London has been dubbed a ‘sleeping giant’ of rugby league by IMG, who say success in the capital is high on their agenda when it comes to transforming the sport’s long-term prospects. The global media company agreed a 12-year deal with rugby league’s powerbrokers in May in an attempt to revolutionise the game on and off the field, with a licensing system set to replace conventional promotion and relegation for Super League by 2025.
IMG’s vice president for sports management, Matt Dwyer, says that capturing the attention of people in London and developing the sport in the city is firmly among their priorities after their research showed it ranks better than traditional rugby league cities in areas such as participation and interest.
