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Wales Online
3 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Mike Tindall revealed as one of the faces behind breakaway global rugby league
Mike Tindall revealed as one of the faces behind breakaway global rugby league The globetrotting new breakaway league is hoping to launch next year with 12 franchises Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall (Image: 2025 Max Mumby/Indigo ) Former England centre Mike Tindall has been revealed as part of the driving force behind a new proposed breakaway global rugby league that hopes to launch next year. The World Cup winner has been named as one of the co-founders of 'R360', along with former Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper, former rugby agent Mark Spoors and John Loffhagen, the lawyer behind the creation of cricket's Indian Premier League and the rebel LIV Golf tour. The reveal of the driving forces comes amid a push for backers for the franchise system, with multiple bids having reportedly already been made. According to the Telegraph, team owners from other sports, including the NFL and Formula One, have made bids as more details of the league, first reported last autumn, become clear. A brochure has been circulated to potential investors from R360, which puts more meat on the bones from the initial reports last year. The new league, were it to get off the ground, would run in two windows - one from April to June and the other from August to September - in order to make players available for internationals. The report adds that they are hoping to launch the competition in September next year and expand to 10 male franchises in its second year. Article continues below The initial proposal is for 12 franchises, with eight male teams and four women's teams. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. It would follow a 'grand prix' model, visiting 16 venues that include Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Barcelona's Nou Camp and Sao Paulo. Other locations include Los Angeles, New York and Buenos Aires - all of which would transform into 'festival hubs with live music shows, fan zones and celebrity appearances'. Heads of agreement have already been signed with a number of players, with the league targeting the top 300 male and female player in the world. It has previously been reported that the new league intends to pay the world's top 40 rugby union players more than £1million a season - a figure that only a few players currently make. The Times report that some members of this summer's British and Irish Lions squad have signed conditional contracts with the new league, which would be activated if the R360 owners can meet targets related to broadcasting rights and team ownership. Article continues below With no relegations and laws to "minimise dead time, maximising fast-paced and non-stop action", the new league says that it wants to turn rugby into a summer sport and give the game 'its Super Bowl moment'. 'Rugby is feeling the fallout of the last few years with financial mismanagement, declining investment in the club game and a product that is struggling to evolve,' said Tindall in the brochure sent to investors seen by the Telegraph. 'Clubs around the world are feeling the strain and are being propped up by the international game. Rugby's lack of innovation and ability to change risks losing its appeal to new audiences and its younger market.'
CairoScene
26-05-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
Saudi Arabia Secures USD 100 Million Golf Resort Investment
A USD 100 million deal with BlackBerry co-founder Jim Balsillie kicks off Saudi Arabia's plan to build up to 100 golf courses. Canadian tech entrepreneur and BlackBerry co-founder Jim Balsillie has invested USD 100 million to build a national network of luxury golf resorts in Saudi Arabia. The investment is part of a broader partnership with Sumou Global Investment and aligns with the country's Vision 2030 strategy to diversify its economy and boost tourism. The first project is expected to break ground soon in Jeddah, on a site previously used as a sewage dumping ground. Plans include not only golf courses but also integrated hotels and residential developments. Balsillie aims to expand the country's existing portfolio of a dozen golf courses to up to 100, with seven to ten already in development and several expected to be completed by 2027. One strategic objective is to integrate golf tourism with religious tourism. By offering golf packages to Muslim pilgrims visiting Makkah, the initiative seeks to encourage longer stays and create new revenue streams from leisure-focused visitors. The move builds on momentum generated by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has invested nearly USD 5 billion into golf globally, including the controversial LIV Golf tour and domestic projects like a Jack Nicklaus-designed course near Riyadh. Saudi Arabia faces competition from regional neighbours such as the UAE, Qatar, and Oman, all of which have invested in golf infrastructure. However, the Kingdom's rapid pace of development has raised environmental concerns, particularly around water use for maintaining courses in arid climates. Developers have pledged to use recycled water and renewable energy solutions to mitigate impact.
