IMG Proposals

Rugby League in the UK recently entered into a 12 year strategic partnership with IMG to improve the overall management of the code. Some of their just released proposals are as below.

1) Pro clubs to be assessed and ranked. 'A' grade clubs guaranteed elite status provided they meet certain criteria. This would include both on and off field standards. 'B' clubs would be subject to promotion and relegation. Gradings would be monitored and could change.

The rationale being investors will be assured that putting money into the club will not be a risky venture provided they follow the guidelines to gain and retain 'A' grade status. Ranking: A qualified yes.

2) Continuation of second and third divisions, with promotion and relegation between them. Ranking: Yes.

3) The name Super League to be replaced. Seeing as it is used in many other sports, it's too generic. Ranking: Yes.

4) Spreading awareness of the game more evenly across the country, particularly aiming at London. Ranking: Yes but good luck with that one.

5) A reduction of club matches per season. The end of loop fixtures (some teams playing three times) and Magic Weekend. The first is a must, the second surprising. Ranking: A yes and a maybe.

6) A better intergration of domestic and international matches. Ranking: Yes.

7) Emphasis on the female part of the game. Ranking: Yes.

8) The number of overseas clubs to be capped. Understandable if the priority is growing the sport in the UK. However, surely an overseas quota would expand depending on what the objectives would be in any time. Ranking: A qualified yes.

9) A better planned calendar with more centralised systems to improve efficiency and revenue. Ranking: Yes.

10) The existing fan base being an essential part of the growth strategy. Ranking: Yes.

Summary: I think the ideas are good. Executing some of them will be plain sailing, others plenty of work. This is a world of constant - and at times hard to justify - change. I don't see this as change for the sake of it. RL in the UK needs to do better in so many ways. 

It's a start and like any initiative to take an organisation forward, the journey cannot be in a straight line. Flexibility will be needed and IMG knows that. Overall Ranking: Yes.