IMG’s rugby league revamp delivers hope of promised land for city clubs

I MG has made no secret of the fact that the American sports management firm’s plan to revolutionise rugby league and broaden the sport’s horizons involves capturing the imagination of major cities in England, both within and beyond the game’s roots along the M62. If that is truly the case then it is the Championship, just as much as Super League, where the future could lie.

More cities are hosting second-tier rugby league – five – this year than the top flight, where there are four cities represented.

A grading system appears increasingly likely to replace conventional promotion and relegation from next year after IMG revealed the 20-point plan on which clubs will be assessed from 2024. Catchment area and population play a significant part in the grading and for some clubs, this new system provides the biggest opportunity yet to reach the promised land.

“The great thing is that it reassured a lot of the hopes that myself and a lot of other clubs shared,” the York Knights owner, Clint Goodchild, says. “It’s built on sustainable growth and getting the beautiful product into new markets but doing it in a way where you don’t lose the old ones. That’s the balance and they’ve given a decent standing to do that.”

York, Newcastle, Bradford, Sheffield and London all boast Championship teams this year. They are all expected to approve IMG’s proposals when clubs vote on them next month. With teams such as York and Newcastle making no secret of their desire to get into Super League, there is a belief traditional town-based top-flight sides such as Wakefield are more at threat than ever before, with facilities also coming under IMG’s microscope.

That is something Newcastle Thunder, who share Kingston Park with the rugby union side