Well I see img have now done another amazing deal with the RFL, “statement on their website announced: “Rugby League Commercial (RL Commercial) is set to supercharge its fan engagement through a partnership with Simon Data, a leading Customer Data Platform (CDP) for enterprise marketing teams, and Iterable, an AI-powered customer communication platform, to unlock data driven insights and hyper-personalized communications.

“Facilitated by IMG, the collaboration will enable RL Commercial to engage fans at the right moment across a broad range of use cases, reaching them on the right channel at the right “

Sounds an amazing bit of gobbledygook, I wonder in this partnership who is paying who is paying who ? So far from what I can see img have been paid for the work they’ve done by the RFL and revenue viewing figures etc seem to be reducing - for the 500k or so they’ve paid them I am certain a decent digital marketing and engagement agency would have achieved the same if not more for a significantly lower sum

I bet IMG couldn't believe their luck when they saw the mugs in the RFL coming knocking on their door.

Whether you like it in principle or not, IMG is the best thing that happened to us.

It forced us to focus on stadium and stops others just putting money in to team for one off glory.

Because of the work on the club by previous management and the investment and changes made by Matt and his team we are in the safest position we've ever been.

If we hadn't had to invest in the club we'd have probably scraped into SL again, with no need for Matt to come in and we'd have just been bobbing along the bottom again.

I’ve got mixed feelings about the IMG deal, That statement just released by IMG is full of fancy words and little substance, for all the improvements and money provided by Matt we are still well behind 10 other SL clubs with stadium quality only Cas has worse facilities but they have better attendance than trinity and a couple more SL clubs. At this moment in time I am still not fully confident of being re admitted to SL in 2025 under these new criteria rules.

When the provisional ratings were announced it did not take into consideration the new stand and the additional investment.

Think you are putting 2 and 2 together to make 5 , don’t think img had anything to do with getting the stadium built, I agree that the focus on social media and communication is good but realistically can’t see that they’ve done anything that has generated additional revenue for super league clubs, they’ve undoubtedly taken significant fees for their consultancy. But I can’t point to a single penny that’s gone directly into clubs pockets. From a deal.

As regards where we are if we had scraped up and Matt had spent the salary cap as he’s doing think we’d probably be in an equally good position. Would he have got behind the additional ground improvements - speculation but suspect he would _ some one else commented here - bet img couldn’t believe their luck !

We may be in the safest position that we've been in for many years but, I'd suggest that this is due to having a wealthy new owner and little to do with IMG.
Ofc, it could be that without IMG coming along, we may not have found a new owner and this would make it a fair point.

However, without knowledge of the internal discussions within the game, from the outside, things still dont seem any better.

Despite the positive spin, "Magic" was awful, the international scene for England is still ad-hoc and although we may be well placed to be in SL next season, London being relegated before a ball was kicked, leaves the game looking poor, really poor.

As for "reimagining RL", can anyone see what has changed ?

Are you saying with no IMG, Matt wouldn't have got involved? In simple terms, although the road ahead will be anything but no doubt, hasn't he taken over because he has a passion for the club and wants it to succeed??

Carter said publicly that they knew that they would not be in Super League without the improvements. The RFL had told them they couldn't let it ride once the new rules came in.

I'm saying it was a series of events that brought us to this point.

Who can say what Ellis would or wouldn't have done.
But he's been a supporter since the Barnsley game and only just taken over. So it isn't just passion for the club. It was timing as well.

He did indicate that he did try to become the main shirt sponsor earlier but unfortunately the owners chose another company. We will never know if this was a missed opportunity to bring him into the club especially being a known supporter.

Rubbish, the club were focused on a better stadium for 20years before IMG came along. The stadium as it is now has nothing whatsoever to do with their influence. You have listened to too much Bull from a bloke who cant even use a tape measure

I don't subscribe to the "Emperor's new clothes" analogy.. but equally I accept that just because the cow died during the full moon, then it didn't die because of the full moon.

watching the growth of the game here in Australia ... it is impossible to argue that the emergence of digital technology has not enhanced and enabled a widespread and overpowering saturation of the sport (and all sports) in popular culture. If I were to grade my opinion of the relationship between IMG and Rugby League in the UK I would score around 75% approval, but there's a long way to go yet.

There was (is) so much wrong and such inherent negativity, that it is impossible to change that in just a few seasons.

Yep. I agree.
I'm pro IMG because something drastic needed to take place and setting targets helps clubs achieve those improvements.
But we are a long way away from even the minimum of where we need to be as a sport.

We are lucky to have Ellis at just the right time to reap the rewards of the system.

And where exactly were we in 20 years in getting that stadium. Reality check needed Prince.