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Latest IMG proposals for Super League

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
3,265
I think within ten years we should have a good picture if this system is strengthening RL in UK, or weakening it.
A glaringly obvious scoring criteria that is missing is player development.
Within 10 years would be great but the NRL took a long time to turn around after SL f**ked it.
Over the long term...boom!

Short sighted nature is what has held Rugby league back for a century.
The model is solid and will eventually produce results.
SL shouldn't be " see how it goes " more "that this is it indefinitely "

For teams wanting to join- get your shit together. Not- go buy a bunch of players for a season and you're in 🤦‍♂️
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
3,265
Hunslet share their rating:

Some six months down the line, Hunslet have been less than impressed by their ‘score’ as allocated by IMG. Their total of 6.94 (from a possible 20) comprises:

  • Performance: 0.46 (from a possible 5)
  • Fandom: 2.05 (from a possible 5)
  • Finances: 1.75 (from a possible 4.5)
  • Stadium: 0.68 (from a possible 3)
  • Community: 2.00 (from a possible 2.5)
CEO Neil Hampshire said, in a message to Hunslet’s loyal fans posted on the club’s website: “The criteria are based on a mixture of three-year averages and in-year achievements. 2023 is a ‘dummy’ year so that clubs can get used to the process. The scoring will formally come into play in 2024 when the results from that year’s exercise will determine the top twelve teams in Super League for 2025.

“It’s important to note, though, that the grading score has absolutely no impact on promotion and relegation between Championship and League 1. Like us, I know a lot of you will look at the figure and see it as disappointing, but there are a few points I would make:

“As you will be aware, we voted against the introduction of grading. No one can ever be against improving standards, but this system has proved overly bureaucratic and complicated for fans to understand. As an example of the bureaucracy, completing the return also required us to submit duplicate figures to the RFL from the last two years; we have made it plain to the RFL that we do not accept that level of administrative burden to continue. From here on in we should, really, only have to provide data for one year.”

He added: “We shouldn’t forget that this is a whole-game comparison and we are being ranked against some clubs who have received around £40m central funding since the inception of Super League in 1996. Indeed, top-end Championship clubs will also have had significantly more funding during that period too. Obviously, that has given them more opportunity to invest and grow their business and stadiums. That’s not a criticism, but a realism that we are not operating on a level playing field. It would be interesting to undertake a comparison of the IMG grading score ranked against the central funding received by each club since 1996. Going forward though, if we are serious about return on investment, we believe that there also needs to be some adjustment made to reflect that gap in central funding, even if it is just for the three-year period under review.”

Hampshire continued: “We are already working with Leeds City Council to address issues around the South Leeds Stadium, and are confident that our score will increase in that area in 2024. On the performance front the report period for 2023 covered 2020 to 2022 and so this year’s second-placed finish in Betfred League 1 will be taken into account in next year’s return.”

He concluded: “The RFL will now be undertaking a review of the IMG grading criteria process and we will certainly be happy to input into that. Oh for the days when the rewards for sport were focussed on how you performed on the pitch!”

Huslet= has poor grades.
Huslet= against grading.

I'd be looking for a new ceo.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
70,867
The anomaly that will be London Broncos in 2024! Im sur RFL and IMG are wishing Toulouse had got up!

London Broncos have to improve in ‘all categories’ to stand a chance of being a long-term Super League club, IMG have admitted, after the Super League newcomers’ provisional grading sent shockwaves through the sport on Wednesday morning.

Of the 35 professional clubs ranked by IMG – a dry run ahead of the gradings taking full effect at the end of next season – London finished just 24th.

They are closer to the bottom-ranked club, North Wales Crusaders, in terms of both points and ranking than they are to the 12th-placed club, Leigh: the cut-off for Super League in 2025.

t means that in all reality, London’s return to Super League next year is likely to be nothing more than a one-season stint, with them kicked out in all probability when the gradings are used for real at the end of 2024.

IMG’s vice president, Matt Dwyer, stopped short of saying that would definitely be the case but he did concede the club had huge work to do on and off the field to show they can be part of the competition’s long-term future.

London Broncos told to improve ‘in all categories’ by IMG​

Asked whether it was impossible for London to survive beyond one season, Dwyer replied: “It’s difficult to answer because it depends on what the other clubs do. We can all see their current grading level is towards the bottom of the piece, so there’s obviously a lot of work to be done there.
“Without going into specifics, it’s pretty broad, so across all categories London need to be improving. There’s plenty of room for them to improve. If London have long-term aspirations to do that, they have to improve across the metrics.

“I would suggest that in 2024 they would be wanting to perform as well as they can to move along that path to being a Category A club and that’s what we’re aiming for. This is not about B6 or B7, it’s about everyone trying to move towards that Category A level.

