IMG sent out their list of criteria for all 36 professional clubs to be made aware of at the John Smith’s Stadium – the home of the Huddersfield Giants – a number of weeks ago.
Amongst them was the declaration of five main areas that clubs will be scored – fandom (25%), finances (25%), performance (25%), stadium (15%) and catchment (10%).
With such a load of information coming thick and fast in one meeting, clubs at the time had a lot to digest at the time.
Now, Warrington Wolves chief Karl Fitzpatrick believes there are two main areas that need to be sorted within those proposals despite the majority feeling in the room being positive.
“Being in that room when they presented those recommendations at the Council, the general consensus was really positive. It’s something we as a club support and will get behind,” Fitzpatrick said on the Eddie and Stevo podcast.
“What pleases me was the talk about the wrap around stuff. On the field, it is the best sport in the world, its gladiatorial, it’s brutal and if it’s going well then people will come.
“It’s how the sport is marketed, the media exposure in going forward. The model isn’t perfect – I think it would be difficult to put forward a model that is perfect – but I think it is the right direction to go in.
“There are a couple of things in there that need to be looked at with participation – that’s not in the criteria. The promotion and relegation aspect is not straightforward either. Maybe that needs to be looked at.
“We’ve brought IMG in to do a job. We need to give them autonomy but obviously in consultation with all the clubs and they are the recommendations they have put forward so it’s important we support it. In the main, 100% it is the right direction of travel.”
Among potential plans to ‘re-imagine’ rugby league could see the brand ‘Super League’ be replaced, but Fitzpatrick believes that this hasn’t been marketed properly when asked if it should be got rid of.
“I’ve been asked this previously and I’m a bit mixed on it,” Fitzpatrick continued.
“What I like about the Super League logo is the ‘s’ – it’s like the Superman logo and I think it looks really cool and we probably have not utilised that enough.
“Look at the NBA and NFL, their brands are on every piece of merchandise. You can’t buy an official NFL or NBA t-shirt without the logo on there. I don’t think we’ve utilised that to the best of our ability.
“I feel like it has diluted and especially with the European Super League in football that got disbanded, the reputation isn’t too good.
“But, it would be a shame to lose the Super League. I think there is an opportunity there that hasn’t been tapped into.”
