IMG Strategic Partnership Announced

[gingerjon]

Feels like this was a thing that was already known?

https://rugby-league.com/article/37254/rfl-and-super-league-announce-strategic-partnership-with-img

[Gerrumonside ref]

2 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Feels like this was a thing that was already known?

https://rugby-league.com/article/37254/rfl-and-super-league-announce-strategic-partnership-with-img

I wasn’t aware of it myself, but it seems a highly positive development allowing us to bring strands of our media strategy together.

[Tommygilf]

Considering we were aware of this for some time, that is a bit of a nothing statement...

[Eddie]

Doesn’t tell us anything really (like most RFL statements) but it’s progress nonetheless. 12 years is a long deal. 

[Dallas Mead]

Teaming up with an international group such as IMG can only be fantastic news.  12 year contract……interesting.

[Damien]

12 years is a long time if it doesn't work out. The competition restructuring bit is interesting/worrying and seems an odd thing to give to a media company. It feels a like the RFL is passing the buck here. Also if the clubs say no I wonder what happens then:

The agency will initially focus on competition restructuring, content production and innovation, domestic and international distribution of media rights, digital transformation powered by IMG’s digital sports arm Seven League, brand strategy delivered by Endeavor’s cultural marketing agency 160over90, and streaming through Endeavor’s OTT platform Endeavor Streaming.  

[Dave T]

All we knew previously was that we were getting into a partnership with a commercial partner and it was leaked it was IMG. 

Confirmation and some light detail is welcome. 

It'd be good to understand the detail, is this an investment from them, or are we just paying them for their services?

[Damien]

1 minute ago, Dallas Mead said:

Teaming up with an international group such as IMG can only be fantastic news.  12 year contract……interesting.

It's certainly not the sports first involvement with IMG and I don't think any of the previous involvements went well. It really doesn't matter how big or international a company is if the resources that are devoted to the partnership aren't there.

[jacobus]

Simple question is how much? 

 

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, jacobus said:

Simple question is how much? 

 

The simple answer to your simple question is … complicated.

[gingerjon]

21 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Considering we were aware of this for some time, that is a bit of a nothing statement...

The 12 years is, I think, the only real new detail?

[Dave T]

15 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

Signing off a 12 year deal with no money seems a very RFL thing to do. I think it won´t be any money and if it is money will it be enough to sort out the infrastructure of certain clubs or regions to actually achieve commercial growth down the line. 

Money will be needed to deliver any new initiatives, whether that is launching a new comp, delivering new digital platforms, launching marketing strategies etc, and as we know, RL has little money knocking around, so if it is just ideas they will bring, its a waste of time, as we will be nudging things around. The real change will be delivered through tens of millions of pounds of investment in the right areas, and that isn't the likes of playing fields etc, it is things that will generate commercial income on an ongoing basis. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

48 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I wasn’t aware of it myself, but it seems a highly positive development allowing us to bring strands of our media strategy together.

I’m regretting this early enthusiasm now having read other comments haha!

[DI Keith Fowler]

2 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I’m regretting this early enthusiasm now having read other comments haha!

I guess the short answer is we don't have enough information to decide whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

Just now, DI Keith Fowler said:

I guess the short answer is we don't have enough information to decide whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. 

Yes, this is correct.

I think I got caught up in ‘liking the sound of my own typing’.

I will own up to that.

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, DI Keith Fowler said:

I guess the short answer is we don't have enough information to decide whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. 

The worry for me is that they’ve had a while to be clear about the joint venture, the steering group and this commercial arrangement and, instead, we get this statement which doesn’t really help anyone understand anything. I know there will be in confidence aspects but it’s not a great beginning to a 12 year programme.

That said, if the 12 year programme goes amazingly well then we will all forget about this.

[Toby Chopra]

48 minutes ago, Damien said:

12 years is a long time if it doesn't work out. The competition restructuring bit is interesting/worrying and seems an odd thing to give to a media company. It feels a like the RFL is passing the buck here. Also if the clubs say no I wonder what happens then:

The agency will initially focus on competition restructuring, content production and innovation, domestic and international distribution of media rights, digital transformation powered by IMG’s digital sports arm Seven League, brand strategy delivered by Endeavor’s cultural marketing agency 160over90, and streaming through Endeavor’s OTT platform Endeavor Streaming.  

Yes, it was very noticeable that bit was front and centre. They aren't pulling their punches. 

[Eddie]

10 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I’m regretting this early enthusiasm now having read other comments haha!

Let that be a lesson to you, don’t bring your enthusiasm to a rugby league forum. 

[Toby Chopra]

47 minutes ago, Dave T said:

All we knew previously was that we were getting into a partnership with a commercial partner and it was leaked it was IMG. 

Confirmation and some light detail is welcome. 

It'd be good to understand the detail, is this an investment from them, or are we just paying them for their services?

Yes, that's the key bit really, and it's glaringly missing. 

Although the specific detail on which bits of IMG will be doing what at least suggests they're lining up the expertise we so desperately need in the sport. 

One way or another something like this has to happen, as we're clearly not capable of doing what's needed from within, and without such a move the future is bleak. 

I do believe there is untapped potential in British rugby league, but until we see the numbers we won't know if the RFL have struck the right deal to unlock it. 

[ATLANTISMAN]

So licensing here we come then:)

P 

[Dunbar]

I am voicing my enthusiasm. 

What you will get from a global business that has revenue of $2B in H1 (the IMG parent business) is a level of expertise and business leadership that NH Rugby League has severely lacked.

They will want this 12 year investment to pay off and so do we.  We will see ambition and reach that we haven't seen before and I am excited to see what it will bring.

[Dave T]

23 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

The worry for me is that they’ve had a while to be clear about the joint venture, the steering group and this commercial arrangement and, instead, we get this statement which doesn’t really help anyone understand anything. I know there will be in confidence aspects but it’s not a great beginning to a 12 year programme.

That said, if the 12 year programme goes amazingly well then we will all forget about this.

Apart from the investment point (which I accept is crucial) I don't mind the level of detail. A lot of that would be quite dry. Focusing on structures, re-energising competitions and digital transformation as well as broadcasting rights and innovation does sound rather more progressive and forward thinking than what has been coming in recent years. 

Edited May 10, 2022 by Dave T

[M j M]

5 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I am voicing my enthusiasm. 

What you will get from a global business that has revenue of $2B in H1 (the IMG parent business) is a level of expertise and business leadership that NH Rugby League has severely lacked.

They will want this 12 year investment to pay off and so do we.  We will see ambition and reach that we haven't seen before and I am excited to see what it will bring.

My expectation, as with the use of third parties in businesses of all kinds, is that they are simply finding a way for the people who get paid a lot of money to run the sport to dodge taking, and taking responsibility for, the big decisions they are paid for. And that the people with "expertise" come in, take a wad of cash, and leave behind a mess.

 

[The Future is League]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

It's certainly not the sports first involvement with IMG and I don't think any of the previous involvements went well. It really doesn't matter how big or international a company is if the resources that are devoted to the partnership aren't there.

Lets hope that IMG have learnt from their previous experiences with sports involvement.

[gingerjon]

17 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Apart from the investment point (which I accept is crucial) I don't mind the level of detail. A lot of that would be quite dry. Focusing on structures, re-energising competitions and digital transformation as well as broadcasting rights and innovation does sound rather more progressive and forward thinking than what has been coming in recent years. 

But this is the key outcome of the SL/RFL merger and the creation of the third party 'venture' company. It is quite important.