Introducing Thirteen

The world around us is changing. Never has that been more apparent than with the events of 2020, which has changed the way we live forever. That includes the way we consume our media, with an ever-changing shift in the world of journalism.

No sport possesses a fanbase as fiercely loyal as rugby league’s. The sport has been served by a number of media outlets magnificently for decades, and will hopefully continue to do so for years to come. But with the sport still struggling to grab the column inches nationally that it wants, and the unfortunate decline of print media, there is a gap which has emerged in recent years for supporters of the greatest game.

That is hopefully where Thirteen Rugby comes in.

Worldwide brands such as The Athletic – and even NRL.com in Australia – have proven that there is demand and interest in premium long-form journalism. Stories which dig beneath the glaringly obvious, and try to explain things from a completely different angle than the mainstream media. For various reasons, there is a lack of that in rugby league. The sport is blessed with talented journalists who are exceptional at breaking transfer stories and on-the-ball when it comes to keeping fans in touch with what’s happening.

That will continue irrespective. But the goal is for Thirteen Rugby to fill a gap in the market, not replace something which already works well. Thirteen will be dedicated to telling the stories behind the story, giving fans a different kind of insight into the world of rugby league. How did Club X complete that major signing? What’s the story behind the next big prospect in the game? What has happened to the stars of yesteryear, and how did that game-changing try occur from a tactical perspective?

These are all questions Thirteen aspires to answer. Over time, Thirteen will build a portfolio of reputable voices and experts from within the sport, all of whom will tell their side of the story as it deserves to be told, and share their thoughts on the events that matter the most. But it can’t be done without you.

In return for what is hopefully something new and exciting, members will be asked to pay as little as £2 per month to gain access to Thirteen’s entire library of content: which will be updated regularly with fresh, innovative content. That’s less than the price of a cup of coffee. That will ensure the site’s constant growth, and hopefully make the project succeed. It is a big ask, particularly in these testing times, but it can succeed.

Calling the content you will read ‘high-quality’ or ‘exceptional’ is not for us to do. That is your job. Hopefully it stands up to the task and in return, your support would be greatly appreciated. One thing we can control is the way things are presented: and with no adverts littering your viewing experience, hopefully, you can see our goal is to deliver a different kind of content in an appealing, clutter-free way. Essentially: we are sacrificing advertising revenue for now in the hope readers will subscribe.

For too long, hundreds, if not thousands, of fascinating stories have gone untold. Thirteen will hopefully help change that. Please support us if you can by heading to this link: https://thirteenrugby.com/subscribe-to-thirteen/