I notice the line about the drop mainly being due to stadium criteria has now been removed from the club statement.
Having read the grading handbook thats available online from RFL commercial the statement didn't make sense to me. The bit about the size of the stadium compared to the number of fans is called utilisation. It's worth a MAXIMUM of 1 point if you sell out every game. It's cost us less than 1 point as the only way you score zero is if you have 0 fans. Also last year we got no where near selling out the stadium either so the drop is not down to that.
The rest of the stadium score is 1.5 for facilties, now we should be at maximum for that, if we are not it's criminal. This section has some specific bits about press parking and media/photographer facilties. This is basic stuff and the stadium has plenty of room to accomodate so I hope they took note and scored the full 1.5.
Primacy of tenure is worth 0.25, we are the primary tenants and can choose when to play fixtures so score these points for sure.
The last bit is LED advertising boards and big screen. 0.125 points each. Without a tv deal it's just not cost effective as you can't charge enough for advertising and they cost a lot to rent or buy. However the main point here is we didn't have them in place last year either so no difference in the score again.
In summary the total score available for stadium is 3 points. We should have scored 1.75 for facilties and primacy of tenure and then about 0.18/1 for utilisation. Giving a score of around 1.9 Last year we scored 1.9/3 so no change.
Using the grading criteria I've worked out our score and it came out spot on at 8.6. But its not down to the stadium being too big as people thought after the statement was released.
Interesting comments and for me the anger should not be directed at the board.
I don't usually go to events like this but I think I will attend on Monday.
@widiot I can't stand the IMG system, it's ridiculous. However you have to play the game to the rules of the organisation thats set up the system. You can't blame other clubs for playing the game better than us. If we voted against it fair enough. Say we are ignoring it and going our own way. But the club voted for it. It sounds like other clubs have been smarter/more switched on than we have.
We would be best advised to knuckle down and focus on ourselves.
The Board employed Hamilton to deal with our IMG rating, to improve same not worsen it.
He failed miserably, and also failed (unlike Coleman) to gain a rapport with the fans.
We don't know the business relationship Hamilton has with the players and staff - both present and past. How many have stayed because of him, how many have left because of him.
To me, the Board has a relatively simple decision, Hamilton must go. If he won't resign as he failed the basic premise for which he was employed then his contract must be cancelled.
Maybe Coleman knows an astute RL savvy businessman, one who has the best interests of the Widnes Club and it's supporters at heart, one who will play the RFL at it's own game, one who will work with our board, one who wants us to succeed, and if so would he please tell our Board to employ that person and let him - or her - get us out of the mess Hamilton has got us into. Maybe Terry O'Connor knows such a person.
We have a decent stadium; a decent squad of players (OK, a few newcomers are needed); a brilliant set of fans - the best and most loyal in the Championship; an above average Coach; a Board which tries hard (but frankly needs some support and guidance) but is willing to listen - so we ought not to be wallowing towards the bottom of the IMG list.
Sadly I live too far away from Widnes to attend supporters meetings, a pity, the next one needs to be - shall I say - interesting....
When we achieved a licence for SL in 2011, it was because we had people at the helm who were business 'savvy' and boxed the RFL into a corner that they couldn't escape from. Yes, Steve O'Connor. Regardless of how that panned out in 2018, we achieved the '5 ticks', and IIRC, SO'C threatened them that if we didn't get in, he would sue them.
Now then, 2024. Where do we find somebody with that kind of business acumen, that can lock antlers with The RFL/IMG to tick the new criteria off? To fall off a cliff in 12 months is totally unacceptable, what has changed? What has caused the loss of points?
I'm not sure whether there is any communication, on a one-to-one basis between Club and fans, were ideas are put to the Board/CEO, to try and help generate income etc.
Many, myself included, couldn't believe that tickets for the last 2 home games were not sold for 'buttons', just to get bums on the 11,000 empty seats. It's as if we had a 'Nero fiddling, while Rome burned' scenario. Get them in, entertain them, and you never know, they might come back next time.
I'm not sure what the hire cost of the electronic fence advertising is, but fans are saying "what is the point, we're never on the TV." That's quite correct, but every game we play is on Youtube, is that where we missed out on a potential score?
Monday night may be a tad interesting.
Paulie xx