IMG Grading Unveiled

[Tommygilf]

42 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

This my whole point Tommy, the 'average' fan of the game, rephrased to the 'average fan who attends games' has no inkling whatsoever of this bright shiney new structure that is coming their way.

Take my club and it's fans as a prime example, I was there last year when we averaged below 3K, in 4 games at home this year we are doubling that in home fans alone, in your opinion (or anyone else) what is the reason for the uplift?

Your owner putting in more money to every aspect of the club?

Most fans don't have to know about it, and if they don't already by now then it will doubtless pass them by anyway. 

[Harry Stottle]

8 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

That would be a majority in both Super League and Championship so how contrived is it?

Well it could be the 2.18 votes the SL clubs recieve, but that could come back to bite them if the 2.18 votes for the 4 SL 'doubters' are counted for the 'neighs to the left', that will cancel out 8.5 Championship/L1 votes if they vote for it.

[Harry Stottle]

8 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Your owner putting in more money to every aspect of the club?

Most fans don't have to know about it, and if they don't already by now then it will doubtless pass them by anyway. 

What about my comparrison with the Leigh attendances of 2017 Tommy?

But if fans and especially those not converted do not know about the IMG concepts and it passes them by irrespectively, what is the point if it all?

[Jughead]

22 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

Who are the 4 in SL?

Cas and Wakefield 

[Jughead]

Hunslet vote against and release a statement about how teams who win the league by ten points might not get promoted. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by Jughead

[Tommygilf]

11 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

What about my comparrison with the Leigh attendances of 2017 Tommy?

But if fans and especially those not converted do not know about the IMG concepts and it passes them by irrespectively, what is the point if it all?

That's kind of the point H, you're not buying into IMG, you're buying into the outcomes.

If that is strong clubs playing out of good fan friendly facilities in a vibrant league with a broad appeal, then IMGs proposals will have worked - and no one needed to have much of a clue it was happening.

[David Shepherd]

No shock that Cas and Wakey will vote against.  Wakey because they'll be in the championship and will more than likely struggle, Cas because they know that the enabling development that funds their upgrades is years away at best.

I'd guess that the rest of SL will vote for, as will Fev, 'fax, Dulls, Sheffield and York.  I assume Catalans and TOXIII don't get a vote.

[Jughead]

Just now, David Shepherd said:

No shock that Cas and Wakey will vote against.  Wakey because they'll be in the championship and will more than likely struggle, Cas because they know that the enabling development that funds their upgrades is years away at best.

I'd guess that the rest of SL will vote for, as will Fev, 'fax, Dulls, Sheffield and York.  I assume Catalans and TOXIII don't get a vote.

Featherstone’s chairman come out against IMG, completely coincidentally after saying that the investment isn’t being met with bigger crowds at Fev. 

[Harry Stottle]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

That's kind of the point H, you're not buying into IMG, you're buying into the outcomes.

If that is strong clubs playing out of good fan friendly facilities in a vibrant league with a broad appeal, then IMGs proposals will have worked - and no one needed to have much of a clue it was happening.

Yes Tommy inclusive of the 'If' word.

My concerns which are poles apart - I think from yours - and why I am sceptical of these IMG concepts, is what it will be the consequences to the game as a whole, I think there may just as well be as many casualties as their are winners in this process, if not more.

[Pulga]

39 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I was waiting for the entertainment angle, just an observation but for 20 to 25 mins before kick off when the teams come out to do their limbering up and drills,  all the focus and discussion is on them the player's and not so much attention on the 'turns'.

I expect that come the end of the season our 'home' fans average attendance will not be very much different from 2017 of about 5,500, but could well be boosted over the 6,500 total average boosted by the away fans, probably because Leigh will be more competitive to visit, Salford x 2 and Wigan were better attended by their fans this year, Saints were pretty much the same as in '17 the best away following by far, it will be interesting to see how Leeds fans will travel this week, in '17 it was like a game of "I Spy with my little eye" trying to spot the Leeds fans in the stadium.

As for Toronto I think you will find all the fans at Leigh facing the pitch not mulling around the beer tents.

You are not the target of what they are trying to do. You will show up regardless. They're trying to draw the younger crowd that they are trying to turn into fans like yourself.

Clubs are starting to realise that they're not competing against soccer or union or whatever else. It's many, many things. It's staying at home and watching Netflix or playing a videogame. Rugby League has to be run something like the WWE or a video game producer. It has to be immersive. Keighley is trying to turn back the clock to when sport was about on-field performance and nothing else. The world has moved on probably upwards of 60 years ago. It's actually so long ago that it seems almost quaint.

[David Shepherd]

2 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Featherstone’s chairman come out against IMG, completely coincidentally after saying that the investment isn’t being met with bigger crowds at Fev. 

That's not true. Martin Vickers (he's not the chairman) publicly stated that they have reservations, but are broadly supportive.

The chairman did have a late night (possibly "refreshed") moan about crowds on social media, which I wouldn't take much notice of.

Getting a bit of 2+2 = 7 going on I think.

