IMG Grading System (Many Merged Threads)

[glossop saint]

7 hours ago, Griff said:

Knock out cups, then.

As long as Saints make the playoffs and win their last game of the season I'll be happy.

[Griff]

7 hours ago, Pulga said:

So has rugby union in this country. It's just the last 5 years that it's been terminal. The sporting landscape is changing faster than it has in history and RL in England wasn't keeping up before and certainly isn't now. 

 

"We're all doomed!"

[David Shepherd]

I still think the grading system is largely the right thing to do. But the fact that London's fate was sealed before the season started exposes a fatal flaw in the system. If London somehow manage to fight their way to 11th, their reward is being cast adrift. Why even bother?

Is it even 1 up, 1 down? Could TOXIII also replace Cas? Could Bradford replace Leigh?

This could have been so much better if any "B" winning the championship could replace any other "B" that finishes bottom of the pile. There still an incentive to become an "A" and guarantee your place, but without the embarrassment the sport could potentially suffer. 

Edited April 12 by David Shepherd

[phiggins]

9 minutes ago, David Shepherd said:

I still think the grading system is largely the right thing to do. But the fact that London's fate was sealed before the season started exposes a fatal flaw in the system. If London somehow manage to fight their way to 11th, their reward is being cast adrift. Why even bother?

Is it even 1 up, 1 down? Could TOXIII also replace Cas? Could Bradford replace Leigh?

This could have been so much better if any "B" winning the championship could replace any other "B" that finishes bottom of the pile. There still an incentive to become an "A" and guarantee your place, but without the embarrassment the sport could potentially suffer. 

Super League 2025 will be made up of the 12 teams with the highest scores in this year's grading. In theory, any number of teams could be promoted and relegated. It's more likely that 10 clubs are guaranteed a place, with final two places going to two out of Wakefield, Toulouse, Leigh and Castleford. With Wakefield the most likely to get a place out of those 4.

[Ovenden Grunt]

23 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

You mean a business park in Chiswick?

Same thing!

[Chrispmartha]

2 hours ago, David Shepherd said:

I still think the grading system is largely the right thing to do. But the fact that London's fate was sealed before the season started exposes a fatal flaw in the system. If London somehow manage to fight their way to 11th, their reward is being cast adrift. Why even bother?

Is it even 1 up, 1 down? Could TOXIII also replace Cas? Could Bradford replace Leigh?

This could have been so much better if any "B" winning the championship could replace any other "B" that finishes bottom of the pile. There still an incentive to become an "A" and guarantee your place, but without the embarrassment the sport could potentially suffer. 

The sport won't suffer any embarrassment, its not big enough in the British sporting landscape to turn any dials unfortunately.

But with your suggestion the sport could suffer more /embaressment' if a Grade A club finishes Bottom of the league and the B team above got relegated.

I don't think any half way house system would work.

The London situation is an outlier and one that will only happen at this stage of the system being implemented. London being so ill prepared for life in the top flight could actually be an argument for the grading system and not the old system in fairness.

[Harry Stottle]

3 hours ago, phiggins said:

Super League 2025 will be made up of the 12 teams with the highest scores in this year's grading. In theory, any number of teams could be promoted and relegated. It's more likely that 10 clubs are guaranteed a place, with final two places going to two out of Wakefield, Toulouse, Leigh and Castleford. With Wakefield the most likely to get a place out of those 4.

Earlier I posted what Derek Beaumont said in relation to the grading points for next season, he is more than confident that Leigh will get enough to be an 'A',  do you know something he doesn't Higgy? not for the first time you have Leigh as one of the favourites for the drop. 

[phiggins]

13 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Earlier I posted what Derek Beaumont said in relation to the grading points for next season, he is more than confident that Leigh will get enough to be an 'A',  do you know something he doesn't Higgy? not for the first time you have Leigh as one of the favourites for the drop. 

Just going off the indicative scores last year really. Have seen an interview with Beaumont since the clip you posted, where he seems to have changed that assessment slightly, saying we'll be just short of an A grade, but also the finance score had been ratified by the RFL.

What we don't know is what impact new ownership will have on the scores of Wakefield and Castleford, who will both also benefit from boosts to their score because of work on the stadiums.

[Harry Stottle]

1 minute ago, phiggins said:

Just going off the indicative scores last year really. Have seen an interview with Beaumont since the clip you posted, where he seems to have changed that assessment slightly, saying we'll be just short of an A grade, but also the finance score had been ratified by the RFL.

What we don't know is what impact new ownership will have on the scores of Wakefield and Castleford, who will both also benefit from boosts to their score because of work on the stadiums.

