In the last 12 months, Love Rugby League has experienced an 18% year-on-year growth in unique users. That kind of trajectory doesn’t happen by chance.
Although the numbers tell a compelling story, beneath the surface these are the results of a dedicated and consistent editorial team, an evolving digital strategy, and a game that continues to expand its reach and relevance.
Rugby league as a sport is changing, with the RFL’s 2024 “More Than a Sport” report outlining how Community Rugby League is becoming increasingly more inclusive and diverse in how it’s played.
From the rise of Wheelchair Rugby League to the expansion of Tag and Masters formats, these new entry points for fans are now thriving in cities like York and Newcastle, and Love Rugby League has been there to document and shape the narrative in real time.
Like with most sports, the relationship between the sport and its storytellers is mirror-like: where rugby league’s growth creates more demand for content, Love Rugby League meets that demand and keeps the conversation enduring.
Ben Olawumi, News Writer at Love Rugby League, comments, “It’s been pleasing to see our team’s hard work transform into the growth that we’ve experienced on the site over the last 18 months."
At the heart of this growth is consistency: “Varying the content that’s being put out and ensuring there’s a steady flow of that content at all times have played a huge role in getting onto an upward trajectory," Olawumi explains.
The team has approached content strategy in a methodical manner, aiming for three articles live on the site before 8am each day. This approach clearly works, mirroring the fast nature of sports media that's shaped by bursts of virality.
It's fair to say that rugby league as a sport doesn't reach the same audience volume heights as its spherical counterpart or even its competing code.
As a result, investment tends to be lesser allocated, meaning content resources and output pales in comparison, but Olawumi sums up Love Rugby League's commitment to covering the sport: “The constant stream of content is definitely something. Previously, we didn’t have that.”
We do now, and the results speak for themselves.
Sources:
* MORE THAN A SPORT REVIEW END OF YEAR 2024 (Community Rugby League)
