IMG Grading for the British Rugby Football League explained

IMG Grading for the Rugby Football League is a set of proposals set out in 2022 by the British Rugby Football League's new strategic partner IMG, in which all clubs playing in the professional levels of the British rugby league system will be graded, with their rank determining which division each club will play. The proposals were accepted by a majority vote of British rugby league stakeholders in 2023 with implementation starting in the 2024 season.

The grading in the new system will see:[1]

Grades will be reassessed annually.

This will be the second attempt to introduce a "Super League licence", with the first being introduced in 2009 and scrapped in 2014 after two cycles.

Voting

Voting for this proposal occurred on 19 April 2023. All 35 British RFL clubs of the 2023 season received a vote, with Super League clubs' votes being more heavily weighted. A further seven votes were given to representatives from the community game in tiers 4 and 5 of the British rugby league system. With an overall majority needed to pass, along with a majority in each voting block (Super League, Championship/League One, and Community Game). The proposal passed 86% to 14%.[2] [3]

Opposition

Championship sides Barrow, Batley, Featherstone Rovers, and Keighley, and League One sides Hunslet, Dewsbury, and West Wales voted against the proposals, Whilst Salford and Whitehaven abstained from the vote.[4]

Keighley, who had been extremely vocal in their opposition of the proposal since the start, and the only club who voted against the plans even being discussed, released a statement accusing IMG of "blinding" rugby league with "nice presentation[s] and big words", citing that their proposals "will be the death of Championship, League One, and other heartland clubs" and that the proposal was "underfunded" and had zero marketing plans, in addition to accusing IMG of "masquerad[ing] on false promises" and "lies".[5]

Despite voting in favour of grading, London Broncos owner David Hughes released a statement opposing the grading system in January 2024.[6] He cited that the inclusion of grading had "[condemned the] club to relegation before a ball has even been kicked" and as a result removed the "jeopardy and drama" from the sport. Hughes was particularly agreved with the points the club gained for catchment, being "the lowest possible", despite being the only professional team in the South East. He also affirmed that "promotion and relegation should be a staple of all sports".[7]

Criteria

Each club will be awarded a maximum of 20 points across five categories:

15 points is needed for Grade A status, while 7.5 is needed for Grade B.

Unknowns

IMG main aim is to have the Super League made entirely of Grade A clubs and by grading clubs it highlights areas they are to improve on. Having expressed plans to expand Super League it is possible that if and when more than 12 clubs were Graded A then the league would expand to keep these clubs out of the Championship as Grade A clubs are exempt from relegation.[8] Following a statement where the IMG claimed that the chances of the Championship Grand Final winners being denied promotion were "very remote", doubts were shed over how the system would work, as initially it was understood that the remaining Super League places would be taken up by the highest ranked Grade B clubs, however this statement suggested that so long as the Championship winner and bottom placed Super League club were both Grade B promotion and relegation would occur as normal.[9] Neither IMG nor the RFL have clarified either of these issues.

Grades

Although the system will not determine clubs' places in leagues until after the 2024 season, an indicative grading was released after the 2023 season. Seven Super League clubs were awarded an 'A' grade, 17 clubs in the system received a 'B' grade, and 11 received a 'C' grade.[10] London Skolars withdrew from League One after the 2023 season and did not receive a grade, while Newcastle Thunder, who had also announced a likely withdrawal after being relegated to League One but were aiming to keep a place in the league, still received a grade.[11]

RankClubDivisionPoints
colspan="4"
1 Leeds RhinosSuper League17.49
2 Wigan Warriors16.87
3 St Helens16.78
4 Catalans Dragons16.73
5 Warrington Wolves15.75
6 Hull Kingston Rovers15.52
7 Hull F.C.15.05
colspan="4"
8 Salford Red DevilsSuper League13.80
9 Huddersfield Giants13.49
10 Toulouse OlympiqueChampionship12.97
11 Wakefield Trinity12.52
12 Leigh LeopardsSuper League12.45
13 Castleford Tigers12.16
14 Bradford BullsChampionship12.02
15 Featherstone Rovers10.65
16 Widnes Vikings10.17
17 York Knights10.05
18 Newcastle ThunderLeague One9.30
19 Barrow RaidersChampionship9.18
20 Halifax Panthers9.06
21 Batley Bulldogs8.62
22 Sheffield Eagles8.36
23 Doncaster8.11
24 London BroncosSuper League8.07
colspan="4"
25 OldhamLeague One7.39
26 Swinton LionsChampionship7.21
27 Dewsbury Rams7.10
28 Rochdale HornetsLeague One7.03
29 Hunslet6.94
30 Keighley Cougars6.58
31 Workington Town6.54
32 WhitehavenChampionship6.27
33 Midlands HurricanesLeague One5.92
34 Cornwall5.75
35 North Wales Crusaders5.07

Club responses

Criticism

Telegraph & Argus wrote an article applauding the system in principle but claimed it would be financially unfeasible to make the improvements for any clubs outside the 2024 top 14.[22]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rugby league grading criteria: Radical new proposals voted in by majority of clubs. Sky Sports.
  2. Web site: Clubs vote in favour of IMG proposals. April 19, 2023. LoveRugbyLeague.
  3. News: Super League clubs vote to end automatic promotion and relegation. Aaron. Bower. April 19, 2023. The Guardian.
  4. Web site: The seven clubs that voted against IMG proposals. April 19, 2023. LoveRugbyLeague.
  5. Web site: Full IMG Statement from Keighley Cougars to Council – Keighley Cougars.
  6. Web site: David Hughes responds to London Broncos IMG grading . 23 January 2024 .
  7. News: David Hughes: London Broncos owner flags up IMG grading concerns . BBC Sport . 24 January 2024 .
  8. News: Plans to end automatic promotion and relegation for Super League revealed. Aaron. Bower. September 28, 2022. The Guardian.
  9. Web site: Chance of Championship winners being denied promotion in new IMG system are 'very remote'. April 18, 2023. LoveRugbyLeague.
  10. Web site: Leeds Rhinos among seven Super League clubs awarded Grade A status in new grading process. Sky Sports.
  11. Web site: IMG gradings Q&A: Possible 14-team Super League, London Broncos future, how often grades will be reviewed. Love Rugby League. 26 October 2023 .
  12. Web site: Barrow Raiders IMG Grading Explained. barrowrlfc.com. 29 Oct 2023.
  13. Web site: Club statement on IMG indicative grading. bradfordbulls.co.uk. 26 Oct 2023.
  14. News: Bradford Bulls boost after Castleford Tigers appeal rejected. Atkinson. Nathan. Telegraph & Argus. 9 Dec 2023.
  15. Web site: Rhinos welcome number one grading ranking. therhinos.co.uk. 26 Oct 2023.
  16. Web site: STATEMENT: IMG GRADING. keighleycougars.uk. 24 Oct 2023.
  17. Web site: Board Statement: IMG Grading. featherstonerovers.co.uk. 25 Oct 2023.
  18. Web site: https://www.londonbroncosrl.com/london-broncos-academy-restructure. }
  19. News: It doesn't add up – North Wales Crusaders chief on IMG's new grading system. Staniforth. Mark. The Independent. 26 Oct 2023.
  20. Web site: CBS Board Update: IMG Grading. salfordreddevils.net. 27 Oct 2023.
  21. News: Whitehaven 'disappointed' with new RFL grading. Cumbria Crack. 26 Oct 2023.
  22. Web site: NAth's NATTERS: Positive IMG concept does not fit with ruinous reality . 4 November 2023 .