“When we did our first run-through of this, we thought there’d be four or five A clubs and we’ve ended up with seven. We just need everyone else to come with us.”

Broncos receive supremely low grading as IMG challenge capital outfit to better themselves​

The Broncos have yet to comment on their surprise ranking, or what it means for their plans when they return to Super League next season. Love Rugby League has already revealed that Mike Eccles’ squad will feature some part-time players.

Dwyer rejected any suggestion that the Broncos’ ranking means they are now no longer part of IMG’s vision for the sport though, with the global media brand admitting last year the capital was a key area for the growth of rugby league as part of their 12-year strategic partnership.

He said: “The basis for identifying London was a key area for a couple of reasons. One, for its demographic, it’s the largest market we have in the country. But interest and participation is quite high in London, so it still has the base that should make it a core market going forward. Nothing has changed from that perspective.

“All that has been identified is the challenge we have to grow the market based off that score for London. It’s a hard market to crack, something we’ve tried to crack for a long time and it’s really the same as what I said 12 months ago, it has the right ingredients to be a large market for the sport.

But we have to put those ingredients together and bake the cake, for want of a better phrase. I think the answer with London, is the one what we said at the beginning of the process. The objective is to grow the sport, and there’s a lot that needs to be done to grow and have a strong presence in London.

 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
70,867
Within 10 years would be great but the NRL took a long time to turn around after SL f**ked it.
Over the long term...boom!

Short sighted nature is what has held Rugby league back for a century.
The model is solid and will eventually produce results.
SL shouldn't be " see how it goes " more "that this is it indefinitely "

For teams wanting to join- get your shit together. Not- go buy a bunch of players for a season and you're in 🤦‍♂️
True! We spent a few year's pretty avg on the pitch but spending on the clubs infrastructure and business, then when that started to bare fruit we then was in a position to buy a top coach and start building the squad. I can def see the likes of Wakey and Bradford looking at our blueprint and following it.

I like this system it takes away from spending on players in the hope of going up/staying up and transfers it building a proper viable business. Its just bloody hard for a club outside of SL to better a club in SL due to funding differences, performance points and appeal to fans of the different level of comps.
But at least it is crystal clear and gives clubs the framework they need to build if they want in.
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
3,265
True! We spent a few year's pretty avg on the pitch but spending on the clubs infrastructure and business, then when that started to bare fruit we then was in a position to buy a top coach and start building the squad. I can def see the likes of Wakey and Bradford looking at our blueprint and following it.

I like this system it takes away from spending on players in the hope of going up/staying up and transfers it building a proper viable business. Its just bloody hard for a club outside of SL to better a club in SL due to funding differences, performance points and appeal to fans of the different level of comps.
But at least it is crystal clear and gives clubs the framework they need to build if they want in.
Good on kr but business is hit and miss. Sometimes it catches and sometimes it takes time! For kr they just nailed it and got on a roll - we certainly can't expect that across the board.
London proved how important this new system is = a look under the bonnet of the Broncos showed glaring flaws as a club ( they are going to continue using part time players in sl and change training times to suit!)
But they bought some players that hit form.. 2 good wins and they made the league ahead of much more viable teams with solid foundations !

I couldn't be happier that img are running this game and giving it some solid foundations!
From those solid foundations, we will have a much stronger SL !
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
70,867
Good on kr but business is hit and miss. Sometimes it catches and sometimes it takes time! For kr they just nailed it and got on a roll - we certainly can't expect that across the board.
London proved how important this new system is = a look under the bonnet of the Broncos showed glaring flaws as a club ( they are going to continue using part time players in sl and change training times to suit!)
But they bought some players that hit form.. 2 good wins and they made the league ahead of much more viable teams with solid foundations !

I couldn't be happier that img are running this game and giving it some solid foundations!
From those solid foundations, we will have a much stronger SL !
Its still very reliant on finding a wealthy backer at the moment to be able to invest to grow. Not sure how, or if, that can be changed given there just isnt much money in sport outside of football in UK these days. Maybe just nature of beast and the clubs that can find a sugar daddy will be the ones who succeed.

IMG hopefully give us the best chance we have had since 1997 to turn the game around.
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
3,265
Its still very reliant on finding a wealthy backer at the moment to be able to invest to grow. Not sure how, or if, that can be changed given there just isnt much money in sport outside of football in UK these days. Maybe just nature of beast and the clubs that can find a sugar daddy will be the ones who succeed.

