IT’S a time of great change in rugby league as we enter into the eighth month of new shareholders IMG taking a stake in the sport.
In terms of that change, it’s perhaps one of the greatest moments of the sport since the creation of the summer game back in 1996.
Whilst IMG’s criteria on how clubs will be graded – with an A, B or C category – will be given to those clubs next month, the actual grading marks will not be given until later into the 2023 season.
With the criteria, however, there has been a great deal of debate about what IMG will ask for, or if there will be a certain weighting given to specific areas.
Here are five potential areas IMG could look into ahead of the restructure for 2025.
Concrete facilities
In the first press conference Vice President of IMG, Matt Dwyer, said: “We are looking at what you have actually done.” Whilst planning to redevelop or improve facilities is great, the new shareholder is looking to see what a club has actually achieved in fulfilling its promises. Being broadcast on TV to hundreds of thousands of viewers, IMG will want to see rugby league being played in modern facilities – something which the likes of St Helens, Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves have succeeded in doing. Without this facility, a Grade A would likely be almost impossible.
Performances on the field
It’s all well and good having that modern facility but having a losing side playing in them will see crowds dwindle, affecting how the product looks. Everyone wants to see a competitive league where any team could beat another on a different day rather than having teams languishing near the bottom of the table waiting for the season to end. A strong drive to make that top six play-off – or whichever play-off system will be introduced from 2025 – will be key.
Finances
As the world of rugby union anxiously looks on at the state of their sport following the administration of Worcester and Wasps, rugby league fans will be hoping that such a problem will no longer occur in the 13-man code. Following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and the government loan, Super League clubs have been struggling to make profits in recent years, with a falling Sky TV deal not helping proceedings. The salary cap was put in place in 1996 as a way of keeping things on a level-playing field, but where does the sport go from here? Hopefully, heading into 2025, clubs will be starting to come out of the other side after the pandemic.
Academy
It’s something that almost all Super League clubs should take great care of, with a strong academy forming the future of a squad. In a way that would help clubs protect their greatest assets from overseas interest, an academy should be one of the priorities high up on the IMG list. Not only would that ensure a decade of success at a Super League club, it would also strengthen the national side. Being strong enough to attract local juniors and amateurs is the sign of a prospering club and it’s no wonder that St Helens have dominated the top flight in recent seasons with their open pathway to the first-team.
Crowd numbers
It is essential in this day and age that modern facilities produce big crowds. For investment purposes, businesses will look at full venues and think ‘I want a piece of that.’ A strong core of supporters as well as a continuous drive to improve and grow the fanbase will be essential moving forward. Clubs need to be seen being active in a bid to drive participation levels that were cut during the Covid-19 pandemic. Five figures should be the ballpark area which clubs need to aim for.
