The Rugby League Players Association (RLPA) and OneTeam International are proud to announce a first-of-its-kind partnership for rugby players in the Australian and Pacific region. This collaboration will enable elite men’s and women’s rugby league players to harness the unified commercial platform that has driven success for some of North America’s biggest player associations.
OneTeam International is the global arm of OneTeam Partners, a joint venture among some of North America’s most prominent player associations, including the NFL Players Association, MLB Players Association, Women’s National Basketball Players Association, MLS Players Association, and U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association.
“This is a historic partnership for athletes in the Australian and Pacific region and the RLPA is proud to be OneTeam International’s first partner in the Southern Hemisphere,” said Clint Newton, the CEO of the RLPA. “While North American sports have been revolutionising athlete deals for NIL for many years, the sports in our region have remained relatively stagnant. Our agreement with OneTeam will now turbocharge the commercial viability of our elite rugby league players and tap into the full potential of their marketability.”
As part of the agreement, OneTeam International will act as the RLPA’s exclusive commercial agent, managing marketing, sales, and licensing opportunities for its members. Additionally, OneTeam International will provide expert guidance on commercial aspects of collective bargaining agreements and negotiations. In alignment with OneTeam’s mission, the partnership aims to protect and enhance athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights while fostering opportunities in sponsorships, partnerships, data rights, content, and ventures.
Daly Cherry-Evans, the General President of the RLPA, praised the pioneering partnership for rugby league players in the Australian and Pacific region. “Elite rugby league players and the RLPA can now harness the incredible commercial knowledge and expertise of OneTeam and build commercial partnerships with some of the biggest and most recognisable brands in the world. This commercial agreement with OneTeam reaffirms the RLPA’s commitment to building a legacy for current and future players, and our dedication to extending the rugby players’ interests throughout and beyond their careers.”
Sean Sansiveri, CEO of OneTeam Partners, added: “We are excited by the potential of this partnership and the opportunity to support RLPA’s members across the men’s and women’s games. The RLPA’s ambitious vision to maximize the true value of players’ commercial rights, while growing rugby league in Australia and abroad, is a perfect foundation for this collaboration.”
Jonas Baer-Hoffmann, Head of OneTeam International, commented: “This is exactly why OneTeam International was created—to empower global player associations and help their members unlock new commercial opportunities. Partnering with the RLPA and its players is an exciting step in building a stronger global ecosystem for athlete-driven ventures.”
Recognized for its expertise in maximizing the collective value of athlete rights, OneTeam is a leader in creating commercial opportunities across North American sports and, more recently, in international markets through partnerships with players’ associations outside North America. It represents the commercial interests of over 20,000 players worldwide, including members of the NFL Players Association, MLB Players Association, Women’s National Basketball Players Association, MLS Players Association, U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association, NWSL Players Association, U.S. Rugby Players Association, Japanese Baseball Players Association, Rugby League Players Association, League of Legends Championship Series Players Association, Valorant Players Association, and thousands of college athletes.