CLUB STATEMENT: 2025 IMG RANKINGS UPDATE
Managing Director Eorl Crabtree reflects on IMG grading
Speaking with CanesTV after Thursday and Friday’s announcement in respect of the 2025 IMG rankings, Managing Director Eorl Crabtree had this to say:
“Midlands Hurricanes acknowledge the latest IMG grading announcement, which confirms the club as a Grade C organisation. This provides a clear benchmark as we continue to execute our long-term strategy to establish a sustainable, high-performing professional rugby league club in the Midlands.
Notwithstanding our disappointment that the club’s score actually dropped, we understand the reasons behind this and are encouraged by the progress already being made to address that reality. We can confirm that further strategic initiatives are already underway which will see our IMG score increase in 2026. The club is already close to exceeding several key threshold categories, and we expect to make further measurable gains in the next assessment cycle.
It is important for our fans to understand that the IMG rating represents only one aspect of the standards we hold ourselves to. Our wider focus remains on delivering a sustainable, commercially resilient organisation, underpinned by strong community delivery, long-term infrastructure development and competitive on-field performance.
We would like to congratulate the three clubs who have earned promotion to Super League, which is a positive reflection of the sport’s continued growth and ambition.
Our attention now turns to a pivotal year ahead in the Championship, as the club continues to build both its performance pathway and organisational strength.”
To assist with fans understanding, the club would like to briefly explain the reasons behind its IMG score and why the club is not concerned by its current position.
At the end of the 2024 season, Midlands Hurricanes secured a score of 5.66 (Grade C) that saw the club sit 30th out of 36 clubs. However, the club recognised that Batley Bulldogs and Whitehaven RLFC scored nil due to missing filing deadlines and that both clubs would have beaten the club’s score, so the Canes were 32nd in reality. This year, the club has scored 4.89 (Grade C) which sees the club ranked 32nd out of 35 clubs following Cornwall’s membership being terminated earlier this year. Newcastle Thunder and Keighley Cougars both scored nil this year due to missing filing deadlines, and with the Canes certain that it would be ranked above Thunder and below Keighley, this would lead to a realistic 33rd placement (ahead of North Wales and Newcastle).
Whilst the club’s performance score improved this year as a result of 2022’s 8th place finish being replaced by this year’s 5th place finish, the club’s financial and fandom scores both dropped and this more than cancelled our score improvements carried by events on the field. The club’s stadium and community scores remained largely unchanged.
Whilst on its face this is of course disappointing, it is important for fans to understand the context behind those facts:
on finance, this was largely due to reduction in the number of kit sponsors in 2025 compared to the 2024 season. The club has already remedied this issue and are excited to announce a number of new kit and training wear sponsors (in addition to retaining our existing ones) over the coming weeks, which will see the club bring in a record amount of sponsorship. The club is also taking further steps to secure additional revenue across the 2026 season; and
on fandom, this was entirely down to the grading thresholds for engagements (i.e. on social media) being shifted sharply upwards, which resulted in a number of clubs’ scores dropping. The club’s engagements actually rose sharply (by c. 83%) in the last 12 months due to improvements in our social media offering and - under the old thresholds - this would likely have resulted in our IMG score increasing. Despite this, the club was very close to meeting a number of the revised engagement thresholds (such as being c. 3,000 followers away from an improved score) and expect to cross these by the end of the 2026 season, especially with the club relaunching its Tiktok account after a hiatus this season.
Looking to 2026, the club’s focus will be on improving its performance score by aiming to achieve a strong league position following the conclusion of our maiden Championship campaign, as well as significantly improving our community score with some exciting developments regarding how the club intends to lay down roots with local stakeholders and engage with schools in and around The Alexander Stadium. As our Managing Director has laid out, this will stand us in good stead with IMG but most importantly will put us on the path to achieving our ultimate aim of building a sustainable rugby league club in a non-traditional area.
#JOINTHESTORM