Touch Rugby League

Name

Touch Rugby League

Legal name

TRL Australia

Website

https://trl.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Sports League Operations

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Rugby (Union & League) Leagues (MPAKAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD), Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments (MPAGAMAF)

Keywords

• Non-contact rugby league
• Community touch rugby
• Youth sports programs
• Sports franchise operations
• Grassroots rugby competitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Team Registration Fees: Teams pay registration fees to participate in TRL competitions. Fee structure varies by division: Men's & Mixed teams at higher rates, Women's & Men's 30s at subsidized rates. Regional teams receive additional discounts.
2. Billy's Buddies Program Fees: Weekly fees for childcare centre programs ($18.95/class) and Intro to Footy programs ($20.95/class). Plus one-time setup fee of $6.50. Council programs offered free or at low cost.
3. Uniform/Apparel Sales: Team uniforms (singlets, shorts, tights) sold through partner EV2 Sportswear. Teams earn bonus points for wearing full matching kit from weeks 2-8.
4. Franchise Fees: Franchisees pay upfront fees for the right to operate TRL competitions in their region. Pricing varies by location and capacity. Franchisees receive training, website, stock-pack, and ongoing support.
5. TRL Juniors Registration: Season-based registration for junior competitions (ages 6-16). Early bird pricing available (e.g., $110 in Brisbane, $99 in Mackay).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Touch Rugby League (TRL) operates non-contact rugby league competitions across Australia, offering structured programs for adults (ages 16+), youth (TRL Juniors ages 6-16), and early childhood (Billy's Buddies ages 2-6). The organization runs a franchise model where licensed operators deliver competitions in their regions under a standardized TRL Blueprint, supported by Spawtz competition management software and Payrix payment processing.

Product overview

Touch Rugby League operates a multi-tiered sports platform centered on non-contact Rugby League competitions. The core product is TRL for adults (16+), supported by TRL Juniors (ages 6-16) and Billy's Buddies (ages 2-6) as youth development sub-brands. Elite competition pathways include Australian Championships, World Cup, State of Origin, and State Championships across QLD and NSW. Additional offerings include School Programs, Council Programs, Childcare Centre Programs, Referee Training, and Franchise opportunities. The company operates on a franchise model with nearly 2000 teams managed annually across Australia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TRL Juniors: Non-contact touch rugby league for children aged 6-16 years, featuring kicking, running, passing and proper play-the-balls in a fun, fast and safe environment.
• Billy's Buddies

