Sheffield Eagles Rugby League have been designated a category B club as part of a major restructuring of English rugby league.
Rugby league’s governing body, the Rugby Football League (RFL), will introduce a host of changes to the structure of the sport in England from the 2025 season, designed to make the sport more sustainable and financially stable.
The Eagles, who finished fourth in the 2023 Championship season, will remain in the second tier of English rugby league under the new changes.
Amongst the most controversial of the changes is the decision to scrap automatic promotion and relegation and introduce a category system. Clubs designated category A status will be assured of a place in Super League, with the remaining spots in English rugby league’s top flight taken by the highest-ranked category B clubs.
Clubs are ranked based on a range of on and off-field factors including the team’s performance, fan engagement, and the sustainability of the club’s finances. The category-based approach is a dynamic system, with clubs set to be ranked annually.
Indicative Club Gradings have been announced pic.twitter.com/1H2jp2gaHi
— Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) October 25, 2023
The RFL said the changes were designed to “incentivise clubs to grow their fanbase and top-line non-centralised revenue, to better engage with fans, to be run in a best-in-class way, to invest in their club and the sport in a sustainable way, and to ensure strong governance”.
An overall score of 8.36 secured Sheffield Eagles a category B ranking, with 15 points required to achieve grade A status. The Eagles are amongst the lowest-ranked of the 17 clubs in category B, with 7.5 points the threshold between category B and category C.
Tony Sutton, the RFL’s Chief Executive, said: “Rugby League embarked on a bold journey with the launch of the strategic partnership with IMG in May 2022, and 18 months into that journey, the publication of these indicative club gradings is a highly significant step.
“The sport has had to examine itself more closely than ever, at all levels – whether in terms of our central governance, or for our clubs in assessing all areas of their off-field performance.
“The results are heartening, as seven of our clubs already reach the A Grade by reaching the score IMG set as the benchmark, and which we believe should be the level clubs need to achieve in order to confirm their place in our elite competition – and another 17 have earned a B Grade and now know exactly what they need to do to reach the higher level.
“Congratulations are due to the A Grade clubs, although I know they will not be resting on their laurels as the key to the grading process is that it is dynamic and requires clubs to maintain standards.
“All clubs also deserve recognition for the positive way in which they have engaged in this process, all with the aim of raising the standards of Rugby League – and of reimagining the sport.”
Image Credit: @SheffieldEagles via X
