THE vote on IMG’s plans to ‘re-imagine’ rugby league will take place on April 19 as the sport’s fraternity looks on with eager eyes.
A few club officials have spoken out about the plans, not least those representing Keighley Cougars, Featherstone Rovers and Batley Bulldogs, but there is the view that the plans will get passed.
At a meeting with all 36 professional clubs at the home of Huddersfield Giants last month, IMG laid out proposals that would see a weighted system with five main categories.
They were fandom (25%), performance (25%), finance (25%), stadium (15%) and catchment (10%).
There will be undoubted continued hostility from Keighley, whose owners Ryan O’Neill and Kaue Garcia have sought the help of local Conservative MP Robbie Moore.
“They have gone and made this formula on a computer claiming it is all data driven and they are totally ignoring the fact that sport is about fairness, competition and opportunity – they want to take it all away,” O’Neill said.
“Why would we, when it comes into force, invest in a squad and spend our money and stress about everything only for us to finish top, get a medal and then a slap on the back?
“It is pointless. It takes away all the enthusiasm and the drive to get to the top.”
Meanwhile, Moore sent a letter to all officials at all of the 36 professional clubs earlier this week, imploring them to ‘think again’ to what the Keighley owners have deemed “sport by spreadsheet”.
But, their opposition could well fall on deaf ears, not least because the 12 Super League clubs and the way the RFL Council voting system works means the top-flight has over double the voting power of Championship and League One clubs – and has had this power since 2018.
The 24 Championship and League One clubs (Toulouse Olympique don’t get a vote, but West Wales Raiders still do despite their withdrawal from League One) hold one vote each which equates to 24 votes, with seven community clubs taking that tally to 31.
Meanwhile, 11 Super League clubs (Catalans Dragons are also excluded) have 2.1 council votes each to take the tally up to 55.
Neither Catalans nor Toulouse are members of the RL Council.
For the vote itself, over 50% of the RL Council need to vote for the amendments on April 19.
“It’s an ordinary resolution which is a simple majority, that was over 50% of the votes cast,” RFL CEO Tony Sutton said.
“That voting system which is embedded in the articles has been in place since 2006. It’s not a recent change.”
It must be said that this is nothing new and has been in place for five years, but it could prove distinctly important on April 19.
