How many points you need for Grade A licence revealed as IMG points system broken down completely

IMG today presented to the RFL Council the recommended grading criteria to define how Super League, RFL Championship and League One clubs will be assessed starting from 2025, as part of the Reimagining Rugby League plans.

Based on a combination of on and off-field variables, the proposed grading criteria are designed to collectively increase clubs’ fanbases, diversify revenues, drive investment into clubs and the sport in a sustainable manner, run clubs in a best-in-class way and ensure strong governance is in place.

The recommended grading criteria cover five areas, with each element contributing to a percentage of the overall weighting, including:

Fandom (25%): encouraging clubs to attract more fans in stadia, at home and digitally, and to improve fan engagement, contributing to both club and central revenues.
Performance (25%): incentivising clubs to perform on the field and drive fan awareness and engagement. Teams will be ranked between 1 and 36 based on where they finish in the leagues for the previous three seasons. Bonus points will be awarded to teams who win league and cup competitions in the previous season.
Finances (25%): reflecting the success of fan engagement and business performance and rewarding sustainable investment, as well as diversified revenue streams and sound financial management.
Stadium (15%): based on a number of factors, including facilities and utilisation, which add value to the fan and broadcast or digital viewer experience, and match or exceed competition from other sports and events.
Catchment (10%): based on area population and the number of clubs in the area, with a view to maximising growth of the sport in the largest markets to generate new fan bases and incentivise investment.

Here is a complete breakdown of everything that can be awarded points as part of this grading system.

There is a maximum of 20 points available split between five main areas: fandom, performance, finance, stadium and catchment.

Every area is broken up into components which carry points:

Fandom: 5
Attendance: 2.5
Viewership: 1
Digital: 1 (0.3 social following, 0.6 website visits, 0.6 total engagements)
Performance: 5
League Performance: 4
Super League: 0.75
Challenge Cup: 0.25
Championship: 0.25
League One: 0.1
1895 Cup: 0.1
Finance: 5
Non-centralised turnover: 2.25
Non-centralised turnover as % of total turnover: 0.75
Adjusted Profit: 0.5
Balance Sheet Strength: 0.5
Working Capital: 0.5
Stadium: 3
Facilities: 1.5
Utilisation: 1
Primacy of Tenure: 0.25
LED: 0.125
Big Screen: 0.125
Catchment: 2

Catchment is the population of that area divided by the number of clubs in that area.

IMG have also confirmed how many points are required for each Grade:

Grade A: 15+ points
Grade B: 7.5-14.9 points
Grade C: Less than 7.5 points