Not seen the additional video Higgy.

[Hopie]

I think the title of the thread is an interesting way to think about IMG and grading, I think most of the conversations about it (positive, negative or otherwise) are based less in reality and more in line with theory and imagination, whether that be speculation on what is happening now, or some imagined future that people are hoping for and trying to fit scenarios to.

[DEANO]

The whole thing is joke. It’s just another way of putting who they want in the top flight as they did all those years ago when sky bought the game

[gingerjon]

3 minutes ago, DEANO said:

The whole thing is joke. It’s just another way of putting who they want in the top flight as they did all those years ago when sky bought the game

So they don’t want London? 

[Worzel]

Just now, gingerjon said:

So they don’t want London? 

Precisely this. All this "it's a conspiracy" nonsense is tin foil hat stuff.

All the RFL/IMG partnership wants is to move to a closed league, and because they couldn't get agreement on that now they've designed a road to evolve to there. People have moved beyond dots on maps, it just doesn't matter as much any more. What the sport needs to grow is 12 strong clubs, investing in more medium-long term stuff than just "set fire to loads of money in wages for one season"

[Griff]

Plenty of threads on here about poor spectator facilities, poor development, poor administration, poor ground maintenance, poor marketing.  I'm not going to single out clubs but the fact is that there's more to running a club than winning games.  You can sneer about the importance of decent toilet facilities but, eventually, having your customers paddle about will have an effect on your club's income.

[LeeF]

The RFL are incompetent. They couldn’t run a bath.

Same poster

The RFL are corrupt and are manipulating who they want to win/ get a place in SL

Edited April 12 by LeeF

[DEANO]

Welcome to the world of img. One team already relegated and 2 other clubs whose season is over after 5 games. That’s what a closed shop will do once they get their way

[Pulga]

14 hours ago, David Shepherd said:

I still think the grading system is largely the right thing to do. But the fact that London's fate was sealed before the season started exposes a fatal flaw in the system. If London somehow manage to fight their way to 11th, their reward is being cast adrift. Why even bother?

Is it even 1 up, 1 down? Could TOXIII also replace Cas? Could Bradford replace Leigh?

This could have been so much better if any "B" winning the championship could replace any other "B" that finishes bottom of the pile. There still an incentive to become an "A" and guarantee your place, but without the embarrassment the sport could potentially suffer. 

There was always going to be a problem in the change-over unfortunately. It just so happens to be London.

[Pulga]

2 hours ago, DEANO said:

Welcome to the world of img. One team already relegated and 2 other clubs whose season is over after 5 games. That’s what a closed shop will do once they get their way

Have you missed the last decade of the game where there are only 4 or 5 competitive teams and the rest race to 11th where they're safe? Get a grip.

[Harry Stottle]

14 hours ago, DEANO said:

The whole thing is joke. It’s just another way of putting who they want in the top flight as they did all those years ago when sky bought the game

And then followed it up in 2009 with the licensing period.

[Toby Chopra]

14 hours ago, Worzel said:

Precisely this. All this "it's a conspiracy" nonsense is tin foil hat stuff.

All the RFL/IMG partnership wants is to move to a closed league, and because they couldn't get agreement on that now they've designed a road to evolve to there. People have moved beyond dots on maps, it just doesn't matter as much any more. What the sport needs to grow is 12 strong clubs, investing in more medium-long term stuff than just "set fire to loads of money in wages for one season"

Spot on, although once inside the flagship comp there still needs to be a pretty high minimum spend too. 

[gingerjon]

2 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

And then followed it up in 2009 with the licensing period.

IMG must want Leigh in the top flight then.

[phiggins]

11 hours ago, Pulga said:

Have you missed the last decade of the game where there are only 4 or 5 competitive teams and the rest race to 11th where they're safe? Get a grip.

How does that differ to the previous decade, which included 6 years of licensing?

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

IMG must want Leigh in the top flight then.

Of course they should.

[Dave T]

12 hours ago, Pulga said:

Have you missed the last decade of the game where there are only 4 or 5 competitive teams and the rest race to 11th where they're safe? Get a grip.

This is a bare faced lie. 

Over the last 10 years:

The SL Grand Final has had 7 different teams in them. 

The SL top 6 (for like-for-like purposes) has had 12 different teams. Only London of the current clubs haven't made the playoffs. 

The Challenge Cup final has had 11 different finalists. 

 

Edited April 13 by Dave T

[DEANO]

12 hours ago, Pulga said:

Have you missed the last decade of the game where there are only 4 or 5 competitive teams and the rest race to 11th where they're safe? Get a grip.

Exactly all the teams had something to play for with the threat of relegation