Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet calls for changes in the Super League salary cap

[josie andrews]

WIGAN WARRIORS head coach Matt Peet has called for changes to the Super League salary cap.

The salary cap has remained at £2.1 million for six years heading into the 2024 Super League season, though changes have been made to marquee player rules along the way.

However, as the NRL salary cap stands at $11.4 million – which equates to just under £6 million – Super League is constantly at risk of being left behind.

Now Wigan boss Peet, who has won six trophies as head coach of the Warriors since taking charge in 2022, has called for change.

“You’ve got your marquee players but you end up utilising them to keep the players you have got,” Peet said on The League Express podcast.

“I’m sure there are some clubs who would love to go overseas and get a marquee player but if one of our homegrown players – let’s say Mikey Lewis at Hull KR – they would love to retain him but the only way to do that is to make him a marquee player.

“There certainly has to be more license for clubs to spend more to keep the talent before we even start talking in bringing in overseas talent. There has to be more avenues brought in to protect our homegrown talent from going overseas so young.

“We have got a salary cap that isn’t moving in line with inflation so naturally it is going down. The players, what they put their bodies through, it’s very tough.”

Peet goes further, believing that the lack of outside investment is down to limitations on what clubs can spend.

“I understand the reason for some limitations because you don’t want clubs spending themselves into oblivion.

“But there should be mechanisms whereby, if clubs can afford it, they can reward the players with more money if the money is there.

“I don’t see how constantly cutting or holding back can see the game grow. We are going to expect TV deals, certain sponsors and partners to come on board but then we make it public about how much we are reducing the spend on talent.

“It’s hard to see our sport as a decent investment when the cap is as it is.”



https://www.totalrl.com/wigan-warriors- ... alary-cap/

[Charriots Offiah]

Well said MP.

[endoman]

It’s one thing we've not tried to expand the game. I see no issue, a larger cap would make no difference to eg Salford, but bringing investors in, well, that’s what we need. We just aren’t allowed to spend to promote…

[Wiganer Ted]

This is obviously Wigan RL's official position on the SC.

It is well articulated and fully explains the problems our sport has. Most self inflicted.
How this can be changed and improved is the real problem.
Hopefully we can get other clubs on board with moves to improve and expand the game. The likes of Wire, Saints & Hull KR plus hopefully in future Hull FC. What Leeds' position will be with Blease as CEO rather than GH remains to be seen. Although GH is still there and part owner.

There are too many clubs who are not self sufficient without full SKY cash as Salford have proved.
How many SL clubs are self sufficient without SKY money is the crucial one. Also clubs who could survive without wealthy owners would be interesting, if any!

This is the first explanation I've seen of Wigan RL's position on the SC since Mike Danson bought the clubs and stadium.
How we manage to develop this and which clubs will support us will give an indication as to how the sport will progress.

[Wintergreen]

It's something that has been obvious for a long time.

Keeping the nominal level of the cap static in times of inflation reduces the effective rate.

This is even before you address the absolute disparity in cap levels between the RU and NRL.

In layman's terms, instead of the RFL closing the gap in the SC, they are making it bigger.

[fozzie58]

It's something that has been obvious for a long time.

Keeping the nominal level of the cap static in times of inflation reduces the effective rate.

This is even before you address the absolute disparity in cap levels between the RU and NRL.

In layman's terms, instead of the RFL closing the gap in the SC, they are making it bigger.

Agreed how anyone with eyes can’t see that in real terms the cap is and has gone down is a buffoon but I suppose that flat cap brigade like it that way

[WarriorWinger]

Its a vicious circle, investors and advertisers want value for money, and without the exposure and promotion of the game why should someone want to invest, and without the investment it's hard to promote the game.

The opportunity is now as far as I am concerned as every game is televised in some way or another, therefore all games are open to a wider audience, the RFL and clubs need to latch onto this to bring in sponsors and investors.

We also need to allow players to be promoted to become household names, not just amongst RL fans but to the wider audience, I remember at the hight of the Wigan dominance, players were know throughout the country and you would often see Man Utd players at games or with RL players, now we occasionally hear of a closet RL fan who is well know in another sport or on TV.

We need the names of players to be talked about amongst other circles and their faces to be recognised outside of the RL community so investors and sponsors will want to invest in the sport and TV companies will want to bid for the game.

[morley pie eater]

Peet goes further, believing that the lack of outside investment is down to limitations on what clubs can spend.

Just what I said yesterday on another thread.

Talking about needing star players with national recognition is all well and good, but the star players will all go elsewhere if their wage is going down every year.

Similarly, blaming the "Yorkshire mafia" is missing the point and therefore unhelpful. The reason for a salary cap was a valid one of trying to prevent clubs going bust. I think that aim should still be there, but, as Pete says, not by preventing clubs spending what they can afford.

In other words, if only one or two clubs have the dosh, let them spend it. Evening up standards is a nonsense - it ends up evening down. We need to look as Celtic and Rangers success in Scottish football: they're in a league with the lines of Ross County and St Johnstone with average gates of 4 or 5 thousand. Imagine them having a salary cap to "even up standards", and you get the picture of where we went wrong.

[Mike]

Its a vicious circle, investors and advertisers want value for money, and without the exposure and promotion of the game why should someone want to invest, and without the investment it's hard to promote the game.

I don't get why people are still suggesting running a RL team is an investment. No-one makes money running a RL team. You're in it to lose as little money as possible whilst supporting the team you're interested in.

Advertisers on the other hand do have to worry about exposure and value for money etc.

[Wintergreen]

I think the comparison between Rangers/Celtic is a valid one.

Like all caps, irrespective of what they are, they drag down rather than boost up.