What makes your club Grade A?

[Tommygilf]

Seeing as though Grade As are the only one's guaranteed to be in Super League and Grade A is reportedly going to be at a very high bar, it would seem the majority of clubs will be at Grade B or lower. Whilst we don't know the firm criteria yet, we can at least have a discussion about what each club can do.

So, what changes at your club to make it Grade A? 

[Mr Frisky]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

Seeing as though Grade As are the only one's guaranteed to be in Super League and Grade A is reportedly going to be at a very high bar, it would seem the majority of clubs will be at Grade B or lower. Whilst we don't know the firm criteria yet, we can at least have a discussion about what each club can do.

So, what changes at your club to make it Grade A? 

Grade A should have a minimum of an Academy and a train station. 

[Ovenden Grunt]

12 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Grade A should have a minimum of an Academy and a train station. 

Or at least a railway station with a top notch real ale pub twixt there and the ground. ️

[Tommygilf]

15 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Grade A should have a minimum of an Academy and a train station. 

Academies are an odd one. It is a glaring omission from today IMO.

Dr Beeching will forever be cursed by many on the other hand.

[Ragingbull]

A stadium with all 4 sides undercover should be part of the minimum criteria required to obtain an 'A'

[Snowys Backside]

Grade A - Not playing out of a football stadium

Hopefully though, it will result in Acadamies and U21 competitions being mandatory. 

[Tommygilf]

2 minutes ago, Snowys Backside said:

Grade A - Not playing out of a football stadium

Hopefully though, it will result in Acadamies and U21 competitions being mandatory. 

It might mean that As are the clubs who have to run those academy and u21 teams and shoulder the cost of them.

[Snowys Backside]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

It might mean that As are the clubs who have to run those academy and u21 teams and shoulder the cost of them.

Quite rightly so. 
 

The RFL don’t like expansion in these areas, even when clubs have beef prepared to fund them !

The likes of Leigh May finally be able to keep their younger talent and keep the vultures at bay !

[paulwalker71]

I predict the answers on this thread will be defined by:

"whatever MY club has right now"

[JohnM]

What makes your club Grade A?

The pies.

[Damien]

10 minutes ago, Snowys Backside said:

Quite rightly so. 
 

The RFL don’t like expansion in these areas, even when clubs have beef prepared to fund them !

The likes of Leigh May finally be able to keep their younger talent and keep the vultures at bay !

Leigh folded their academy in the past because they said it was a waste of time and they couldn't stop kids going to the bigger clubs. Why do you expect it to be different this time?

[MattSantos]

 

1. A stadium that meets capacity guidelines / safety / broadcasting functionality etc
2. X amount of revenue
3. Be able to spend the minimum salary cap
4. Have a fully funded academy / youth structure
5. Playing results

 

I don't like using the following as criteria as they arent as important as they once were

1. Attendances
2. Geography

[Damien]

1 minute ago, MattSantos said:

 

1. A stadium that meets capacity guidelines / safety / broadcasting functionality etc
2. X amount of revenue
3. Be able to spend the minimum salary cap
4. Have a fully funded academy / youth structure
5. Playing results

 

I don't like using the following as criteria as they arent as important as they once were

1. Attendances
2. Geography

The trouble with of these is they heavily favour the status quo. The revenue of any existing SL club will be substantially more than those outside. Some clubs have been denied academies too that would disadvantage them if it was a major factor. I would say attendances are important too and attendances at somewhere like Cas such be considered a plus compared to say Doncaster getting a tick because they play in a nice stadium.

I'm not saying this is necessarily wrong but I do feel it can't just be a case of basing this on criteria that existing SL clubs are bound to excel in. We've been down that road before.

[fieldofclothofgold]

Having a roof at one end 

[fieldofclothofgold]

What happens if clubs xont meet the criteria ? Will clubs coming in actually do meet the criteria?

[MattSantos]

3 minutes ago, fieldofclothofgold said:

What happens if clubs xont meet the criteria ? Will clubs coming in actually do meet the criteria?

Can you ask that again?

[Septimius Severus]

St Helens, Wigan and Leeds (Category A), the rest of you can go to hell.

[Jughead]

Own our stadium, pathway is excellent, onfield success, pretty big name in the competition, good crowd, decent links to reasonably big sponsors (comparatively to those in the league), womens team, LDRL team and we’re happy to spend the cap. 

I’ve zero doubts Saints won’t be an A. 

[Snowys Backside]

22 minutes ago, Damien said:

Leigh folded their academy in the past because they said it was a waste of time and they couldn't stop kids going to the bigger clubs. Why do you expect it to be different this time?

We will see should they get promoted. 
 

My guess will be €. $. £. Take your pick because with the backers they will likely have at their disposal and the learning from the past, finance would be no issue. 
 

They had this and was told flatly no 2 years ago. If this will be a criteria, happy days. 
 

 

[FearTheVee]

I think our appeals team makes us Grade A

[gazza77]

52 minutes ago, Snowys Backside said:

Grade A - Not playing out of a football stadium  

A+ for those who own their own stadium and lease it to a football club for extra revenue?

[Ragingbull]

Think we are closer to Z than A in all honesty. Wed get a few points for our youth set up thats about it. Maybe some based on being a big city but we really have good chuff all else going for us.  Dont fall for the myth we get good crowds and have a big away following.  Both are in the distant past. Couple of hundred away and 2500ish at home. Avoiding relegation next year will an achievement.

[Futtocks]

44 minutes ago, paulwalker71 said:

I predict the answers on this thread will be defined by:

"whatever MY club has right now"

You overestimate the calibre of TRL. The criteria will be based on things that clubs they hate don't have.

[moorside roughyed]

A grade "A" club has its own ground. That's Wigan, Hull fc and Salford out. Batley, Dewsbury and Keighley in. 

[sweaty craiq]

48 minutes ago, Damien said:

Leigh folded their academy in the past because they said it was a waste of time and they couldn't stop kids going to the bigger clubs. Why do you expect it to be different this time?

No they closed it due to no or poor competition as they were denied access to big boy league. Love how this thread was hijacked into a Leigh knockathon by the first few posts by the usual knownowts