KEIGHLEY COUGARS have been given a major boost in their quest to oppose IMG’s new plans to ‘re-imagine’ rugby league by drawing support from the local MP.
Keighley’s Conservative MP, Robbie Moore, and Labour’s candidate for the John Grogan, are “fully behind the Cougars in their David and Goliath fight against IMG and their Reimagining Rugby League proposals,” according to a statement put out on their website by the Cougars.
Following discussions with Moore, Keighley owners Ryan O’Neill and Kaue Garcia met with the Sports Minister, Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP, where the Cougars were given an opportunity to share their concerns with government.
The club put out a statement, saying: “In a weekend where Cougar Park was packed to the rafters for the Keighley v Bradford derby, there was no presence from IMG nor the RFL.
“Rugby League can grow, if we focus, support, market, and build on our own turf.
“We believe fake expansion, spreadsheet grading, and arrogant elitism will kill the sport.”
Keighley have been staunch opponents of IMG’s plans since they were first mooted, but documented their opposition fully at the meeting of all 36 professional clubs at the John Smith’s Stadium a number of weeks ago.
“I feel it’s worse than I expected,” owner Ryan O’Neill said at the event.
“You’ve got to have a PHD in astrophysics to understand the grading system they’ve put in place.
“It’s not sport. It’s so technical that it’s going to turn the fans away in droves.
“What you are creating is an elite cartel, it’s elitist and they are protecting the few. They want to get to 12 Category A’s and once they get there, that’s it.
“They are taking away the opportunity, we won’t be given the opportunity to get 10,000 fans against St Helens because they are going to be protected. They will be the elites.
“It’s either IMG’s way or the highway.”
