COMMERCIAL ASSESSMENT · JUNE 2026
LONDON BRONCOS
A LEVELUP® commercial assessment quantifying the cost of inaction and identifying the potential to close the gap.
SECTION 00 — INTRO
INTRO
LEVELUP® offers commercial support to ambitious clubs. The following is a snapshot analysis of the London Broncos' commercial potential with a specific focus on digital sponsorship optimisation and audience growth.
SECTION 01 — WHERE YOU CURRENTLY SIT
STATUS QUO
ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST OF DIGITAL SPONSORSHIP INACTION
£220k–£380k
This is the gap between London Broncos' current estimated digital sponsorship income and what the club's assets (London location, NRL connection, growing social audiences) should be generating if structured and sold as more formalised digital commercial products.
London Broncos entered 2026 in the strongest ownership position in the club's modern history under the control of Australia's most-capped test player Darren Lockyer, mining magnate Grant Wechsel and former Leeds Rhinos CEO Gary Hetherington. The club has taken commercial strides with Freshwater Strategy providing commercial focus, Cash Converters signing a multi-year principal partnership deal and Reebok coming in as kit supplier. The foundation is robust and has huge potential for growth.
The question this analysis snapshot answers is: how much commercial value is being left unrealised by not structuring, pricing and selling digital assets as formal commercial products? The estimate is conservative and does not include the potential value which a successful Super League promotion would drive. Especially given digital activity directly impacts three of five scoring categories (Fandom, Finances, Community) under the IMG grading framework, so every foregone digital pound is also a lost IMG point. An important distinction to make in the commercial growth of the club on more than one front.
What exists vs. what is being sold
CURRENT DIGITAL ASSET AUDIT
The following audit maps the Broncos' existing digital assets against whether each is commercialised, with monetisation context given the club's unique profile.
| Digital asset | Exists? | Sold commercially? | Context & monetisation notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram (@londonbroncos) | Yes — 28K | Partial | Modest for Championship RL but growing under new ownership. The Big John (700K+ Instagram) activation in January 2026 demonstrates the ownership's content-first instinct. However, no sponsor receives contracted, measurable Instagram deliverables. Cash Converters is tagged but not on a formal content calendar with formalised measurement reporting. |
| Yes — 70.7K | No | Largest social platform by following and one of the largest Facebook audiences in Championship RL, however, not currently packaged as a formal sponsor product. The demographic (25–45, London) is premium for financial services, property and lifestyle. A 'Presenting Partner' with branded posts, quarterly audience demographics, sponsored email sends is immediately sellable. | |
| X / Twitter (@LondonBroncosRL) | Yes | No | Active match day account. Declining organic reach limits standalone value, but adds incremental reach in a combined multi-platform package. Not currently sold as a commercial product. |
| YouTube | Yes — active | No | Official channel with match content and highlights. Currently there is no presenting sponsor, no pre-roll advertising, nor structured content series. |
| Documentary series | Planned | Not yet | Owners have confirmed plans for a documentary covering the club's history, hoping to be sold as a globally distributable asset (Netflix / Amazon / Sky). A presenting sponsor at £40–80k/yr should be secured before production begins, and it is the single most powerful IMG Fandom asset the club can build. |
| Hazelwood training ground | Yes | No | Moved to Hazelwood, the former London Irish base, in November 2025. A premium, purpose-built training facility with media/content production capability. Not yet packaged as a naming rights or 'Official Training Partner' opportunity. |
| Cash Converters principal deal | Yes | Partial | Multi-year deal covers kits, apparel, in-stadium and digital assets, (although the latter element is referenced but not structurally defined. Should be converted from a logo placement with a vague digital remit into a contracted monthly deliverable schedule including a social calendar, audience data reporting, sponsored email sends, community initiative digital wrappers. |
