English rugby union has united in its anger and disbelief over Bill Sweeney’s “embarrassing” £1.1 million pay packet, with Premiership clubs and senior administrators scathing in their criticism amid calls for the Rugby Football Union’s chief executive to resign.
Sweeney’s salary increase was slammed as “out of touch” and “an embarrassment” after he was paid £1.1 million this year despite the governing body recording a near-£40 million loss.
Sweeney’s annual base salary included a pay rise of 8.5 per cent from £684,000 to £742,000 for the year to June 2024. The annual report also states he received a one-off performance-based payment of £358,000.
The bonus is understood to be part of the RFU’s Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) that saw the RFU executive team agree to a six-month pay reduction in 2021 following the pandemic, which would mature after three years.
But it follows England finishing third in this year’s Six Nations and winning only five out of their 12 Tests in 2024, including just one victory this autumn against a weakened Japan side last Sunday, results which Sweeney described as “disappointing”.
Sources expressed frustration and criticised the move. One former RFU president said: “I think at a time of severe financial pressure, where money is tight, record losses have been posted and the RFU is making people redundant, it is very difficult to justify a 60 per cent increase on last year’s salary. Even if there are good reasons for an increase, the optics of paying the CEO over £1million are not very good. I suspect many in the game will be shocked and disappointed.”
Another source added: “How long ago was it when Bill Sweeney was described by the government as being ‘asleep at the wheel’?”, before launching a stinging summary of Sweeney’s track record.
“Seventh/eighth in the world, at war with most of the game over its future, forced into a deal with Premiership Rugby Limited at twice the original price, five professional clubs have gone bust, record fall in participation levels, global lawsuits on player welfare with not a single public statement made, CVC deal now universally discredited, mismanagement of Eddie Jones at almost every stage and a HR nightmare — all equals £1 million. Nice work if you can get it.”
Financial strain
Premiership clubs were said to be “furious” at the news of Sweeney’s bonus, with the RFU remuneration committee branded as “totally out of touch” by one insider. “It’s extraordinary,” said a source. “The RFU is losing millions, the clubs are losing millions. The RFU is laying off staff but the chief executive is paying himself millions.”
“It has always been outrageous; an embarrassment,” added source at a separate club.
The Community Clubs Union (CCU), which was established in 2023 in response to the lowering of the tackle height in the community game, have been long-time critics of Sweeney and Tom Ilube, the current chairman of the RFU.
“While disappointing, it is hardly surprising to read that Bill Sweeney and Tom Ilube continually to fail to read the room,” they told Telegraph Sport on Monday evening.
“The community game is dying. So far this season, we have had almost 300 walkover results as teams fail to field sides, and a deeply concerning lack of match officials. Both elements of the game have lost losing financial support over the last five years.
“Sadly, the checks and balances of the RFU council are now powerless and the management board continue to run without accountability. Despite soundbites about investment in the community game, notably from the Twickenham Allianz deal, no investment plans have been announced – just more job cuts from a bloated Twickenham HQ, seemingly to help pay towards Sweeney’s significant pay rise and bonuses.
“Enough is enough now and, with the relaunch of the CCU in the coming weeks, part of our core manifesto will be for both Sweeney and Ilube to go.”
Sweeney’s salary plus bonus for 2024 will match the record for a British sporting executive. Tom Harrison, the former England Cricket Board chief executive, was paid £1,134,425 during the 2022-23 financial year, a figure which also included a long-term incentive bonus. The Football Association’s chief executive Mark Bullingham currently paid £850,000. .
Telegraph Sport understands that the RFU council, during the explanation of Sweeney’s pay rise at Monday’s meeting, was told by governing body administrators that the chief executive of the NFL in the United States earned £64 million.
But the news of Sweeney’s pay comes at a time where the RFU is under significant financial strain, with the annual report confirming losses of £37.9 million, as reported by Telegraph Sport last week.
The operating loss is more than the £30.9 million recorded in 2018, which led to the resignation of previous chief executive Steve Brown, although it was expected given England played no autumn fixtures at Twickenham last November because of the 2023 Rugby World Cup and one fewer home Six Nations match this year. That followed a £4 million operating profit for the 2022-23 financial year.
Twickenham saw a £53.8 million reduction in year-on-year revenue that was made up by fewer ticket sales (£25.4 million), reduced hospitality and catering income (£22 million) and lower broadcast revenues (£6.4 million).
The result, as the annual report shows, is that RFU revenues for the year were £175.2 million, down from £221.4 million the previous year. There was a profit of £58.2 million before taking into account the £96.1 million investment in rugby.
The increase in the underlying loss compared to 2019-20, the last World Cup year, was pinned on inflationary cost increases and reduced Six Nations revenues from broadcast and sponsorship.
While Sweeney criticised the standard of England’s results this year, which has seen England drop from fifth to seventh in the World Rugby rankings, Sweeney added: “We are encouraged by the pipeline of talented young players coming through and the outstanding England win in the World Rugby Under-20s Championship final against France, taking the title for the first time in eight years.”
Commenting in the annual report, Ilube said that the impacts on revenue in a Rugby World Cup year were “anticipated, planned for and in line with expectations”.
Sweeney also added that numbers in the community game have “stabilised”, with more teams playing in RFU leagues and “reporting feeling safer as a result of a reduction in the tackle height”. Age-grade player registrations have also increased by 16 per cent for boys and 10 per cent for girls.
“The RFU has planned well for this year, the fourth year in our business planning cycle, which is always loss-making due to increased costs associated with going to the Rugby World Cup and as a result of hosting fewer games at Allianz Stadium,” Sweeney said.
“Emerging from post-Covid challenges, which saw significant lost revenues, substantial increases in costs and inflation, and a drop in player participation, we are now entering into a period of significant transformation with a great deal to be positive about.”
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