The grading procedures, by which rugby league clubs will be judged and assessed from the end of next season, have been made public.
Clubs will receive an indication at the end of the present season just where they would have stood if grading was brought in for 2024, but it will be a year later before that happens.
Clubs will fall into three grades – A, B and C – and grading points will be based on what they are calling fandom – attendances and a club’s social following and engagements on various social platforms; their stadiums; League performances; finances and their role in the community.
Super League will be guaranteed for those clubs who achieve 15 or more points out of a possible 20. Grade B will be made up of clubs scoring between 7.5 points and 15.
League One clubs will be the ones who are below the 7.5 ceiling and in Grade C.
The 2024 Leagues will still be subject to normal promotion and relegation positions with the grading system in place for 2025.
League performance will carry four points and there are 4.5 points to be had relating to finances. Stadium facilities will be worth 1.5 points; and match attendances 2.5 points.
In future there will be a requirement for Grade A clubs to have a women’s team but much criticism has followed the absence of Academy and junior development from grading criteria.
At the moment Cumbria has two teams in the second tier of the game – the Championship with Barrow and Whitehaven – while Workington are in the third tier of League One.