| Reebok kit deal | Yes | Partial | A new deal for 2026, a brand relaunch story with global media interest. Currently a product story, not a digital media product. Co-branded content series, kit reveal campaign metrics and quarterly social deliverables are all sellable add-ons. |
| NRL / Australian market access | Yes — via ownership | Not structured | Lockyer's comment about Australian brands looking to extend into the UK knowing where to come', combined with Cash Converters and Andrew Gray in the ownership group, confirms there is an active Australian network. Could be a formal, priced commercial product 'Official Australian Market Partner' with defined deliverables, not an informal owner relationship. |
| Multi-tenancy (Plough Lane) | Yes | No | Shared with AFC Wimbledon, AFC Wimbledon Women and London Warriors. A joint 'London's most diverse sporting venue' digital package featuring co-branded content, shared email sends, cross-sport match day promotions is a product no individual tenant can offer alone. Not currently structured or sold. |
| Fan data / CRM | Partial | No | 70K Facebook audience is the most mature digital asset. A quarterly London audience demographic profile (postcodes, age, income proxy, sports interest) is a premium product for London-facing brands and also directly improves IMG Fandom scoring. |
BENCHMARK: WHERE LONDON BRONCOS SIT VS. COMPARATOR CLUBS
The following benchmark compares the Broncos against clubs whose ownership profile, location or commercial situation makes them the most instructive comparisons.
| Club / tier | Digital spon. % | Key digital asset | What London Broncos can learn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrexham AFC (Championship Football) | 40–55% | Reynolds / McElhenney ownership converted into a digital commercial machine including TikTok shirt deal, Meta Quest activation, and United Airlines x TikTok campaigns. | The most instructive overseas-owned comparison in British sport. The Broncos' ownership narrative (NRL legend + London + documentary + Cash Converters) is structurally comparable. Wrexham committed fully to a digital-first commercial model from day one. |
| Saracens (Premiership Rugby Union) | 28–35% | StoneX naming rights (£2m+/yr), Shawbrook Bank shirt deal with Stats Centre data integration, Castore kit, women's team crossover digital products. Instagram ~200K. | The most directly competitive club for Broncos' London corporate sponsorship budget. Saracens generate 3–5x Broncos' estimated digital sponsorship income on a similar London footprint. |
| Salford Red Devils (Super League) | 25–35% | AIG partnership including Palantir generative AI investment, digital fan engagement infrastructure and structured digital deliverables delivering 3–4x the Championship RL average. | The RL benchmark the Broncos should aspire to & achievable within 2–3 seasons with the right commercial infrastructure. AIG and Palantir chose Salford for commercial reasons. |
| Leeds Rhinos (Super League) | 18–24% | Structured social deliverables, sponsorship tiering, Academy content monetisation. Instagram ~100K. | A direct historical precedent, Gary Hetherington built this commercial infrastructure during his long Rhinos CEO tenure and now chairs the Broncos. An explicit pathway, not just an aspiration. |
| Ealing Trailfinders (Championship Rugby Union) | 18–25% | Structured digital deliverables, women's Premiership team crossover packages, west London corporate corridor access. | The most relevant cross-sport geographic comparison, a fully professional London club at the second tier of their sport, with commercial sophistication ahead of where the Broncos sit. |
| London Broncos (Championship RL) | ~5–12% (current) | Cash Converters covers in-stadium and digital assets (although no contracted deliverable schedule). BrewDog matchday digital promotions in 2025 (Black Heart campaign). Big John activation (700K+ Instagram) shows content instinct. Documentary planned but not packaged. | Baseline. This document is the roadmap to identifying the potential and closing the gap to Super League and cross-sport best practice. |
SECTION 02 — BRIDGING THE GAP
DIGITAL AUDIENCE GROWTH & SPONSORSHIP
AUDIENCE & PLATFORM GAP IDENTIFICATION
GROWING DIGITAL CHANNELS IS PRIORITY #1
In order to advise on how to optimise Broncos' digital inventory, firstly we have reviewed the existing content & channel mix which the club delivers to gain a baseline for optimisation. Below are some examples of how channel & audience growth could make digital inventory more appealing, and ultimately more valuable.
