Ranking every Super League club’s IMG attendance score with eight sides claiming maximum points
Clockwise from top left: Leeds Rhinos fans at Headingley, St Helens fans at the Totally Wicked Stadium, Warrington Wolves fans at The Halliwell Jones Stadium and Wigan Warriors fans at The Brick Community Stadium in 2024
We’re under 48 hours away from IMG’s gradings being released and discovering who will play in which league come 2025.
2.50 of the total 20 points available to each club from the game’s new decision makers come through attendances, awarded based upon an average over the last three seasons as follows.
- Up to 1,500 – 0.75 IMG points
- 1,501 – 3,000 – 1.50 IMG points
- 3,001 – 7,500 – 2.00 IMG points
- 7,501 or higher – 2.50 IMG points
So, over the course of the 2022, 2023 and 2024 campaigns combined, clubs need to have averaged crowds of 7,501 or higher to earn the maximum of 2.50 IMG points.
Below, we take a look at how many of those 2.50 IMG points each expected Super League club will earn, so included in that is Wakefield Trinity – the side expected to be officially promoted come Wednesday morning.
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How many IMG points every Super League club’s average attendance will earn them
It’s worth noting that the below are all expectations and NOT official scores. That’s because IMG‘s version of club’s attendances could be different to the one we – and you all – understand.
IMG take attendances based upon the number of fans who actually attend a game. Often, clubs will publish attendance figures which include season ticket holders and matchday ticket holders even if they don’t actually attend the game.
Realistically, there shouldn’t be that much variation, but there could be a bit.
The other thing to note is that average attendance only takes regular season home games into contention. Play-off matches, cup games and everything else in-between do not count.
Without further ado, here is how (we think) the points will be allocated…
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0.75 IMG Points
None
1.50 IMG points
None
2.00 IMG points
Four clubs are expected to receive 2.00 points from IMG for their attendances, and that includes Leigh Leopards and Wakefield.
For Leigh, it’s the 2022 season which has hampered them – with their average attendances over the last two years more than double the one from that year.
Then under the ‘Centurions’ tagline, Leigh spent 2022 in the Championship. Come the end of 2025, you’d expect them to be comfortably above the 7,500-mark over the previous three seasons and then duly they’ll receive 2.50 points from IMG.
Wakefield still have work to do if they’re to move anywhere near the 7,500 average mark. They averaged 5,268 in the Championship this year, thought that’s actually their highest average over the last three years!
Listed from highest average over the last three seasons to lowest…
Leigh Leopards – 6,221
2022 average: 3,018
2023 average: 7,254
2024 average: 8,391
Total: 18,663
Huddersfield Giants – 4,975
2022 average: 5,144
2023 average: 5,247
2024 average: 4,532
Total: 14,923
Salford Red Devils – 4,822
2022 average: 4,529
2023 average: 5,291
2024 average: 4,646
Total: 14,466
Wakefield Trinity – 4,734
2022 average: 4,613
2023 average: 4,319
2024 average: 5,268
Total: 14,200
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2.50 IMG points
Eight of the 12 clubs set to be in the top-flight next season take home maximum points from IMG where attendance is concerned.
There are four clubs whose average over the last three seasons sits in five figures, and they’re pretty comfortably over the 7,500 mark.
The only club who, realistically, are close to the bone in terms of the additional 0.5 IMG points you receive for getting above 7,500 are Castleford Tigers.
They are just 57 spectators above that required figure, and will need a minimum average of 7,373 fans at The Jungle in 2025 to retain their spot at the top table of attendances heading into 2026 providing the guidelines remain the same.
Listed from highest average over the last three seasons to lowest…
Leeds Rhinos – 13,594
2022 average: 12,940
2023 average: 13,805
2024 average: 14,035
Total: 40,780
Wigan Warriors – 13,561
2022 average: 12,278
2023 average: 13,494
2024 average: 14,910
Total: 40,682
St Helens – 12,551
2022 average: 11,851
2023 average: 12,695
2024 average: 13,105
Total: 37,651
Hull FC – 11,365
2022 average: 10,763
2023 average: 12,355
2024 average: 10,975
Total: 34,093
Warrington Wolves – 9,893
2022 average: 8,719
2023 average: 10,894
2024 average: 10,065
Total: 29,678
Hull KR – 8,814
2022 average: 7,788
2023 average: 8,770
2024 average: 9,883
Total: 26,441
Catalans Dragons – 8,785
2022 average: 8,068
2023 average: 9,123
2024 average: 9,162
Total: 26,353
Castleford Tigers – 7,557
2022 average: 7,542
2023 average: 7,186
2024 average: 7,941
Total: 22,669
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