[Jughead]

1 minute ago, David Shepherd said:

That's not true. Martin Vickers (he's not the chairman) publicly stated that they have reservations, but are broadly supportive.

The chairman did have a late night (possibly "refreshed") moan about crowds on social media, which I wouldn't take much notice of.

Getting a bit of 2+2 = 7 going on I think.

https://www.totalrl.com/featherstone-rovers-chief-feels-img-are-creating-another-monster-with-proposals-as-he-explains-opposition-to-plans/

I wouldn’t say that’s particularly supportive. 

I’d put Featherstone as one likely to vote against along with Hunslet (who have released a statement) and the clubs who have gone public in Cas, Wakefield and Keighley. 

[Dovster]

9 minutes ago, Pulga said:

You are not the target of what they are trying to do. You will show up regardless. They're trying to draw the younger crowd that they are trying to turn into fans like yourself.

Clubs are starting to realise that they're not competing against soccer or union or whatever else. It's many, many things. It's staying at home and watching Netflix or playing a videogame. Rugby League has to be run something like the WWE or a video game producer. It has to be immersive. Keighley is trying to turn back the clock to when sport was about on-field performance and nothing else. The world has moved on probably upwards of 60 years ago. It's actually so long ago that it seems almost quaint.

Not sure when you last came to Cougar Park to base your opinion on the game day experience. But the next time you are in town we must catch up.

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, Jughead said:

https://www.totalrl.com/featherstone-rovers-chief-feels-img-are-creating-another-monster-with-proposals-as-he-explains-opposition-to-plans/

I wouldn’t say that’s particularly supportive. 

I’d put Featherstone as one likely to vote against along with Hunslet (who have released a statement) and the clubs who have gone public in Cas, Wakefield and Keighley. 

Bower said last night that Wakefield will now vote for.

[David Shepherd]

5 minutes ago, Jughead said:

https://www.totalrl.com/featherstone-rovers-chief-feels-img-are-creating-another-monster-with-proposals-as-he-explains-opposition-to-plans/

I wouldn’t say that’s particularly supportive. 

I’d put Featherstone as one likely to vote against along with Hunslet (who have released a statement) and the clubs who have gone public in Cas, Wakefield and Keighley. 

Vickers is focussing in on a minute detail re the banding within a grade.  I don't think that means Fev don't broadly agree.  It's rightly a major concern for top championship clubs.

[Barley Mow]

8 minutes ago, Jughead said:

https://www.totalrl.com/featherstone-rovers-chief-feels-img-are-creating-another-monster-with-proposals-as-he-explains-opposition-to-plans/

I wouldn’t say that’s particularly supportive. 

I’d put Featherstone as one likely to vote against along with Hunslet (who have released a statement) and the clubs who have gone public in Cas, Wakefield and Keighley. 

Could you point us in the direction of the Hunslet statement?

I know they had a supporters' meeting with the board last night (they are a fan run or owned club), but I can't seem to find any statement that they've released.

[Roughyed Rats]

I'm under no illusions. This will go through with only 4 or 5 votes against. For my club under new ownership, I think it's a good thing. I worry about whether it's good for the game but open to giving it a try; unlike licensing which was always going to be the massive failure it was.

[Roughyed Rats]

14 minutes ago, Jughead said:

https://www.totalrl.com/featherstone-rovers-chief-feels-img-are-creating-another-monster-with-proposals-as-he-explains-opposition-to-plans/

I wouldn’t say that’s particularly supportive. 

I’d put Featherstone as one likely to vote against along with Hunslet (who have released a statement) and the clubs who have gone public in Cas, Wakefield and Keighley. 

As clearly referenced here, his main objection is the change from a straight swap of B teams (bottom of SL replaced by winner of the championship) to it being purely based on the top point scoring B holding the SL place.

Edited April 19, 2023 by Roughyed Rats

[Jughead]

3 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

Could you point us in the direction of the Hunslet statement?

I know they had a supporters' meeting with the board last night (they are a fan run or owned club), but I can't seem to find any statement that they've released.

John Davidson has tweeted their response. I hadn’t checked whether it was on their website but it references the meeting and hypotheticals. 

[Moove]

8 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

Could you point us in the direction of the Hunslet statement?

I know they had a supporters' meeting with the board last night (they are a fan run or owned club), but I can't seem to find any statement that they've released.

Full details on the subsequent tweets

[Kenilworth Tiger]

47 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Cas and Wakefield 

ANother one who has read twitter and presumed Cas are voting against - show me your evidence that Cas oppose

[GeordieSaint]

86-14% in favour for. 

 

Edited April 19, 2023 by GeordieSaint

[Tommygilf]

39 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Yes Tommy inclusive of the 'If' word.

My concerns which are poles apart - I think from yours - and why I am sceptical of these IMG concepts, is what it will be the consequences to the game as a whole, I think there may just as well be as many casualties as their are winners in this process, if not more.

I think the casualties that have happened because of the current system and its effect on the wider game have been so bad that they need rectifying immediately.

[Tommygilf]

[David Shepherd]

Gledhill reckons Fev voted against. I'm disappointed if we did.