V'landys takes on both top jobs in rugby league as NRL's first executive chairman

Peter V'landys has been officially named the NRL's first executive chairman, and he is stepping down from Racing NSW after 22 years to take on the role, finishing there at the end of November. Many fans have asked what's different, given V'landys has been the most visible figure in the game for years, and the answer comes down to how the sport is run.

The old setup

Since 2012, rugby league has operated under a two-tier model. The ARL Commission sits at the top as the board, setting strategy, approving major deals and appointing the NRL's chief executive, while the NRL itself runs the competition day to day.

As Commission chair, V'landys led the big decisions, including the record broadcast deal, expansion into Perth and PNG, and a string of rule changes. He did that part-time while still running Racing NSW, with the day-to-day running of the NRL, from staff and operations to events, left to chief executive Andrew Abdo. When Abdo left mid-season to lead Tennis Australia, V'landys stepped in to fill the gap on an interim basis, and that arrangement has now been made permanent.

What's changed

V'landys remains chair of the Commission and now also takes on the chief executive's responsibilities, full-time. The person setting the game's direction is also the one running it day to day.

Why it matters

The independent Commission was designed so the board could keep watch over management, with the chair holding the chief executive to account. With V'landys in both roles, that check largely disappears, which is why the Commission has set up a Governance Oversight Committee, chaired by Dr Gary Weiss, to provide oversight of the new structure.

It also shifts accountability. Operational problems used to land on the chief executive, but under this model both the successes and the failures sit with V'landys.

No one has held both roles full-time since the Commission was established in 2012. Supporters argue he has earned it after turning around the game's finances, while critics worry the sport is now relying heavily on one person.

The closest comparison

The nearest equivalent is probably the NFL, where commissioner Roger Goodell is the league's public face, chief strategist and top administrator. V'landys now holds a similar level of authority in rugby league.