Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont calls for new Super League and Championship structure

LEIGH LEOPARDS owner Derek Beaumont has called for a new Super League and Championship structure in the wake of the IMG gradings being released last week.

Much has been made of IMG’s attempts to ‘re-imagine’ rugby league with a set of five criteria that clubs need to adhere by in order to gain a minimum of 15 out of 20 points to be exempt from relegation from the top flight.

Beaumont had initially supported the IMG venture before claiming that he had been ‘misled’ after being told RL Commercial’s contract with IMG would be a financial one after initially being told the marketing giants would come in for free.

Earlier this year, the Leigh man told the League Express podcast: “I supported IMG’s proposals with reservations. I think the sport needed to fully get behind something,” Beaumont said.

“I was a little bit uninformed, not even misinformed, that the relationship was a actually a contractual, financial one. I voted on something I believed at the time.

“We needed to do something, we had no money to do anything and we couldn’t recruit a wealth of experience and talent that is part of IMG and Endeavour.

“As I understood it, those people saw our sport as a chance to grow and increase and they wanted to do that for zero on the basis that they would profit a percentage share in the future.

“It’s kind of putting your money and resources where your mouth is and believing in what you are getting involved in.

“There is then a difference between that and basically signing a five million pound deal that lets them do whatever they want over ten years.

“We are basically a client of theirs, that’s how I see it and I’ve openly said it before.

“That then changes someone’s relationship is and when I look each month at a release that details what’s going on, I’m not interested in that.

“I know what you’ve taken out of my business in what I’m paying you, but what have you put into the business. We are measured by results.

“At the minute, we have a controversial system whereby clubs have put the cue on the rack and don’t feel any threat.”

Now, Beaumont, in response to the news that the Leopards have achieved a Grade A score of 15.13, called for a new rugby league structure at all three levels.

Beaumont wrote: “Many Grade B clubs bring so much value, as do other clubs, which is why I believe over time we need 2 x 10s to keep scores close and accommodate the depth of clubs with a Championship operating below it.

“In my opinion we have got out of a pickle this year with it turning out how it would have. Had Toulouse won the Championship grand final the winning team wouldn’t have been promoted but yet the losing team (Wakefield) would still have been promoted.

“We need to use the space that is provided to get a grip as council members collectively across all facets of the game and grasp the mantle to ensure we don’t continue in this guise.”

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