Latest IMG proposals for Super League

[The Daddy3]

Ok bright spark so which major professional team sport in uk is flourishing alongside soccer? Union? Nope. League? Nope. Cricket? Nope. Come on name one.

Boxing is huge now in the UK

 

[The Daddy3]

No I said it isnt in the end of the world shape so many rugby league fans like to say it is. And to his point, when haven’t SL clubs been dependant on owners tipping in? When was the last time broncos were self sufficient and not reliant on backers tipping money in? It’s been that way since 1997 and for some well before that.
yes thought so.

Did you actually read the article? The finances of RL clubs are in a terrible state and has warned of a difficult few years ahead.
Are you actually comprehending what he's saying?
Saying that other sports are also in a bad state is not an argument.
What the Cas owner is saying marries with what I've been saying and in my view RL is slowly disappearing from the public consciousness in the UK. Leigh and Hull KR doing well doesn't change this.

 

[Murishido]

Boxing is huge now in the UK

I haven't seen team boxing? Is it like wrestlemania?

 

[The Daddy3]

I haven't seen team boxing? Is it like wrestlemania?

They have tag team boxing now

 

[Perth Red]

Boxing is huge now in the UK

Team sports

boxing has always had periods when it’s been huge in uk, remember Bruno, lewis, mcguigan etc etc

 

[Perth Red]

Did you actually read the article? The finances of RL clubs are in a terrible state and has warned of a difficult few years ahead.
Are you actually comprehending what he's saying?
Saying that other sports are also in a bad state is not an argument.
What the Cas owner is saying marries with what I've been saying and in my view RL is slowly disappearing from the public consciousness in the UK. Leigh and Hull KR doing well doesn't change this.

It was one clubs opinion, and context is everything! I’ve followed RL long enough to have seen it worse off than this, and times when it’s been a bit better. But it’s never been huge or wealthy in my lifetime. As for not being in public consciousness, when has it ever Outside it’s heartlands? Maybe for a brief moment in early mid 90’s largely due to signing well known union players and news Ltd throwing unsustainable money at the British game.
I’ve seen clubs go bust in the 80’s, in the 90’s and every decade since. Nothing new for RL. Clubs will always spend more than they can afford in the dream that if they win trophies it will cover the losses.

Fact check tv audiences are up and crowds are up. Tv money, whilst down, is still higher than in some previous contracts,

Some clubs have reinvented themselves, got their sht together and starting to reap the rewards of that, others, like London and cas Havent and would rather moan about lack of central funding than get their own houses in order.

But could be worse we could be rugby union!

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/c8rl634z80no

 

[Wb1234]

Super league has regressed in the past ten years

Tv deal down from 41 million to 22 million

Average crowds came close to breaking 10k then went under 8k

Clubs financed have collapsed as the rfl have given them less money

And expansion has failed including London which was inportant

Seems like this is a base though and things are improving

Eliminating relegation will bring in investors who will take the game to the next level

 

[Perth Red]

Super league has regressed in the past ten years

Tv deal down from 41 million to 22 million

Average crowds came close to breaking 10k then went under 8k

Clubs financed have collapsed as the rfl have given them less money

And expansion has failed including London which was inportant

Seems like this is a base though and things are improving

Eliminating relegation will bring in investors who will take the game to the next level

crowd FACTS
2023 crowd avg 5th best in SL history
2024 crowd 6th best in SL history
2024 Grand final best crowd since 2017
2024 CC final crowd best crowd since 2017

TV
Whilst the tv deal is around 10% less than previous deal theres plenty of positives in the new deal:
1. Superleague on free to air for first time creating biggest SL tv audience ever
2. every game now being produced by sky
3. SL given every game to sell on their own streaming platform
4. rights sold to 6 international partners including every SL game now shown in Australia

on top of that we’ve had big investors at HKR, Wakey and Leigh taking them clubs to new levels. We’ve seen most clubs improve their gradings. It was a shame to lose London but they clearly aren’t ready to be a strong SL club yet and need a lot of investment and work. Toulouse are knocking on the door and if they keep building will soon be an A grade and in SL.

So chicken licken the sky isnt quite falling in lol

 

[Wb1234]

So games on fta now, all the rest shown on pay tv and the tv rights have fallen 50 percent ?

Clubs are losing over a million pounds pa on average

Crowd average reflects no broncos in super league

 

[Perth Red]

So games on fta now, all the rest shown on pay tv and the tv rights have fallen 50 percent ?

Clubs are losing over a million pounds pa on average

Crowd average reflects no broncos in super league

Eh? Broncos were in SL in 2024 dragging down the crowd avg. wakey will bring bigger crowds in 2025 than London in 2024 and we should see a SL crowd increase. Especially if hfc can get their sht together under Cartwright,

yep, like I said soccer is hoovering up all sports funding leaving dregs for other sports. RL is no orphan. Union lost £37.5 mill last year! But like I said whilst there was a small monetary decrease on last Sky deal the game has gained significantly in other ways. Fta meaning more exposure and sponsor interest, ability to sell its own streaming service with no game production costs etc

a lot of clubs losses are rich owner right off loans to avoid paying tax.