IMG hopefully give us the best chance we have had since 1997 to turn the game around.
That's right. Toronto has a sugar daddy!
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
70,867
That's right. Toronto has a sugar daddy!
There is nothing stopping Toronto applying to join League 1 and being graded!
But again there isnt the money to pay for travel for a Toronto teams introduction to professional RL. So who pays that bill?
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
36,267
In which case if they can find one then they can apply to join and be graded and work for an A class license.
Thats the beauty of the UK system, no waiting for HQ to think about expansion, join, build, get an A and you're in.
Beutiful when the uk game doesn’t share the tv deal with certain expansion clubs and makes them pay for away teams travel costs

and makes them pay a 500k bond to play in the challenge cup
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
70,867
Beutiful when the uk game doesn’t share the tv deal with certain expansion clubs and makes them pay for away teams travel costs

and makes them pay a 500k bond to play in the challenge cup
Thats the harsh reality when the game isnt earning much. No point in adding teams with greater costs if it means the whole comp collapses.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
70,867
Lucky the nrl is earning enough to cover duds like Perth then hey

Lordy me what a double standard
Ah perth again lol.
But yes NRL can afford to cover extra expenses of new teams, it earns ten times the revenue of the RFL!
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
70,867
According to Hunslets release the grading was based on years 20-22. I thought it was a bit efficient to expect SL clubs to produce the data for 23 so quickly at seasons end!
so next years real grading will be based on 21-23.

that will at least give London an extra 0.25 for winning championship
 

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,782
Hunslet share their rating:

Some six months down the line, Hunslet have been less than impressed by their ‘score’ as allocated by IMG. Their total of 6.94 (from a possible 20) comprises:

  • Performance: 0.46 (from a possible 5)
  • Fandom: 2.05 (from a possible 5)
  • Finances: 1.75 (from a possible 4.5)
  • Stadium: 0.68 (from a possible 3)
  • Community: 2.00 (from a possible 2.5)
CEO Neil Hampshire said, in a message to Hunslet’s loyal fans posted on the club’s website: “The criteria are based on a mixture of three-year averages and in-year achievements. 2023 is a ‘dummy’ year so that clubs can get used to the process. The scoring will formally come into play in 2024 when the results from that year’s exercise will determine the top twelve teams in Super League for 2025.

“It’s important to note, though, that the grading score has absolutely no impact on promotion and relegation between Championship and League 1. Like us, I know a lot of you will look at the figure and see it as disappointing, but there are a few points I would make:

“As you will be aware, we voted against the introduction of grading. No one can ever be against improving standards, but this system has proved overly bureaucratic and complicated for fans to understand. As an example of the bureaucracy, completing the return also required us to submit duplicate figures to the RFL from the last two years; we have made it plain to the RFL that we do not accept that level of administrative burden to continue. From here on in we should, really, only have to provide data for one year.”

He added: “We shouldn’t forget that this is a whole-game comparison and we are being ranked against some clubs who have received around £40m central funding since the inception of Super League in 1996. Indeed, top-end Championship clubs will also have had significantly more funding during that period too. Obviously, that has given them more opportunity to invest and grow their business and stadiums. That’s not a criticism, but a realism that we are not operating on a level playing field. It would be interesting to undertake a comparison of the IMG grading score ranked against the central funding received by each club since 1996. Going forward though, if we are serious about return on investment, we believe that there also needs to be some adjustment made to reflect that gap in central funding, even if it is just for the three-year period under review.”

Hampshire continued: “We are already working with Leeds City Council to address issues around the South Leeds Stadium, and are confident that our score will increase in that area in 2024. On the performance front the report period for 2023 covered 2020 to 2022 and so this year’s second-placed finish in Betfred League 1 will be taken into account in next year’s return.”

He concluded: “The RFL will now be undertaking a review of the IMG grading criteria process and we will certainly be happy to input into that. Oh for the days when the rewards for sport were focussed on how you performed on the pitch!”

Fandom and Community look like the same thing
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
6,144
According to Hunslets release the grading was based on years 20-22. I thought it was a bit efficient to expect SL clubs to produce the data for 23 so quickly at seasons end!
so next years real grading will be based on 21-23.

that will at least give London an extra 0.25 for winning championship
Wakefield's release implies their points increase was based upon their 23 finances and increases in social media presence between August & October this year, not last.

Seems a bit crazy that the gradings would be a year behind.
 

ACE88

Juniors
Messages
23
There is nothing stopping Toronto applying to join League 1 and being graded!
But again there isnt the money to pay for travel for a Toronto teams introduction to professional RL. So who pays that bill?
I believe that the Wolfpack still have a bucket load of Cash, as they have been paying for USA teams to travel to Toronto this year for one off games. I feel they are upto something!! Could they be making a return to SL or join the USARL Competition or maybe join the “US North East” United RL setup.
 
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