National Rugby League chief executive Andrew Abdo will make one of the great leaps across Australia’s sporting divide after taking the top job at Tennis Australia.
Abdo’s departure from the NRL was confirmed at a press conference on Monday afternoon. He will replace Craig Tiley as Tennis Australia’s CEO, after beating more than 150 applicants from around the world to secure the role.
Abdo will remain in his current position until 15 July “to ensure a smooth transition and the completion of the upcoming broadcast negotiations with ARLC chair Peter V’landys”, an NRL statement said.
V’landys will assume an executive role until a new CEO is in place.
“Leading the NRL has been a privilege and the highlight of my career,” Abdo said. “Together we have built a strong, innovative and resilient organisation, expanded the reach of the game and positioned it for an exciting future.
“The NRL is in a strong position – strategically, commercially and in how it is governed. The game doesn’t stand still, and it shouldn’t.”
V’landys is taking long service leave from his role as chief executive of Racing NSW to afford him the time to run rugby league, but the pair will work together for the next month and a half.
“It’s in a very important time for rugby league,” he said. “We start tomorrow with the broadcast deal, there’s presentation from a number of broadcasters so we’ll get that done hopefully before 15 July before Andrew goes.”
Abdo replaced Todd Greenberg as NRL chief executive in 2020 having spent much of the preceding decade in a commercial role at the organisation.
Alongside the influential V’landys, Abdo has consolidated rugby league’s financial health and expanded the competition’s footprint into Papua New Guinea and Western Australia.
Tiley announced earlier this year he would be taking on the same role with the US Tennis Association.
International executive recruitment firm Egon Zehnder has been responsible for finding Tiley’s replacement since his departure was announced in February.
The plan at that stage was for Tiley to stay for “the coming months” to support a smooth transition.
Speculation around contenders to replace him included Tom Larner, the current chief tennis officer, chief of events Stephen Farrow, as well as Tennis Queensland chief executive, Cameron Pearson.
“Tennis Australia has a unique role in Australian sport,” Abdo said. “The Australian Open is already one of the leading sporting events in the world. The opportunity is to keep evolving it – as a global event, as a fan experience, and as a platform that brings more people into the sport.
“What excites me about this role is the opportunity to grow participation, strengthen development pathways and ensure success at the elite level – so that more young Australians pick up a racket and stay lifelong participants.
“I am excited to build off the incredible success and strength of Tennis Australia to work with an amazing team and to play my part taking the sport to the next level in Australia and on the global stage.”
Tiley’s departure, after more than two decades with Tennis Australia, represents a significant shift in the country’s sporting landscape. His tenure has not been perfect – his inability to prevent Novak Djokovic’s deportation was a blow to the executive who portrays himself as player-friendly – but under his guidance the Australian Open has transitioned from a tennis event to a broader cultural phenomenon, attracting spectators interested in eating, drinking, fashion and music.
Fuelled by the Australian Open, Tennis Australia revenues are now around $700m per year, behind only the AFL and NRL among Australian sporting organisations.