 

[Wb1234]

Eh? Broncos were in SL in 2024 dragging down the crowd avg

yep, like I said soccer is hoovering up all sports funding leaving dregs for other sports. RL is no orphan. Union lost £37.5 mill last year!
a lot of clubs losses are rich owner right off loans to avoid paying tax.

The union club competition is a basketcase that’s for sure

My point which you missed is super league has formed a decent base and can grow from here with relegation kicked out

Clubs like Leigh hull kr and Wakey are all showing good signs

 

[Perth Red]

The union club competition is a basketcase that’s for sure

My point which you missed is super league has formed a decent base and can grow from here with relegation kicked out

Clubs like Leigh hull kr and Wakey are all showing good signs

If the img grading system is given time it will drag clubs up, all be it some of the, kicking and screaming. We are now into year 3 of the img partnership in 2025 and their focus is apparently going to be on taking star players and getting them famous across England to help raise profile.

we need some big money backers for Bradford, York and London to get the in SL successfully and for the long term. Huddersfield and Salford making way for them and a 14 team comp. That’s what I’d like to see long term.

 

[Wb1234]

If the img grading system is given time it will drag clubs up, all be it some of the, kicking and screaming. We are now into year 3 of the img partnership in 2025 and their focus is apparently going to be on taking star players and getting them famous across England to help raise profile.

we need some big money backers for Bradford, York and London to get the in SL successfully and for the long term. Huddersfield and Salford making way for them and a 14 team comp. That’s what I’d like to see long term.

Don’t think ing will do much themselves

But no relegation will and the game will sort out its own problems

Salford can be a key market / club huddersfield is a waste of space

Bulls would be huge they will average 10k from day one

 

[Perth Red]

Don’t think ing will do much themselves

But no relegation will and the game will sort out its own problems

Salford can be a key market / club huddersfield is a waste of space

Bulls would be huge they will average 10k from day one

We’ve had previous periods of no relegation. that in of itself isn’t the answer.

Salford have always struggled off the field. Fanbase is too small and they bounce from one financial crisis to the next. In a soccer mad city like Manchester it’s not surprising.

bradford needs wealthy investors and a new stadium. Until they get those things sorted it’s hard to see bullmania returning. They are by far the non SL club with the most potential though.

 

[Wb1234]

We’ve had previous periods of no relegation. that in of itself isn’t the answer.

Salford have always struggled off the field. Fanbase is too small and they bounce from one financial crisis to the next. In a soccer mad city like Manchester it’s not surprising.

bradford needs wealthy investors and a new stadium. Until they get those things sorted it’s hard to see bullmania returning.

Salford is a city in its own right

And no relegation didn’t last long last time it was tried

 

[Perth Red]

Salford is a city in its own right

And no relegation didn’t last long last time it was tried

It ran for 9 years.3x3 year licensing periods And didn’t solve any problems. Clubs didn’t improve facilities, wales went bust, the same clubs won the title and so on.

 

[Wb1234]

It ran for 9 years.3x3 year licensing periods And didn’t solve any problems. Clubs didn’t improve facilities, wales went bust and so on.

Gave Celtic crusaders a chance
Les Catalans got exempt from relegation when they came last
Marwan kooucash got involved in Salford ??(not sure on the timeline of this one)

 

[Wb1234]

Final Whistle: Money, money, money – and why rugby league has so little of it – Total Rugby League

www.totalrl.com

Current super league deal is only 4 million pounds pa better than the first tv deal they ever signed in 1996

 

[The Daddy3]

crowd FACTS
2023 crowd avg 5th best in SL history
2024 crowd 6th best in SL history
2024 Grand final best crowd since 2017
2024 CC final crowd best crowd since 2017

TV
Whilst the tv deal is around 10% less than previous deal theres plenty of positives in the new deal:
1. Superleague on free to air for first time creating biggest SL tv audience ever
2. every game now being produced by sky
3. SL given every game to sell on their own streaming platform
4. rights sold to 6 international partners including every SL game now shown in Australia

on top of that we’ve had big investors at HKR, Wakey and Leigh taking them clubs to new levels. We’ve seen most clubs improve their gradings. It was a shame to lose London but they clearly aren’t ready to be a strong SL club yet and need a lot of investment and work. Toulouse are knocking on the door and if they keep building will soon be an A grade and in SL.

So chicken licken the sky isnt quite falling in lol

Thanks for confirming you're delusional. And saying that Union clubs are in financial difficulties is not a justification for why RL in the UK is in the state its in. And why tv deal money is down and why the sport is still so dependent on a single broadcaster. This is not sustainable.

The Castleford owner is expressing real concern around the lack of income in the coming years. Why is he concerned?

Just because Hull KR got some half decent crowds, it's not a reflection of the overall health of the sport and it doesn't translate to the national sentiment towards the sport which is at its lowest point.

 

[Tigers1986]

Hull KR crowds going to drop off once they plummet down the table again