RFL release details of IMG grading application process
THE IMG grading table, which will determine the clubs that play in
Super League next season, will be announced on October 23.
The RFL has outlined the timeline by which the process of scoring each club will be achieved while also explaining the processes in place to ensure the data provided and the scores of each club will be correct.
RFL CEO Tony Sutton reiterated IMG is still committed to only having 12 teams in Super League next year, despite an anticipated increase in scores submitted across teams chasing a place next year.
The final standings will not be published until 11 days after the Super League Grand Final on October 12.
That’s because the Championship Grand Final does not take place until a week later, and so the final performance scorings cannot be totalled up as the winning team will receive bonus points as per the grading criteria.
Data will need to be submitted between September 2 and September 30, with the date changing depending on which division they play in. Each club will need to submit all their data by the regular conclusion of their respective league season.
Each club will then be involved in a moderation discussion regarding their score to ensure the governing body and the clubs are in agreement. If they are not, the moderation will be used to determine if the score needs to be amended or whether the score that has been provided is correct. It’s a new installment in the process after the case of Castleford Tigers, who disputed their score and missed out on a top 12 position in the rankings.
Sutton also confirmed the RFL is out to tender for an assurance provider, otherwise known as an auditor, to add a further line of verification to the scores and submissions from the governing body and clubs.
One important area is attendance. Clubs are known to distribute crowd figures including non-attending season ticket holders but Sutton revealed the figures used in submissions would be based on real figures.
“We have, as a background position, a significant amount of data over a long period about club’s attendances as clubs have submitted attendances to us for a long time,” he said. “So in the first instance, we have a layer of consistency and can identify exceptions from that. Secondly, all clubs have signed to say what they submit is correct.
“Thirdly, clubs have to submit ground safety officer reports where the attendance is verified by the independent ground safety officer, and they’re also required to submit audit evidence for what is submitted.
“So to put that into a little bit of context, from my time at Hull there is a computer control room where they receive independently verified attendance reports of those in the ground. That level of audit evidence is required across all data submission.
“The requirement is actual attendees within the ground. What clubs submit for media purposes is up to them but the ground safety officer report is required to be those actually in attendance. We have mediaprovided figures but because we have ground safety officer reports over a number of years we effectively have both layers of attendance.”
On the prospect of Super League being larger than 12, Sutton added: “Next year, we’re committed to 12. The position from IMG previously, which we’ve been consistent with, is that there’s a future aspiration to potentially grow the Super League when conditions allow or when there are more than 12 Grade A clubs.”