IMG - Vote on Wednesday

[Mattrhino]

5 minutes ago, Agbrigg said:

This whole report is nothing more than fancy corporate speak and cliche. It tells you absolutely nothing, means absolutely nothing. Not one single fact or financial detail. 

Looks like IMG have passed this over to an under graduate on work experience to compile. I really don't understand how any one could take any of these absurdly vague suggestions seriously.

All balony i agree, in 2024 we will have a totally new "strategy" that no one will follow.

Reminds me of my workplace that trys brings in new ways of working every 12 months that everyone ignores.

[Tommygilf]

Just now, Harry Stottle said:

Off course I'm serious, there may be a few Leythers that go to the Women's game but not many, in fact I honestly do not know anyone who attends the M.U. ladies.

So what has London and New York got to do with anything, I was simply answering Gingers statement concerning the LSV next season.

Your comment was that Manchester United will get more people to the LSV because they are "Manchester", whereas Leigh Centurions are "Leigh".

Surely you haven't done a most spectacular avant face and want to advocate teams rebranding to larger "city names".

[gingerjon]

Just now, Damien said:

Obviously Magic isn't as popular and as profitable as some claim on here:

 

 

I think all we know is that until Anfield there was definitely a bidding process and money was paid by the host city. It was literally called Magic because it alliterated with Millennium and the City of Cardiff was paying RL to come back after the Challenge Cup left.

After that ... guesswork.

[Damien]

1 minute ago, gingerjon said:

I think all we know is that until Anfield there was definitely a bidding process and money was paid by the host city. It was literally called Magic because it alliterated with Millennium and the City of Cardiff was paying RL to come back after the Challenge Cup left.

After that ... guesswork.

Magic left Cardiff 14 years ago yet people harp back to what was said at that time. If it was a real money maker then I'm sure it would be retained. I presume fan feedback wasn't positive and attendances hardly justify its place in the calendar.

[gingerjon]

Just now, Damien said:

Magic left Cardiff 14 years ago yet people harp back to what was said at that time. If it was a real money maker then I'm sure it would be retained. I presume fan feedback wasn't positive and attendances hardly justify its place in the calendar.

Not remotely disagreeing.

But it wasn't always a bad idea - it's just become one. In part, because of the marketing and development failure that IMG are addressing.

[Cheadle Leyther]

26 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Cue 2022, in this new scenario Warrington finishing 11th would very much likely be saved in this new proposal, as you say this is not what sport is about.

This is a possible future scenario that I think most of us would find distasteful.

[Damien]

I think loop fixtures being removed are a direct consequence of fan feedback too, they were pretty universally unpopular. It is positive that they do seem to have listened to fans on some of these things.

[glossop saint]

52 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

74% of respondees saw growth of the sport outside traditional areas as important.

Interesting result certainly.

France (along with London and womens game) is important area for growth. Yet only 2 none UK teams allowed in. So no growth in terms of number of clubs from this season.

Also forcing them to play a certain number of French players (no number mentioned). I presume this would mean they both will be Cat A and exempt from relegation? A good idea from my perspective but not sure how well it will go down.

[Tommygilf]

4 minutes ago, Dave T said:

You are no better than them by denying that it is both. 

Telling people it is not sport is just trolling, because I assume you don't really think that. 

It isn't sport in the sense of Corinthian spirit as many seem to continuously suggest (along with a healthy dose of nostalgia).

Ultimately, it is businesses pitting their most skillful, and generally best paid, employees against eachother. I've grown up in the Premier League era, I understand that is what Professional Sport boils down to ultimately, and I'm accepting of that.

The Sport in this case is generally better when you get roughly similar sized businesses competing against eachother. That is what this is trying to achieve with the Grading system and the aim to have a Super League full of Grade As, and a Championship full of strong Grade Bs.

[BD20Cougar]

6 minutes ago, whatmichaelsays said:

On the thread discussing the recent podcast with one of IMG's leadership, there was mention of them wanting to create an environment where owners felt confident or encouraged to invest. Surely this is the manifestation of that? If you invest in the club to the standard necessary to receive an A grade, then the risk associated with that investment is seriously reduced? 

If the criteria is black and white and as simple and as easily achievable purely through investment as minimum standards on stadiums and running an academy then fair enough. If other things like average attendances and revenue generation are brought into the equation then I believe my points stand. 

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, ShropshireBull said:

So I´m in SL as a Cat B club and I go to sponsors , they tell me well we´d love to but we dont know whether you´ll be in the league in 2 years time so no. Likewise players and coaches. It´s a self fulfilling prophecy. 

