Super League Chairman says club are “behind the eight ball” because of this IMG area of focus

Clubs are currently trying to digest what IMG’s grading criteria means for them.

But one Chairman has said that one area of the criteria has left them “behind the eight ball.”

This is Wakefield Trinity Chairman John Minards who spoke about the clubs struggles financially, which is why CEO Michael Carter has confirmed he will be leaving at some stage in 2o23.

As he spoke about this, Minards noted that the club needs bigger crowds and IMG’s focus on this area in their criteria leaves them “behind the eight ball.”

“Central distribution has fallen for every club since 2019. We have £500,000 less this year in 2023 than in 2019 coming from central distribution largely from the reduction in the broadcast deal.

“That is a hard fact and that is hard cash that we used to have and we don’t have.

“The salary cap is £2.1 million which we don’t quite spend, when it comes to sponsors we do really there and we have great supporters and all of them stuck with us through the pandemic and they didn’t ask for their money back.

“Our crowds are roughly half of any of our closest crowds. That’s not enough. Why is it?

“A winning team makes a difference, facilities too.

“Even if we sell it out, it is not enough and that is something that IMG will focus on so we’re behind the eight ball.”

He also defended the decision to invest in the stadium rather than the squad:

“When I came on board it was on the basis that I could see the single thing we needed to do to sustain our Super League status was to redevelop the stadium because we were at that stage falling below minimum standards required in Super League.

“We were given dispensation but we were given a very clear message that that would not go on forever.

“If we continued with those facilities and showed no signs of changing we wouldn’t be in Super League.

“I came in because I felt I could help the negotiations around this stand.”