St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus has given a progress report of sorts on IMG and their impact on rugby league after being asked what exactly it is that the marketing agency are bringing to the table.
That question was asked by former Sky Sports commentator Eddie Hemmings with McManus the latest guest on Hemmings and Mike Stephenson’s ‘Eddie and Stevo Podcast‘.
McManus has made headlines in recent weeks with the Saints man releasing a scathing statement about the RFL after the confirmation of Nigel Wood as the new interim chairman.
“We clearly seek to be the best governed bankrupt sport in the world,” was McManus’ most damning line as he spoke about the RFL whilst hitting out at those who had opposed Wood’s return.
The RFL have been under plenty of criticism of late and lots came when they brought on board marketing agency IMG in a 12-year deal, particularly over their advised removal of promotion and relegation.
St Helens chairman gives IMG progress report and explains key stumbling block
St Helens chair McManus has now spoken on the IMG deal and the work so far, as well as why the company cannot do what they would ideally like to do.
It’s believed that the RFL pay £400,000 per year for those services but speaking to Hemmings, McManus clarified: “It’s only just now that we’re starting to pay them for defined services under the terms of the contract. So the first three years was a strategic review, a rebranding, digital and the likes.”
That has seen the introduction of grading, something which McManus believes IMG got “absorbed in”, as he stated: “My own view is that they unfortunately have got completely absorbed in grading.
“Whether you think that’s the right system or the wrong system, it’s a very time-consuming and costly system. It needs an awful lot of input from both sides, both from the centre and from the clubs, and employing people to do so, and very, very time consuming.”
He would move to defend IMG though, adding: “In their defence, there is no working capital in the game. To do things you need money. At this point in time, it’s not really there.
“Their strength, and the reason why I’m favourably disposed to them is that they’re an international sports marketing agency, but we’re not actually using them on the marketing and sponsorship and events management side.”
He’d move to confirm that stuff was happening behind the scenes, but admitted he was unsure if that represented fair value on the deal, stating: “On the surface you’re right. In reality, things have been done. Whether the cost of doing them is resulted in the benefit that we’d hoped is another matter entirely.”
1 Comment
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
Patrick Tomlinson
April 6, 2025 at 11:39 am
“Only RFL would employ the worlds biggest sports marketing business and not use them for that purpose, would say many fans. What a waste.”
Which seems to be what McMANUS is saying. But wait a minute, how can you sell advertising and sponsorship without digital boards around the ground facing a camera – the days of few local companies buying a 9 by 3 plank of wood are long gone.
What IMG have done with grading is improved the professional and business side of the sport. They have helped the clubs think about how to get their grounds up to date to be able to sell advertising, even if that is through leasing the edge of the pitch for a fee to a digital advertising company.
We are starting to see clubs recreate Bull mania at the start of SL. Over the past 15 years we have seen the game day experience disappear back to roll up watch game go home.
Now HKR, WARRINGTON, LEIGH using the game day experience and creating FOMO. Finally Saints had a light and fireworks show, brought out the mini SL TROPHIES and the atmosphere on TV WAS EXCELLENT. This is IMG driving standards, they don’t want to be associated with a Mickey Mouse operation.
The clubs need to support the French teams, bring in LONDON and go to a 14 team closed shop. Then the part timers in the M62 corridor can grow their game on a local level like the NSW & QUEENSLAND CUP completions which took an early hit but now a thriving.
Then grow the uk women’s competition and focus on the 50% of the population to get them in to the grounds.
I was watching Brisbane v wests yesterday and it was packed with kids, 20 somethings (a lot women) and the older supporter seemed to be in the minority. Watch Leigh v Wakefield and the opposite is true.