Just noticed this tweet in the Twitter page of The Game Caller (Mick Gledhill). Does anyone know if this is now in the IMG criteria? If not then Gledhill should be taken to Task by our club, we don’t need any more mud thrown at our club.



Just for clarity both Castleford and Wakefield will be deducted points for failing to meet minimum standards with their respective stadiums. Both clubs have taken millions of pounds in broadcast revenues and have failed to improve their stadiums to meet minimum standards.

A couple of tweets from The game caller.

Interesting that IMG won’t reveal specific thresholds until the vote has been taken. Although I can understand IMG reasoning, it would appear clubs will not know what’s in the small print until it’s too late.



The RFL/IMG have sent clubs examples of what a Grade A club looks like, Grade B club in the Heartlands and a Grade B club in an expansion area look like. It's clear from these examples that clubs will make the cut for the top tier with an accumulated points total of 12 points.



Clubs asking for specific thresholds on the five pillars have been told that these will be released after the vote at Huddersfield on Wednesday. This to ensure that clubs don't know where they currently are in the new RFL/IMG table and that they don't vote with self interest.

How does that make sense to a ANY of the clubs,

Turkey and Christmas springs to mind.

I'm pretty sure they said clubs have details before public and media. They had chance to talk to IMG and challenge some things so they are not going in completely blind.

So even though IMG are looking at the future clubs will still be penalised for their past even despite vast considerable improvement ongoing for facilities and no lack of effort on attempts through planning etc thwarted by various issues most not in the clubs control. Can’t see that. It should be on what currently is in place or what currently the club offers in terms of facilities.



And we didn’t fail to improve stadium.



We built the flats, we also had two roofs put on and various paint cosmetic jobs over the years, these are improvements in tune to hundreds of thousands and also let’s not forget that the club I believe have had money reduced I think recent years for having restricted capacity due to safety?



This all added to the fact that in promotion and relegation a playing squad capable of competing must be maintained or clubs face losing monies altogether.



Seems an incredibly poor thought out tweet from this game caller.

I'll read it again today but

1) the minimum standards aren't included in the IMG paper, they were RFL minimum standards.

2) by the time IMG come to do their assessment we will exceed those standards

Surely not, Mick Gledhill?!

I would think the first clubs to be considered will be the 12 in SL. It will then be the Championship which the way this season is going will contain us to replace any from SL. The problem we face is our location goes against us because we are in a densely populated rugby area and they are favouring expansion.

I believe the only way we would be admitted is if we had an A rating but sadly we are way off at the moment and being in the Championship will probably ensure we never do.

I know these are Mick Gledhill tweets from today, so ibut I’m sure the information is correct, anyway, it’s time we all had some more information that will affect our future.



Good to learn clubs have finally received their IMG/RFL handbooks which shows clubs the thresholds of where will be assessed against to gain points from the five key strategic pillars. I’m just going through the handbook now and will provide an update later this evening.



For example on Attendances:



Average attendance of 7,500 over three years = 2.5 points.



Average attendance of 3,000 over three years = 2 points





Average attendance of 1,500 over three years = 1.5 points.



Average attendance under 1,500 over three years = 0.75 points.



The Bradford Bulls would score 2 points based on their average attendance over the past three seasons. That’s the same as Huddersfield, Castleford, Leigh, Toulouse, Wakefield, Widnes and Salford.

Out of curiosity, did he look at the scoring for recent bankrupcies

Does anyone else think that the 12 month delay by IMG, for implementing their new criteria, was designed to help any particular side gain a spot in SL, with Bradford being the most likely to benefit ?

No, the current Bradford offer nothing that numerous other clubs can't right now, save a large latent support from the boom years of the early 2000's.

Can't see how they come up on ground alone, not forgetting the money, or lack of they've had in the past

He does make me laugh https://twitter.com/TheGameCaller/statu ... 0459201536

He does make me laugh https://twitter.com/TheGameCaller/statu ... 0459201536

That latent support and promises from their new owner may well be enough.

Like it or not, they are the only club outside SL that could bring some decent numbers to games

and for me, there was good reason why the new regime was delayed by 12 months.



The other possibility would be Toulouse but, they may yet win the Championship GF, which would be another kick in the nuts for Fev.

It's circa 20 years ago since they were any good, they play in a decrepit ground where the pitch does not meet regulations, have bumbled along in the lower leagues for 10 years or so. They offer nothing to IMG any more than a Halifax or Featherstone, and certainley not a team who sits joint second in SL or a team who featured in the challenge cup final last year. Trinity in their current plight offer more.



If they get in then frankly I don't care about being in the top league.

Quote Khlav Kalash="Khlav Kalash"He does make me laugh https://twitter.com/TheGameCaller/statu ... 0459201536'" The narrative theses past couple of years has been “ Super League needs Bradford “ and it now seems to be getting louder by the day. I’ve always thought that the IMG system has been deliberately manipulated to suit certain clubs, currently outside SL,and if those clubs are admitted in favour of current SL clubs, then the game will eventually be in serious trouble, just my opinion of course.

Quote Khlav Kalash="Khlav Kalash"He does make me laugh https://twitter.com/TheGameCaller/statu ... 0459201536'" The narrative theses past couple of years has been “ Super League needs Bradford “ and it now seems to be getting louder by the day. I’ve always thought that the IMG system has been deliberately manipulated to suit certain clubs, currently outside SL,and if those clubs are admitted in favour of current SL clubs, then the game will eventually be in serious trouble, just my opinion of course.

Bingo ! we have a winner !



As soon as we move to a box ticking exercise, rather than on field performance, the whole system is open to abuse (just as it was previously) and ultimately, will any change to the clubs in the top flight actually attract a higher level of sponsorship ? NO

We will benifit under new owner i believe..

but if the winner of the grand final has less points then say for eg ourselves ?then in theory we go up .

not sure what effect a few thousand fans and a linch mob would have to IMG.

and indeed the bad publicity

We should do ok with the IMG score, should be top 12.



Up the Trin

It's quite eye-opening looking at the reported attendances at Bradford and then looking at the photographic/video evidence available.

Lots of pages from IMG criteria, happy reading It’s produced to baffle and confuse the average RL supporters, I haven’t a clue how to make sense of this waffle e.leeds-live.co.uk/_act/link.php ... d=12645911

Lots of pages from IMG criteria, happy reading It’s produced to baffle and confuse the average RL supporters, I haven’t a clue how to make sense of this waffle e.leeds-live.co.uk/_act/link.php ... d=12645911

They lose more points than they gain, when the score for % of capacity is calculated and their 3 year finishing position is poor.



Bradford are no where near SL.

To be fair Odsal would swallow up a 3k crowd.

Bradford will struggle to get a Grade B.