| Factor | Consideration | Issue to solve |
|---|---|---|
| Community | 28K Instagram followers and 70.7K Facebook likes is a good foundation but the gap between the two numbers is itself revealing. Facebook's 70K is a legacy audience accumulated over decades of the club's history; Instagram's 28K reflects current organic growth, which is a relatively slow accumulation, not a growing community. | COMMUNITY GROWTH: Focus on the right channel mix to grow digital audiences with content which resonates, and engenders loyalty & appeal to the club. |
| Format of content | Content is in itself an issue, with the majority as reactive, not strategic, including match-day posts, results, squad news. This is adequate community management but it is not audience growth. Growth requires content that reaches people who do not already follow the club: shareable moments, cross-platform reach, collaborations with larger audiences. | CONTENT SUITABILITY: Identify how to grow the audience organically via the most relevant content formats which transcend rugby league to reach new audiences. |
| Big John activation | This was the exception that proves the rule. A viral social media personality with 700,000 Instagram followers visiting the Broncos' training ground generated more reach in 48 hours than weeks of regular posting. But this was a one-off initiative, not a repeatable strategy. The club needs a pipeline of these moments not just a content calendar. | STRUCTURE & PLANNING: Structure calendars & plan content which resonates with broader audiences + collaborating with channels with larger audiences should become the norm. |
| Platform mix | The platform mix is wrong for growth. Facebook's organic reach has declined dramatically since 2018. Spending meaningful time on Facebook content means working hardest on the platform with the lowest growth ceiling. Instagram Reels and TikTok are where new, younger audiences are found. The Broncos' TikTok presence is inconsistent. | CHANNEL MIX: Spend the time on the channels where organic growth, and the right audience are. |
| Content shareability | No content is designed to be shared. Shareable content including funny moments, genuine surprises, remarkable things are what creates growth. Match highlights, player announcements, and competition results are not shareable; they are relevant only to people who already care. Reagan Campbell-Gillard playing cricket in the changing room is shareable, but there is no consistency. | INHERENTLY SOCIAL: Understanding of how to grow audiences via a planned content mix + when to take advantage of moments reactively. |
Asset gap identification
WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO OFFER DIGITAL INVENTORY WHICH SPONSORS WANT
Having reviewed existing sponsorship opportunities and digital output & channels, we have identified a number of opportunities which are easy to deliver. The following are opportunities of digital inventory London Broncos could package and sell to sponsors (with high perceived value based on our experience as rights holders & sponsors), moving beyond traditional logo placements into structured content products and media solutions.
Custom Content
Bespoke film, photography and editorial built around partner objectives and club stories.
Content Series Sponsorship
Multi-episode digital series with dedicated partner branding and integrated messaging.
Social Partner
Branding across YouTube and other social content produced by the club offering embedded partner visibility in every post and episode.
Media & Audience Buying
Access to AFC Wimbledon's engaged SW London digital audience through targeted media placements and campaigns.
Identity-aligned packages
Partnerships that align with club values (community, inclusivity, culture) not just exposure.
Digital branding & advertising
Website, social, and match day inventory sold as structured advertising packages.
In summary
A fully activated digital commercial programme could generate £220k–£380k of additional annual revenue for London Broncos, from zero new infrastructure investment, using only existing channels, existing audience, and existing partner relationships repackaged with structure and measurability.
