Rugby League clubs to be graded on finances, fanbase size, stadia and catchment area to determine Super League places from 2025; any team that achieves Grade A status is guaranteed one of 12 places and exempt from relegation; the RFL Council votes on the recommendations on April 19
Wednesday 5 April 2023 15:02, UK
Changes have been made to the 'Reimagining Rugby League Consultation Project' and their radical new grading criteria, with clubs now set to be rewarded for the extent of their community engagement.
The initial proposal presented to clubs in March outlined plans for teams to be judged not solely off 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.
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 a press release sent out on Wednesday, the Rugby Football League - in conjunction with new strategic partner, sports management company IMG - detailed that the 'Catchment' category as part of the grading system has been renamed 'Community' and will now account for 2.5 points instead of the initially proposed two.
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.
Further details are to be supplied to clubs via conference call on Wednesday, April 12, before a meeting of the RFL Council votes on whether to accept the recommendations on April 19.
Illustrative gradings for 2024 would be released after the 2023 season, with the 2025 Super League then confirmed in the summer of 2024.
Tony Sutton, the RFL's chief executive officer, said in a statement: "The RFL and RL Commercial are grateful to clubs and other Council members for their constructive engagement since the proposals were presented last month.
"As a result of feedback, we have worked with IMG to amend the club grading criteria to provide greater recognition for clubs' engagement with their communities through their Foundations - which strengthens the category previously known as Catchment.
"Crucially, this process remains democratic as well as informed and transparent. The clubs and other Council members will decide later this month whether or not the sport accepts the recommendations that overwhelmingly last autumn we as a game asked IMG to develop for us and bring forward.
"We look forward to dialogue continuing over the coming weeks."
