SINCE IMG struck up a 12-year deal with the sport of rugby league, there has been great talk and debate about where the 13-man code is heading.
The issuing of criteria in February 2023 will give clubs an idea of what they need to do to improve before the awarding of A, B and C grades later in the year.
For rugby league agent Craig Harrison of Show Me The Money UK, however, he believes that IMG are currently not doing enough in terms of marketing the sport.
Going further, Harrison wants the young stars of rugby league to be included in the latest trends on social media such as TikTok and YouTube.
“The young lads we’ve got in our game should be all over the social media,” Harrison said on the Show Me The Money Rugby League TV podcast.
“If IMG has got anything about them, they need to grab ten or 12 of the young kids and make superstars of the likes of Mikey Lewis, Jake Trueman, and Morgan Smithies.
“I’d go into their home lives, I’d absolutely spend thousands on marketing 12 or 15 of the best young players in the competition.
“I would smash YouTube content, you’ve got have someone organising their schedule and go to events and YouTube meetings.
“Get them everywhere and then attract the young people. Once they’ve all got that big following, bring them back to our game and say they are the future of our sport.”
And, Harrison believes that such an endeavour needs to be done quickly.
“IMG have to grab them now, every one of those young players who do well will go to the NRL. They’ve (IMG) got to smell the coffee and grab them and say get four or five year deals at their current clubs and give centralised money if necessary.
“Go and get Mikey Lewis and Jake Trueman playing against each other on a different platform like football does with the skills shows.
“Unless they do something quick, we are on broken glass. I don’t think they’ve (IMG) realised the magnitude of where they are and when it hits them it will be like a rock.”
