Mike Eccles: London Broncos enduring 'bittersweet' day as hunt for investment continues to avoid 'catastrophic' loss to sport

rugby-league Wednesday 23 October 2024 18:41, UK

London Broncos' director of rugby Mike Eccles admits it is a "bittersweet" day as their move back down to the Championship is confirmed but they jump from 24th to 14th in the IMG gradings.

London Broncos, despite dropping down a league into the Championship, made the biggest improvement from their illustrative grading from 2024 to their current grading in 2025 which is a positive step forward for the club.

They have risen massively from 8.07 points to 12.65 points, putting them the second highest-ranked club in the Championship.

Back in 2024, the Broncos went on a run from fifth in the Championship and they shocked the rugby league world by beating Toulouse Olympique 18-14 to regain a place in Super League, finishing bottom in the top ranks in 2024 but taking some big scalps along the way.

They finished on the same points as Hull FC come the end of the regular season but their points difference put them 12th. On the old system of relegation, they would also be moving down a league due to finishing last.

Despite having to move back to the Championship, Eccles believes that there are positives to now work from and a "great platform" from which to get the club quickly back into the top ranks.

"We were prepared for the news. We knew we were relegated effectively before the season started," Eccles told Sky Sports News.

"We have been preparing for this moment while making massive strides on and off the field. Bittersweet day but at the same time we have got a fantastic rating, we have improved better than any other club in all areas, and from being ranked 24th, we are now in 14th place.

"So lots of positives to go after there.

"We feel it gives us a great platform. There is the here and now which is quite difficult at the minute financially but at the same time, it is a massive opportunity for somebody to come in and take the club back to Super League.

"On-field is only 25% of your rating, but in fandom we have probably improved 200 per cent in terms of our crowds. Then our business model, our strategy around community engagement has improved across all areas.

"We felt that we had improved internally and then that has been confirmed with the ratings."

Not only are the Broncos navigating a return to the Championship for 2025, the club are now on a hunt to ensure they have enough investment to continue to rent their stadium and also pay players who are now back on part-time contracts - only three players are currently contracted for the upcoming season with the majority of their 2024 squad heading to other Super League clubs.

This is due to the fact that their long-term owner David Hughes is leaving the club after 27 years of investment and the London Broncos Supporters Association have even set up a Crowdfunder to try and get donations to help gain some more certainty around their future.

The Broncos believe that they need £900,000 to compete in 2025, £350,000 of that by Christmas to ensure they can bring new players into the club, and it is vital that they survive, as a loss of rugby league in the capital is "catastrophic" for the sport.

"We are in a difficult situation. There are two things going on at the minute," Eccles said.

"Our long-standing owner has withdrawn his money and is looking to sell the club immediately so we are looking for investment.

"At the same time, we feel we can put a team together for 2025 and make the field and be competitive.

"As custodians of the club, we feel that it is important that we don't take a step back and we lead the club in the best possible way for investment to come in and take it on.

"So, we are looking to stay at Wimbledon which is our current home, we are looking to compete as competitively as we can, and keep moving forward in terms of the ratings system.

"If we step back now, we feel it would be catastrophic for London Broncos and London rugby league.

"Our job now is to put a team together, generate as much money as we can, be self-sufficient, while looking for investment along the way.

"I maintain that we have got the biggest ceiling.

"We have always said Super League needs London. A strong London Broncos could soon be mixing it with the big boys in my opinion."

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