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Fight the future: The IMG wishlist

February 14, 2025

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BY JOHN DAVIDSON

RIGHT NOW, IMG are conducting a review into British rugby league.

They have been appointed to ‘reimagine’ the sport and its competitions in the UK, to grow commercial revenue and attract new fans. It’s no easy task, and there is a lot to do.

At the moment IMG is meeting with different stakeholders in the sport and gathering information as part of its review into the lay of the land. That review is expected to be complete in the next few months, and delivered before the end of this year.

Everyone will have their own take on what needs to change, what IMG should do, what area needs fixing first.

But here’s my own take on some of the problems and components that need attention. It’s not exhaustive, but some topline thoughts on what could, and should, change.

I don’t presume to have all the answers, and maybe none, but there are clear subjects that IMG must tackle (pardon the pun). Here are 12:

– Structure – a huge, complicated and controversial topic. At present, the current structure of three divisions just simply doesn’t work. Too many teams, too few fans, not enough money. Promotion and relegation does not work with a salary cap system, nor in a sport where only a few clubs can attract 10,000 fans or more and only a few clubs actually produce their own players. When so many clubs in the Championship either don’t have the financial backing to compete in Super League, or the fanbase, or both, let alone a market to support them, the system has to change. Look at Batley, a well-run club who don’t want to be in the Super League, nor should they be. Look at the Championship, with no overseas player quota. My own preference would be two divisions – one for full-time clubs, one for part-time clubs – with entrance into the top flight only allowed if a club meets the right criteria, on and off the field, over a period of time. A return of a form of licensing, if you will.

– Merchandising – Not my area of expertise, but for those in the know, this is the wild wild west in Super League. There is no coordination from head office and no control. Merchandising needs to be centrally run by Super League as a proper business. Opportunities are being missed.

– Streaming – What is rugby league’s streaming strategy? Does it have one? It seems to be a hodge-podge of games shown at different levels, at different times, for different reasons on OurLeague. It doesn’t seem to make much sense. Show all of Cornwall’s games, even though they are terrible, because the owner pays for the broadcast? The RFL and Super League should be streaming the important games, the high quality ones, from finals, derbies and playoffs, at timeslots that don’t compete with other rugby league events. Don’t just stream anything and everything. Show the best games at the right time. And don’t run them at the same as Super League games on TV.

– TV coverage – The streaming area ties in with TV broadcasting. Super League needs to ensure all of its games are broadcast every round. If Sky don’t want all of them, and Channel 4 only want a few, then stream the others. This is their content that some people will want to watch. Stream them and charge for it. In this day and age, if you want to watch your team and are willing to pay for it, you should be able to watch it online, on your phone, tablet or TV. There is an untapped market there.

– Fixturing – TV coverage and streaming is connected to fixturing. Why does Super League persist with running its own fixtures against each other? How many times do we have to have four Super League game, or even five, on at the same time of 8pm on a Friday night competing with each other? It’s madness. Super League needs a fixture list, without loop fixtures and with less games, that sees teams play Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Matches should be standalone and not competing with other matches. This should help TV ratings, which should boost the value of the TV rights.

– Media engagement – It is almost a dirty word in UK rugby league, it barely exists. This needs a complete overhaul. Better access for the media, better media facilities at grounds, better marketing in general. Super League doesn’t even have its own full-time media manager anymore, for god’s sake. There needs to be a complete shift in thinking of mentality and operation. How can rugby league get the media on side? How can we help them do their jobs? How can we get more and better coverage, across all mediums? How can we improve the discourse. Be more proactive and open. Don’t let clubs hide and thrive behind their own benign self-created content. Perhaps an in-house media operation, like NRL.com, is needed. Aligned to this must be an increase in advertising budget and marketing effectivness. Super League and the RFL need new people at the helm, new ideas and new approaches, staff who understand and can properly exploit digital media and new social channels.

– Participation – A massive area that can’t be ignored. People are playing less of all sports, not just rugby league. But there is a chance to attract and retain participants through other forms of the game – touch, tag, X-League, PDRL, LDRL etc. You can play touch and tag at all ages, from childhood into your 70s, either mixed or with your own gender. It’s fun, fast and social. The participants of these non-contact forms have to be targeted and engaged as fans of rugby league who will attend Super League games, Magic Weekend, Challenge Cup matches, internationals and so on.

– Schools – Another vital issue. Rugby league just isn’t played in enough schools in the UK, and this has to change. There needs to be a huge focus on offering rugby league in schools, engaging with school kids, getting professional teams to do school visits, improving school facilities to play league, basically doing anything and everything to make rugby league a vibrant and powerful player in the school landscape.

– Women’s RL – A growth arena that must be properly harnessed. England is already behind Australia and NZ in the women’s game, but that can be remedied. This needs investment, needs support and to be allowed to develop away from the men’s game. Don’t make the same mistake as the men’s and expand too quickly, keep the quality concentrated, build the profile, build the image and create strong pathways and structures from the junior ranks to the professional level.

– Challenge Cup – What is the future of the Challenge Cup? How can it be rejuvenated? That is a tough one. It is of course a competition with a wonderful history and pedigree. But it needs an overhaul, need some TLC. Perhaps a move to be it becoming a tournament more in pre-season, with a May final, may rekindle some interest. Perhaps making it an open draw is the way to go. Risks need to be taken. Whatever is done, it needs its own separate team to drive it and enhance it.

– International arena – This cannot be achieved without the support of the NRL and the IRL. IMG are meeting Peter V’landys and co, but there needs to be an agreed window of internationals every year, a 10-year calendar, events that fans can look forward to. No more strategy on the hop, but a clear plan for the international game. Bring the Ashes back. Regular fixtures, regular competitions, the best of the best playing.

– Governance – A large one, but IMG’s recommendations and input will come to naught unless the governance of UK rugby league changes dramatically. Take the power away from the clubs, create a new power structure and remove some of the dinosaurs at the top. There are too many people in positions of power who have been there for decades, unaccountable and seemingly untouchable. It is under their leadership that the sport is in the current predicament it finds itself in. They say a fish rots from the head, so let’s chop off the head and rebuild this barramundi before it goes off.