Hopefully by that point the Grade B is on the way to becoming a grade A.

[Tommygilf]

10 minutes ago, Bolton Leyther said:

There's clearly a competitive deficit if select businesses are permanently exempt from relegation, irrespective of sporting performance.

That's because the overall business (ie Super League Europe) needs its strongest assets in to keep its own aims and objectives. It isn't in a position to lose a Leeds, Wigan, Wire, Saints etc.

[Agbrigg]

6 minutes ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

I think all of this comes with the caveat of 'more details to follow' and from a business model POV, there will be KPIs both for clubs and the league to establish if this is moving the sport in the right direction. I don't think IMG will be just throwing these ideas over the fence as it were and saying 'crack on'. 

Well I hope you are right, because if I had paid an organisation and then got handed something like this, I would have told them where to shove their invoice. 

For instance cat AB or C . Not one single suggestion as to their respective merit. In other words they come up with this plan and then say, you decide what they mean, who qualifies, appeals proceeded etc etc etc.  

It's just garbage 

[Dave T]

3 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

It isn't sport in the sense of Corinthian spirit as many seem to continuously suggest (along with a healthy dose of nostalgia).

Ultimately, it is businesses pitting their most skillful, and generally best paid, employees against eachother. I've grown up in the Premier League era, I understand that is what Professional Sport boils down to ultimately, and I'm accepting of that.

The Sport in this case is generally better when you get roughly similar sized businesses competing against eachother. That is what this is trying to achieve with the Grading system and the aim to have a Super League full of Grade As, and a Championship full of strong Grade Bs.

It is sport 

It is business

The rest of your post doesn't relate to your claim that it isn't sport. It is. 

[Tommygilf]

13 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Assuming things are being reported accurately, if we get too many Cat A teams then we move to Conferences (or similar) in the top tier.

Sounds good to me.

[Barley Mow]

2 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Hopefully by that point the Grade B is on the way to becoming a grade A.

That's a tougher ask without the sponsors, players and coaches who in @ShropshireBull's scenario aren't interested in a Cat B club.

[Tommygilf]

Just now, Dave T said:

It is sport 

It is business

The rest of your post doesn't relate to your claim that it isn't sport. It is. 

Its only a sport anyone wants to watch when the businesses are relatively equal Dave. That is how professional sport works.

[Cheadle Leyther]

If loop fixtures are gone, what’s replacing them?

[Tommygilf]

Just now, Barley Mow said:

That's a tougher ask without the sponsors, players and coaches who in @ShropshireBull's scenario aren't interested in a Cat B club.

That is a worst case scenario IMO.

As I see it, it is entirely possible that in 2024 (assuming Leigh have gone down after 2023), Leigh replace Castleford because they have the things in place.

[Jughead]

The biggest questions will ultimately be from the Category B clubs and those likely to fall into that bracket. 

Has any clubs released any statements, made any comments etc yet?

[JM2010]

I've only read the last 2 pages of this thread so am not sure what's been proposed. Are they proposing that some clubs will be exempt from relegation but others aren't?

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, Cheadle Leyther said:

If loop fixtures are gone, what’s replacing them?

That would rather depend on the structure and the structure depends on how many teams wind up in each category.

The assumption right now seems to be: the season will not be padded out and if that means it is shorter then so be it.

[Harry Stottle]

40 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Or the top clubs take over those areas in terms of junior clubs as they de facto have for most anyway. 

No Tommy they take the kids from those clubs, Wiggin,Saints and Wire have had a fair share of both Leigh Miners and East lads they don't put anything back.

[Barley Mow]

5 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

That is a worst case scenario IMO.

As I see it, it is entirely possible that in 2024 (assuming Leigh have gone down after 2023), Leigh replace Castleford because they have the things in place.

I assume both of those would be Cat B clubs though and at risk of dropping to the 2nd tier at the end of any individual season for any number of reasons - they'd consequently find it more difficult to recruit players and coaches and attract sponsors/investors.

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, JM2010 said:

I've only read the last 2 pages of this thread so am not sure what's been proposed. Are they proposing that some clubs will be exempt from relegation but others aren't?

They will have Cat A clubs, guaranteed in Super League.

Cat B, split between the highest ranked filling up the remaining spots in Super League (if any) and the Championship. These placings, licences if you will, to be reviewed annually.

Cat C to be spread across Champ and League 1.