Ian Nolan will strive to help deliver rugby league to bigger audiences after being appointed as the Rugby Football League’s new chief executive.
Nolan worked previously as a senior executive at Manchester United, leading the club’s global media network and overseeing record reach, engagement and revenues, before joining Science in Sport (SiS) as chief marketing officer.
During a 20-year career in the sports industry, he has worked with clubs, leagues and rights-holders around the world, including extensive experience with Yahoo Sports, where he negotiated the acquisition of Premier League rights.
Nolan replaces Tony Sutton who stood down as RFL CEO in September with Abi Ekoku and then, more recently, Rhodri Jones, Managing Director of RL Commercial, holding the role on an interim basis.
The 44 year-old will officially begin work on October 1 with Jones continuing until then.
RFL Chair and RL Commercial Chair Nigel Wood OBE said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Ian to the Rugby League.
“Amid a field of top-class candidates, he emerged as the person best placed to take us forward during a pivotal time for the sport.
“Ian’s skillset and vast experience in the global, digital market, including an influential seven years at Manchester United, will complement what we already have within the RFL.
“With his fresh ideas and dynamism, this appointment is the most significant as we continue to turnaround the sport’s fortunes and put revenues back onto an upward trajectory after the past few years.
“There is so much to be proud of in our game here with the best-ever Magic WKND just a few days ago – a brilliant occasion attended by more than 80,000 people - a case in point.
“Ian's appointment is the first step in a bold and ambitious new strategy; he has a wealth of experience in the growth and commercialisation of sports, media and sports rights, plus an impressive track record of leveraging digital, social and modern media platforms to accelerate growth into global markets.”
