IMG promotion result vote determined as decision on gradings system made
Rugby league clubs have ‘overwhelmingly’ voted against a proposal that would allow the return of automatic promotion from the Championship in 2025.
Clubs from across the professional game as well as representatives of the community game met in Salford on Wednesday morning for the sport’s latest Council meeting.
Top of the agenda was a proposal tabled by Batley and Dewsbury asking for a discussion on the prospect of the Championship Grand Final winners being allowed automatic entry into Super League irrespective of their IMG gradings score.
On the basis the winners were a Grade B club, the amendment to the gradings suggested that they should be promoted no matter what happened in the system elsewhere. They would replace the lowest-ranking Grade B club in Super League or, if all 12 clubs were Grade A, the competition would be expanded.
But clubs voted against the proposal – with Love Rugby League being told from people within the meeting that the vote was ‘overwhelmingly’ voted against.
Super League clubs and RL Commercial are concerned about the prospect of growing the competition in terms of numbers while the financial security around the competition remains precarious. Any talks on extending beyond 12 teams are likely to be parked until after the next TV deal is negotiated.
It means that the gradings system will continue largely unchanged into 2025, though there will be some minor tweaks. Love Rugby League detailed those last month; they include a toughening-up of some metrics including digital and social media in order to make thresholds for certain points harder to reach.
But the method for promotion and relegation will, crucially, remain unchanged moving forwards.
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