Leigh Leopards are delighted to confirm that the Club has retained Grade A status in the RFL and IMG grading process, thus securing our place in Super League for the 2027 season. The Club achieved 16.31 points out of a possible 20 and is ranked sixth overall.
IMG’s grading process evaluates clubs across five main pillars: on-field performance, fandom, community engagement, financial health, and facilities. Achieving a score of 15, based on two years of data, secures Grade A status. The grading score reflects our continued stability in the top echelon of the Super League. Our success is down to all our stakeholders, sponsors, Leigh Sports Village, staff, players, members, and supporters, and would not have been possible without the continued all-round commitment of our owner, Derek Beaumont.
Leigh Leopards remain determined to challenge at the highest level of the sport while maintaining an inclusive and engaging experience for our supporters and the local community. We will continue to work together and strive for excellence in all areas to reinforce our position as a key player in Super League.
Club Owner Derek Beaumont said: “It’s important that we maintain our Grade A status, as not only does it guarantee us a place in Super League, it ensures that we are operating a highly regarded club across all facets.
“I support the overriding objective of the system in driving standards and keeping clubs accountable, but I strongly disagree with some of the specific mechanisms. On the finance pillar, in conjunction with my accountants, we make decisions about converting my investment into sponsorship to give a more accurate reflection of my respective businesses’ balance sheets.
“When doing so, we hadn’t correctly applied a change in rules we should have been aware of, and the reduction to the required £100,000 for 0.25 points wasn’t classed as an increased investment, which it could have been if we had applied it correctly.
“Furthermore, I find it absurd that our attendances are measured by turnstile clicks or scans and not bona fide full ticket sales, which affects our average attendance and utilisation score. When we sell a season-long membership, we cannot be certain which games a member may miss for various reasons and therefore cannot resell a place already paid for. Instead, we are penalized for having a very high proportion of members relative to capacity, which could in some cases make the difference between Grade A and Grade B.
“I hope everyone associated with the club is proud of where we have come in recent times. We will look to continue to drive our events and on-field performances to deliver for our fans and increase our score next year.”
We feel that it is only right, in the interests of transparency, that our stakeholders are aware of the individual pillar scores, and these are detailed in the table below:
