Absolutely bang on and it does look like some of their proposals are "liquid".
The issue that irks most here is that IMG, to justify their "wedge" will have to make changes to the clubs in the top flight as, leaving the same 12 clubs in SL would be a bit pointless.
We then come down to the mechanism used to engineer the change and let's face it, this isn't difficult.
So, who are they wanting to bring into SL and what happens to the clubs that are ejected and to the clubs lower down the league pyramid.
Is there ANY mention of funding, for anyone ?

IMG aren't changing the teams. They are simply setting the criteria.
If let's say Featherstone tick more boxes than us, why shouldn't they get in?
It's up to us to get to that level.....which we are trying to do.

I understand the "idea", they like to use the phrase "re-imagining RL".
Sorry PT but, it's a smoke screen.
Nobody is going to come in and have a "consultation for 2 years and not make some changes.
Having said that, if one club ticks more boxes in a newly defined range of criteria, why the hell are they more deserving, than any other club, of a spot in the top flight.
The sensible way, would be to have some minimum standards and then decide how things go on the field of play, if not, then, what is the point.
Once we go down the box ticking route, pro RL is no longer a sport.

And we will keep coming back to changes in the criteria, either now or in the future and these preferences can be "bought".
A few words in the right ears and suddenly there could be a change, it's fundamentally wrong.

Which other world sports follow this model ?

If Featherstone tick more boxes than we do and get a SL place it rather begs the question of what IMG are actually trying to achieve. As far as IMG are concerned, of the 3 Wakefield clubs it’s probably a toss up between ourselves and Cas - it’s definitely not Featherstone Rovers. Which is why, in my opinion, any system that doesn’t reward lower league teams with promotion is deeply flawed.

If the game needs to grow where are all these players coming from, when there is no reward for player development. Bet Salford are well pleased.

We might be in a different place now not part funding a Academy.

Indeed

Although we look like getting relegated this season (understatement), it's better to be relegated than never to have the (realistic) chance of promotion.
The one thing for sure is that any new "model" will not want Trinity, Cas and Fev in the top flight.
Its much more likely that at some point they will want only one and maybe none of us in there, almost regardless of how well any of us have performed on the pitch.
It's strange that not too many years ago, the structure was changed to allow for promotion and relegation, based on on field performance and now, it looks like, what happens on the filed of play is no longer important and it's all about the number of plastic seats, albeit, that it's wrapped up to sound like something more grand.

This is one of the irony's of the new thing.
The players will still come from the heartlands and down under.

The money spent on the academy per year can fund a broadie croft and tim lafai, of course salford leigh york etc are laughing but rugby league wont be laughing in 10 to 15 years time when there wont be enough good players around cos clubs wont keep doing it,if they do they wont pay the lads(somthing that goes on now at some clubs)so lads has they are will walk away from the game

JM explained that at present, the IMG criteria works on your immediate area. So Wakefield get the Wakefield area, Cas get the area to the Cas boundary and Fev get theirs.
Whether it stays like that remains to be seen, but we are in the best group of the 3. Other criteria obviously goes for and against.

In terms of players....that is why expansionist want a club outside the area, so the young players come from, say, Leicester or Newcastle.

It all seems so OTT to me, what in all this criteria is actually about reimagining the game. With a few exceptions there is nothing really new or inspirational to move the game itself forward.

It's just a mechanism for who can come to the party.

Right load of Bo-----ks.

Exactly my point, it's so short sighted.
Have IMG actually looked at this side of the game, to me its essential and not debatable.

Not sure but i guess there more intrested in how many tweets get put out

Yep and IMG's deal will be expired by then, so why would they care. They'll have had their cash and disappeared into the sunset, which lets be honest, is what they are in it for. After that it ain't their problem anymore.

Just a little side issue.

Last night on coronation street I noticed they were pushing, (can not remember if it was baseball or basketball).

Said to wife, a northern sitcom pushing an American excuse for a sport, that should be Rugby League.

That article states that Cas will vote against it too

Didn't Rita once have a boyfriend who played for Featherstone Rovers?

Think it was because one of the characters (Miley) was brought up in the USA.

Don’t think even IMG have yet expanded RL into the US.

Dougie Ferguson was an ex Trinity player but I don't they ever mentioned the Wakefield part.

What the game needs is not criteria it's characters. Players you want to go and watch. We need a British David Fifita or a New Martin Offia or Bill Ashurst. These are only going to come from getting more youngsters to play the game and letting then express themselves in academies. But these criteria put more emphasis on electronic advertising signs round the ground than academies.

Usually have the headphones on when it's on so don't know the story line, just seemed a bit strange to me.

Or, we already have them and no one knows because we don't get them in front of the camera......which is what IMG are all about.

Tom Lineham is a character, although I'm not sure he's the type they're after.

Nowadays it would probably be Rita herself playing for Featherstone Rovers

Getting into Championship mode already.. That’s good.

That's [ione way[/i of describing him....