OTHER AREAS WE COULD SUPPORT ON
EXAMPLE: AUDIENCE GAP IDENTIFICATION & GROWTH
REASONS FOR FLUCTUATING ATTENDANCES
Physical attendances at Cherry Red Records stadium have fluctuated across the past few seasons, partly due to on-pitch performances, but also due to a number of factors which need to be addressed.
| Factor | Consideration | Issue to solve |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry Red Records Stadium | The issue is not that the stadium is too small, nor the permitted capacity for matches, as attendances have fluctuated this season from a high of 4,380 and an average of 3,396. | DEMAND: It's not a capacity issue but the attractiveness of the experience, especially vs other family-friendly or sporting events in the London area. |
| Pricing tiers & community ticketing | The current ticketing structure is complex with 3 tiers but little differentiation. Community and family ticketing promotions are bringing new people in, but without a structured follow-up (email capture, a reason to return, a loyalty incentive), a subsidised first visit simply produces a positive experience which does not repeat. | CONVERSION: The Broncos are not capturing or re-engaging the people their promotions attract in order to make a repeat experience possible or even likely. |
| On-field performance | On-field performance is the dominant variable. A 3-14 Super League season drove attendance from 3,178 to 800 in a single year. No amount of community ticket promotions or influencer activations can offset a product that is losing by 50+ points most weeks. The 2026 season's 16-1 record is the single most important attendance driver. | SUSTAINED PERFORMANCE: Fans come to watch more when teams are winning. During the last Superleague season attendances dropped, but have grown again this season with a more positive win record. The issue will be about maintaining performance once the Championship RL is won and the much harder Super League opposition returns and keeping fans engaged. |
| London awareness of rugby league | Rugby league has a London awareness problem that predates the Broncos. The sport is genuinely unknown to the majority of Londoners. Unlike football, rugby union, or cricket, there is no cultural presence, no games on in the pub, no casual conversation, nor school playground equivalent. | AWARENESS & INTEREST: With limited awareness of the sport as a whole in London, very attendance campaign starts from zero awareness, not converted interest. This is a systematic sport issue rather than club, but the Broncos suffer from it in a city where sports events take place every weekend across a number of different sports. |
BENCHMARK: AUDIENCE STABILITY
The following benchmark, while in a different sport, is a good comparison of how the franchise has continuously delivered audiences, from a standing start, to a stable and growing model.
The Hundred (cricket) has a simple ticket pricing structure which offers adult tickets from £14, junior tickets from £5, with under-3s free. In 2025, 41% of all tickets went to families and 23% to juniors, with 203,000 people attending their first-ever cricket match. The Hundred is the most instructive comparison because it faced a similar challenge to the Broncos: making a sport unfamiliar to many London families feel accessible and worth the trip. Their answer was aggressive entry-level pricing, a short format (finished in under three hours), a family entertainment wrapper (live music, DJs, food festival), and a digital data capture system converting first-time visitors into repeat buyers. As a result, The Hundred has enjoyed 2.5 million attendees plus earned over one billion video views across all platforms since its launch in 2021.
In summary
A competitive ticketing pricing structure, driving awareness of the club and sport into the mainstream via content delivered across digital channels, positive match experiences, and a robust CRM system to re-engage attendees are 4 factors which are required to maximise attendance figures. The club on-pitch performance is also important, but these factors protect attendances against this variable.
Next steps
LEVELUP® FULL ASSESSMENT
The above is a snapshot of our findings. The next step would be to carry out a full assessment which would provide the following:
DIGITAL AUDIENCE GROWTH & SPONSORSHIP
- ✓Identification of potential gaps within asset portfolio
- ✓Definition of example inventory + valuation
- ✓Example packaging to include new inventory
PHYSICAL AUDIENCE GROWTH
- ✓Ticketing & membership analysis
- ✓Analysis of systems and process used to help with both acquisition and retention
- ✓Identification of gaps in product offering and ways to increase volume and fill
SECTION 03 — LEVELUP
OUR UNIQUE PROPOSITION
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Our ambition is to offer this spectrum of knowledge and expertise to clubs who know they need to move, but might not have the resource or expertise to know where to start.
Our fractional consultancy allows clubs to start their own journey of growth, with senior-level expertise across the commercial ecosystem, working collaboratively with your existing resource base.
In summary, we aim to shape and grow the full commercial ecosystem of ambitious clubs by supporting the development of incremental and long-term revenue solutions.
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Next steps
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