Clubs in the top three tiers of British rugby league voted in favour of IMG’s proposed club grading in April 2023.
The Rugby Football League (RFL) said the change aimed to “incentivise clubs to grow their fanbase and top-line non-centralised revenue, to better engage with fans, to be run in a best-in-class way, to invest in their club and the sport in a sustainable way, and to ensure strong governance”.
The change, which is the biggest transformation of rugby league for a generation, generated criticism, however.
London Broncos owner David Hughes expressed his concerns before the start of the 2024 season as the then-newly-promoted Super League club began the campaign seemingly certain to be relegated back to the Championship for 2025.
Broncos were ranked 24th in 2023’s illustrative gradings – 4.38 points short of the top 12 – meaning that an extraordinary finish would have been necessary to even come close to retaining their top-flight place.
In the end, despite outperforming expectations and coming close to finishing above Hull FC on points difference, the Broncos finished bottom of Super League and Hughes put the club up for sale.
With no parachute payment for being relegated, the Broncos said last week that they need to raise £350,000 in the next month to ensure their survival next term.
More to follow.
