the Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup for the second consecutive season, demolishing Wigan Warriors 81-18 in the Final at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield – with Leeds Rhinos securing their first Betfred Wheelchair Super League title since 2021 with a 52-32 win against Halifax Panthers at the University of Hull. Jodie Cunningham’s Saints were denied a league and cup double despite finishing top of the BWSL table by four points. That earned them home advantage in the Grand Final but they were stunned by Lindsay Anfield’s York Valkyrie, who won 18-8 to secure their second consecutive BWSL title – in front of a competition record crowd of 4,813. Their full-back Georgie Hetherington, who had already been named Woman of Steel, added the Player of the Match award in her last appearance under that surname – she resumed her career in 2025 as Georgie Dagger, after marrying the York Knights player Will.
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Strategic Report (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2024
Revenue from the joint venture with the RFL is the major income stream for Super League and, as noted above, 2023 was RL Commercial’s first year of trading. Revenues have been satisfactory in the year and the Directors and member Clubs are hopeful for growth in these revenues in future years and RL Commercial’s partnership with IMG develops. This will provide stability both for SLE and the member clubs.
The Board is mindful that SLE’s diversification of revenue streams is narrow. The landscape remains challenging for RL Commercial, and the Board is aware that commercial partnerships always present a degree of risk. The Directors continue to use their influence on the performance of RL Commercial as SLE’s representatives on the RL Commercial Board.
This report was approved by the board and signed on its behalf.
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Directors' Report
For the year ended 31 December 2024
The directors present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.
The directors are responsible for preparing the strategic report, the directors' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:
∙select suitable accounting policies for the Company's financial statements and then apply them consistently;
∙make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
∙prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Company will continue in business.
The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The directors who served during the year were:
Super League (Europe) Limited will continue to receive revenue from the joint venture with the RFL. It is hoped that growth in revenues will be experienced in future years as RL Commercial’s partnership with IMG develops.
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Directors' Report (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2024
The auditors, Hurst Accountants Limited, were appointed during the year and will be proposed for reappointment in accordance with section 485 of the Companies Act 2006.
In preparing this report, the directors have taken advantage of the small companies exemptions provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.
This report was approved by the board and signed on its behalf.
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Independent Auditors' Report to the Members of Super League (Europe) Limited
We have audited the financial statements of Super League (Europe) Limited (the 'Company') for the year ended 31 December 2024, which comprise the statement of comprehensive income, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows, the statement of changes in equity and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council's Ethical Standard and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report other than the financial statements and our auditors' report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the Annual Report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Independent Auditors' Report to the Members of Super League (Europe) Limited (continued)
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
∙the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
∙the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors' report.
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Independent Auditors' Report to the Members of Super League (Europe) Limited (continued)
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors' report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
Identifying and assessing potential risks related to irregularities In identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we considered the following:
∙The nature of the industry and sector in which the company operates; the control environment and business performance including key drivers for directors' remuneration, bonus levels and performance targets.
∙The outcome of enquiries of local management and parent company management, including whether management was aware of any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations, and whether management had knowledge of any actual, suspected, or alleged fraud.
∙Supporting documentation relating to the Company's policies and procedures for:
°Identifying, evaluating, and complying with laws and regulation.
°Detecting and responding to the risks of fraud.
∙The internal controls established to mitigate risks related to fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations.
∙The outcome of discussions amongst the engagement team regarding how and where fraud might occur in the financial statements and any potential indicators of fraud.
∙The legal and regulatory framework in which the Company operates, particularly those laws and regulations which have a direct effect on the financial statements, such as the Companies Act 2006, pensions and tax legislation, or which had a fundamental effect on the operations of the Company, including General Data Protection requirements, and Anti-bribery and Corruption.
Audit response to risks identified
Our procedures to respond to the risks identified included the following:
∙Reviewing the financial statements disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with the provisions of those relevant laws and regulations which have a direct effect on the financial statements.
∙Discussions with management, including consideration of known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud.
∙Evaluation of the operating effectiveness of management’s controls designed to prevent and detect irregularities.
∙Enquiring of management about any actual and potential litigation and claims.
∙Performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships which may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud.
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Independent Auditors' Report to the Members of Super League (Europe) Limited (continued)
We have also considered the risk of fraud through management override of controls by:
∙Testing the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments.
∙Challenging assumptions made by management in their significant accounting estimates, and assessing whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias; and
∙Evaluating the business rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.
We also communicated relevant identified laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all engagement team members and remained alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above, and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations are from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of them. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditors' report.
This report is made solely to the Company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors' report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Company and the Company's members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
for and on behalf of
Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditors
3 Stockport Exchange
SK1 3GG
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Statement of Comprehensive Income
For the year ended 31 December 2024
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Registered number: 03238540
Balance Sheet
As at
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the board and were signed on its behalf by:
The notes on pages 14 to 20 form part of these financial statements.
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Statement of Changes in Equity
For the year ended 31 December 2024
Statement of Changes in Equity
For the year ended 31 December 2023
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Statement of Cash Flows
For the year ended 31 December 2024
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 December 2024
Super League (Europe) Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Gate 13, Rowsley Street, Etihad Campus, Manchester, M11 3FF.
2.Accounting policies
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention unless otherwise specified within these accounting policies and in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland and the Companies Act 2006.
The preparation of financial statements in compliance with FRS 102 requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates. It also requires management to exercise judgment in applying the Company's accounting policies (see note 3).
The following principal accounting policies have been applied:
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 December 2024
2.Accounting policies (continued)
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 December 2024
2.Accounting policies (continued)
Provisions are measured as the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation, taking into account the related risks and uncertainties. Changes in accounting estimates may be necessary if there are changes in the circumstances on which the estimate was based or as a result of new information or more experience. Significant accounting policies, estimates and assumptions, and judgements are provided below. a) Recoverable value of trade debtors The recoverable values of trade and other debtors are reviewed regularly in light of available economic information specific to each debtor and specific provisions are for balances considered to be at risk or irrecoverable. At 31 December 2024, the carrying amount of trade debtors totalled £Nil (2023: £Nil).
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 December 2024
There were no factors that may affect future tax charges.
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 December 2024
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 December 2024
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Super League (Europe) Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 December 2024
There is no overall controlling party of Super League (Europe) Limited
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