Tomorrow, Super League, Championship and League One clubs will vote on whether or not they bring in IMG’s proposals to radically change the sport ending traditional promotion and relegation by bringing in a new grading system.
One club has stood against this from the beginning and that is the 2022 League One Champions and current Championship team Keighley Cougars.
Ahead of the vote they have made one last effort to convince others to follow suit and vote against the changes in a video package that compares the system with ING’s new system which they say will bring about “the death” of the sport.
“The current RFL system consists of three tiers. The Super League is at the top, that is the the cream of the crop of rugby league,” the video on Twitter begins.
“That is where you have your St Helens, your Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors.
“Then one tier down from that you have the Championship and then League One.
“So the further up the pyramid you go the better the talent, the bigger the prizes and thus the more profitable your club becomes.
“Teams can move between tiers via promotion and relegation at the end of the season the best team goes up and the bottom team goes down.
“That’s called competition and a major reason why we watch the sport.
“Under the IMG proposals even though you might win the Million Pound Game it doesn’t mean you will be promoted. If the bottom club in Super League have only half a percent more in the grading system than the Championship Champions for having an LED Screen or a larger catchment area means that Super League loser stays up and meaning the Championship winner stays exactly where they were having achieved nothing and won nothing more than a medal this will drive away ambition from clubs and mean there is no investment to get better.
“It will turn away fans too as the excitement of jeopardy is gone. Investment and interest in the sport will decline.
“We at Keighley Cougars oppose these changes, we believe that these proposals will bring about the death of the sport.
“Change is needed but sport by spreadsheet is not the change this sport needs.”
Now their local MP has backed this belief.
Robbie Moore shared the video saying he believes these plans are not what fans want and that supporters want a competitive sport.
He said: “Totally agree. Sport is sport – and should totally be based on pitch performance.
“That’s what the fans want and that’s sport. Well done Keighley Cougars. Let’s hope IMG listen.”
Totally agree.
Sport is sport – and should totally be based on pitch performance.
That’s what the fans want and that’s sport.
Well done @Cougarmania.
Let’s hope the @IMG listen. https://t.co/5HQvKcXe9t
— Robbie Moore MP (@_RobbieMoore) April 17, 2023
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