“If we win…”: Bradford Bulls provide prospective IMG grading breakdown

Bradford Bulls were once one of the biggest sides in rugby league and still remain one of just four sides to lift the Super League title but they’ve languished in the Championship for many years now.

In fact, the 2023 season that saw them place third was their best finish in the English rugby league pyramid since 2015, the season after their relegation from Super League.

There has been plenty of change lately though with Eamon O’Carroll taking charge as head coach and a number of strong signings arriving at Odsal.

Bradford Bulls have also managed to retain the lease of their Odsal home which has now been outlined as a positive by CEO Jason Hirst.

Hirst spoke at a Fan’s Forum and the club have since shared the information from that meeting via their website to reveal how they fare on the IMG grading criteria which is set to come into effect from the 2025 season onwards.

Upon initial grades, Bradford Bulls ranked 14th which positioned them just outside Super League, however, it has been confirmed that all Grade A clubs will have a place in Super League highlighting that the competition won’t be capped at 12 teams.

Bradford Bulls in positive position under IMG

With the Bulls only less than a point outside of Super League under the initial gradings, they’ve been working hard to squeeze out extra points to help them return to the top flight.

They’ve now confirmed how they fare under each pillar of the IMG grading, the five pillars being ‘Fandom’, ‘Performance’, ‘Finance’, ‘Stadium’ and ‘Community’.

Their statement read: “Chief Executive Officer Jason Hirst provided an update at last night’s Fans’ Forum, on the club’s progress in relation to IMG’s grading criteria…”

On ‘Fandom’, they noted: “Average attendance in 2023 was 3,677 – next threshold is 7,000. A rise in attendance has obvious links to improving the Finance metric also. In 2024 we are targeting a minimum of 4,000 per game.

“Our 12-month rolling Engagement figure has increased by 45% since the last grading. Supporters are encouraged to continue liking, commenting and sharing content across the club’s five main Social Media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube).”

Different scenarios for performance were outlined: “The club recognizes the importance of a successful season on the field, which has led to quality additions in the squad with more to follow.

“If we win the 1895 Cup, we will gain an extra 0.1 points.

“If we win Championship Grand Final, we will gain an extra 0.25 points.

“If we finish runner up in Championship Grand Final, we will gain an extra 0.15 points.”

Finances look to be boosted too as the statement explained: “New owner investment over the last 12 months has increased our score for the next round of grading in the second half of this year.

“The club continues to seek and welcome additional investment. Companies House will show a small profit for the 2023 Financial Year.”

Previously the club have stated Odsal is one thing preventing them from making it into Super League and on their stadium pillar, they stated:  “A big enabler is securing the Odsal lease. We have taken down the old Pavilion Bar with thanks to a very generous sponsor, and it is being replaced which will lead to an improved score.”

Finally, the club believe score well in ‘Community’, adding: “We score well in the Catchment/Community metric and that will continue to be the case in the next round of grading.”

Bradford Bulls certainly look to be building positively and they’ve even added to their squad with the signing of Zac Fulton from the NRL, subject to international clearance, which highlights their ambition.