Rugby league grading criteria: Radical new proposals voted in by majority of clubs | Rugby League News

April 19, 2023 admin

The proposals brought forward by IMG for the future of the rugby league system have been passed by clubs and the Rugby League Council

Last Updated: 19/04/23 12:07pm

IMG's proposals for rugby league have been passed by clubs

Radical new grading criteria proposals for the future of rugby league have been voted through by clubs and the Rugby League Council with a large majority.

At a meeting in Huddersfield on Wednesday, rugby league clubs met to vote on the proposals, with a majority from each of the three competitions – Super League, Championship and League One – voting in favour of the changes.

The initial proposal presented to clubs in March outlined plans for teams to be judged not solely by on-field performance, with Super League places from 2025 instead determined based on a club’s finances, fanbase size, stadia and catchment area. Teams’ social media following, TV viewing figures, ticket sales and stadium big screens would also be factors.

Any team that achieves Grade A status would be guaranteed one of the 12 places in Super League and effectively be exempt from relegation while they retain that status.

The highest-performing Grade B teams would be offered places when spaces are available, while any team given a Grade C would play in the Championship or League 1.

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Matt Dwyer, vice president of sport management IMG Media, ooutlines the proposed criteria for the ‘Reimagining Rugby League Consultation Project’ being introduced to Super League

All clubs are to be scored out of 20 and a score of 15 or more is required for Category A status, with 7.5 points or more achieving Category B status.

In March, the ‘Catchment’ category was renamed ‘Community’ and will now account for 2.5 points instead of the initially proposed two.

Fandom (5 points) – clubs’ fanbases would be assessed in areas such as match attendance, TV viewership, social media following and website visits
On-field performance (5 points) – clubs would be ranked on league position in the last three seasons with bonus points for winning the league and cup competitions
Finance (4.5 points) – clubs would be rewarded for profitability, financial stability and a diversification of revenue streams
Stadium (3 points) – each club’s stadium and facilities would need to reach minimum standards and
Community (2.5 points) – combines each club’s fanbase potential with a rating for their Foundation – the charitable bodies linked to clubs which drive much of their community and participation activity

The re-named ‘Community’ pillar will award points to clubs based on the positive impact they have in the communities in which the sport is based and played. It will combine each club’s fanbase potential with a rating for their Foundation – the charitable bodies linked to clubs which drive much of their community and participation activity.

The ‘Finance’ category will now carry a maximum of 4.5 points, compared to the originally outlined five. There has also been a small amendment to the ‘Fandom’ section (worth five points), with a greater emphasis on overall engagement in the digital sphere.

Illustrative gradings for 2024 would be released after the 2023 season, with the 2025 Super League then confirmed in the summer of 2024.

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