Andrew Abdo has resigned as CEO of the NRL to take up a position with Tennis Australia, ending six years at the top of the code. His departure comes as the NRL prepares for a major next TV-broadcast negotiation when current rights run to the end of the 2027 se
When Andrew Abdo walked away from the NRL CEO role, it didn’t land like a slow transition. It arrived as a shock on Monday for footy fans who had not been led to expect it.
Abdo has resigned as CEO so he can take up a position with Tennis Australia. The former interim administrator was first hired in April 2020. then secured the permanent job in September 2020 after taking the reins during the most disruptive phase of the Covid-19 era. For six years. he has been the face of the NRL’s push to outpace the AFL commercially. including season-opening matches staged in Las Vegas.
His time at the helm also coincided with major growth in media value and audience reach. In February, the Australian Rugby League Commission’s annual report showed the NRL enjoyed record growth during the 2025 season. The code attracted 224.2 cumulative viewers in 2025—up 64 per cent on the figure achieved in 2019. Almost five million people attended NRL games last year. and Abdo’s leadership saw the NRLW expand to eclipse the AFLW as Australia’s leading first-grade women’s footy competition.
There has been a football-first agenda too. The NRL has expanded to bring two new clubs into the competition: the Perth Bears from next season and the Papua New Guinea Chiefs from 2028.
While Abdo’s new role at Tennis Australia has not been formally revealed. the timing has sharpened the sense of disruption across sport’s winter codes. Tennis Australia recently saw a leadership change of its own: in February, Craig Tiley announced his resignation. Tiley is set to take up the role of CEO of the United States Tennis Association.
For the NRL, Abdo’s exit lands at the worst possible moment in one critical area—television rights. The administrator’s resignation is described as a huge loss for the code as it negotiates its next broadcast deal. The current agreement governing the NRL’s broadcast rights expires at the end of the 2027 season. making the coming period a decisive one for whoever steps into the CEO chair and steers the negotiations.
There is also the immediate question of what Abdo’s departure changes inside the bargaining process with players. His resignation means he will not be involved in the NRL’s negotiations to reach a new collective bargaining agreement with the Rugby League Players’ Association.
Abdo’s rise to the permanent role came after a baptism of fire. He was appointed interim NRL CEO in April 2020 as the game reeled from the effects of the Covid pandemic. following the resignation of his predecessor Greenberg. Greenberg had stepped down as the sport scrambled to keep the season alive. with the fixture shortened by four rounds and matches suspended after round two.
At the time Abdo was taking control permanently, ARLC chairman Peter V’landys framed the role as uniquely difficult. He described the NRL CEO position as “one of the most challenging and difficult roles in Australian sport. with a diversity of passionate shareholders.” V’landys later praised Abdo’s commercial impact. saying: “Andrew has one of the best commercial brains in Australian sport.” He added: “The Commission could not be happier with his work ethic and the way he has led the game through the pandemic. There’s no better person to take rugby league in a new innovative direction.”.
Now. with Abdo moving to tennis. the NRL has to absorb the loss of a leader credited with steering its commercial momentum through the pandemic and into record-facing growth. The immediate fallout is clear: broadcast negotiations are looming. player bargaining is underway without him. and footy fans are being left to process an announcement that was never publicly trailed before it broke on Monday.
Andrew Abdo NRL Tennis Australia Craig Tiley Peter V'landys NRLW Perth Bears Papua New Guinea Chiefs Las Vegas season opener broadcast rights Rugby League Players' Association
Wait so he left the NRL for tennis? Like the sport? lol
This feels kinda random like who even does that. If he was pushing the NRL to beat the AFL then just quits right before the TV deal stuff? weird.
I saw “Las Vegas matches” and thought okay, they’re trying hard… then he bails. Maybe the AFL paid him off or something? Also 2027 TV rights sounds like that’s why he dipped, but idk.
So he resigns to take a job with Tennis Australia but they won’t even say what he’s doing yet. Classic “trust me” timing. And meanwhile the article talks about record viewers and the NRLW beating AFLW, then poof, he’s gone. I don’t follow tennis at all but this makes it seem like TV negotiations are messy already.