Products and services

• Touch Rugby League (Adult TRL) Structured non-contact rugby league competition for adults aged 16+, run weekly across multiple Australian regions via the licensed franchise network. Includes regular seasons, playoffs, and finals under the standardized TRL Blueprint.
• TRL Juniors Youth non-contact rugby league program for children aged 6-16, delivered through community registration, school programs, and council programs. Provides structured skill development and a progression pathway into adult TRL.
• Billy's Buddies Early childhood non-contact rugby league program for children aged 2-6, typically delivered through childcare centres and community programs. Designed to introduce fundamental movement skills and rugby league concepts at a young age.
• TRL Australian Championships National elite tournament for top TRL teams across Australia, providing a high-profile championship stage for the best players in the country.
• TRL World Cup International tournament showcasing national TRL representative teams, providing international-level competition and exposure for elite TRL players.
• TRL State of Origin State-versus-state representative competition between Australian states, modelled on the Rugby League State of Origin concept, providing elite players a national representative stage.
• TRL State Championships State-level tournaments held in Queensland, NSW, and Victoria, providing a competitive championship structure for top teams within each state.
• TRL Juniors School Programs School-based delivery of the TRL Juniors program, enabling schools to offer non-contact rugby league as part of their PE/sport curriculum. Sold to schools as a structured program.
• TRL Council Programs Council-delivered community recreation programs operating under the TRL banner, enabling local government councils to offer non-contact rugby league to their communities.
• TRL Childcare Centre Programs Childcare-delivered version of Billy's Buddies and TRL Juniors content, enabling early childhood centres to offer structured rugby league-based movement programs.
• TRL Referee Training Program Official training and certification pathway for TRL match officials, ensuring consistent refereeing standards across all franchise-operated competitions.
• TRL Franchise Licensed regional franchise offering enabling entrepreneurs to operate TRL competitions in their territory, supported by the TRL Blueprint (full set of resources and best practices) to ensure consistent competition administration nationwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ adult teams participate annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• EV2 SportswearcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial apparel and kit partner for TRL. EV2 Sportswear provides team uniforms (singlets, shorts, tights) through the TRL Kitbuilder custom sportswear designer. Featured on TRL website with direct link to purchase.
• Experience Gold CoastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial destination and event partner for major TRL events including QLD State Championships and World Cup. Provides support for hosting events on the Gold Coast.
• Gallagher AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial insurance partner providing Sports Insurance for TRL. Gallagher provides the TRL Australia Standard Insurance Policy and coverage information for participants.
• Sunshine Coast CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for Australian Championships. TRL Australia partnered with Sunshine Coast Council to bring 2025 and 2026 Australian Championships to the Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore/Kawana).
• ENP FitoutssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent sponsor for TRL competitions including Australian Championships, QLD State Championships, and NSW State Championships.
• HART SportsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports equipment sponsor for TRL events.
• Armstrong Finance GroupsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial services sponsor for TRL events including the 2026 QLD State Championships.
• Visit WollongongsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDestination partner for NSW & Victoria State Championships hosted in Wollongong.
• NRMA ParkssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccommodation partner for TRL events. NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort provides accommodation options for TRL players with promo code TRL2025.
• ACCOR (Mercure Hotel)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccommodation partner providing dedicated booking page for TRL events through Mercure Hotel.
• Brisbane City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Active and Healthy Program to provide free Billy's Buddies programs across Brisbane at locations including Mowbray Park, New Farm Park, Orleigh Park, and more.
• Moreton Bay Regional CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Active and Healthy Program to provide free/low-cost Billy's Buddies programs across Moreton Bay region including Caboolture, Strathpine, and Ferny Hills.
• Northwest Physio Everton ParksupportingOthersOnsite physiotherapy and massage service provider at QLD State Championships.
• SpawtzcoreTechnology or IntegrationCompetition management software used for registrations, fixtures, ladders, and grading. TRL's website integrates with Spawtz for online registration and competition management.
• PayrixcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing platform used by TRL for collecting team registration fees and other payments.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Urban Rec: Australia-based social sports league operator running adult competitions across multiple sports (touch football, oztag, netball, volleyball) in major east-coast cities. Directly comparable business model, customer demographic, and franchise-style local competition format.
• Touch Football Australia: National governing body for touch football in Australia, organizing social and representative competitions across all states. Closely comparable social sport offering, though rules differ (no kicking/play-the-balls); competes for the same participation wallet.
• OzTag: Australia's largest social tag-touch rugby competition, operating across NSW, QLD, and other states with similar franchise-style local competitions. Most direct competitor to TRL with overlapping customer base, format, and go-to-market (social touch rugby for adults).

Regional players

• Touch New Zealand: National body governing touch sport in New Zealand with affiliated regional competitions. Operates a very similar participation-league model across the Tasman with comparable customer segments and competition formats.
• Touch Rugby UK: UK-based mixed-gender touch rugby league operator running social competitions across British cities. Uses a touch rugby format with mixed teams similar to TRL's mixed competition positioning.

Broad incumbents

• AFL 9s: Social 9-a-side version of Australian Football operated by the AFL, targeting adult social participants in similar geographic markets. Competes for the same social-sport participation share with the backing of a major professional league.
• National Rugby League (NRL): Australia's top-tier professional Rugby League competition and the governing/parent body for the sport TRL is based on. Not a direct competitor but a strategic incumbent that could launch or license competing touch programs at scale.

Others

• Federation of International Touch (FIT): International governing body for the sport of Touch (without play-the-balls), organizing World Cups and managing the global rules framework. An ecosystem/administration peer rather than direct competitor, relevant for international federation strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TouchRugbyLeagueAU
• Instagraminstagram.com/touchrugbyleague
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trl-touch-rugby-league

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Touch Rugby League