Which then makes me wonder how/when? this will be monetised as there is an outlay by propersport (less from the Bulls) and what we're getting at the moment is more of a proof of concept sort of thing which will have evidence of viewing figures when the time comes to start selling advertising.

^This. Good on them for trying something different but can't see much of a long-term future in the live streaming in its present form (speaking as someone who can't get to matches, I don't even bother now as the quality issues don't make it worthwhile). Just keep the after match video interviews.

As Nothus rightly said though, the quality would need to improve before they could start asking people to pay for it. They'd be inundated with complaints if you were paying for the current service. As a freebie, we can't really moan about it, we can just choose whether it's worth watching or not.

I have thought the exact same thing though. There seems to be a big thing being made by people involved to get the viewing figures out there (although I do think they're purposely trying to quote the higher figures rather than things like unique visitors, but hey, they're marketing) and I fully believe that's so they can try and sell it to sponsors and potential future customers.

One thing we've overlooked in all this, what's the quality of Workington's Tea Lady's brew?

They do but only after agreeing it with Sky and (presumably) paying them for the broadcasting rights.
I'm just assuming we don't have the financial clout to do that, and that we won't have had to pay anyone this season because nobody owns the league 1 rights.

Spot on. I don't think anyone would seriously choose to watch the stream on a tablet over going to the game. They wouldn't be going to the game anyway. Like BullyBoxer who was never going to the York game, but watched the stream which then convinced him to go to Keighley. Without the stream, he probably would have done something else with the family thaT day, and started to lose interest and another fan lost to the sport.

Most people are fans of the sport not hardcore supporers like most on here who turn up no matter what. People need a reason to go and i think the sport as a whole isn't getting it. If not they quickly find something else to do. Going to games befomes a habit.

To follow up on BullyBoxer as an example, my mum used to go to every home and away game until about 12 years ago, then stopped going and found something else to do on her Sundays and cancelled her sports subscriptionl as she found SL utterly boring. So she had nothing to convince her to go again. She's been watching, and really enjoying the streams and has probably rekindled the love for the Bulls again and says she might go to a game. Its because she's becoming interested in us again.

2 examples doesn't make it a success, but our attendances are going upwards and beating some SL teams.

I do take some of these points on board, although I do think a few are missing the point that the product is free online so I don’t see how letting people have a product for free is benefitting the club financially. Maybe I’m too cynical and underestimating how generous fans are at handing over cash (We’ve been handing it over in bucket loads the past few years ha)

Some fans may be encouraged to attend the odd game they had no intention on attending however this is probably balanced out by the fans who don’t travel hours to west wales/skolars/Cumbria and pay to watch a game when it’s free online.

I can’t comment on the quality as I haven’t watched a stream but I can imagine it doesn’t live up to being in the stadium but then again it’s free and stadium entry isn’t. Some will always take the free or cheaper option no matter what the situation is or how much better the prices, live product is.

That is one way of looking at it but in my opinion, york have lost out as instead of seeing the score and thinking I wish I had been there I will go next week he got to view the game and didn’t miss out. Difference being I spent cash for that experience, although my experience was obviously much better.

Everyone has reasons they can’t attend and most on here will go to more games than they miss but if the casual fan is giving freebies when do you cut them off and expect them to pay?

The biggest companies in the world only hand out samples then expect you to part with some cash. As others have said maybe that’s next years plan after we have the streamers hooked at which point I will very happily be wrong when I’m struggling for my place on the packed terraces once again

We used to pay for the later viewings on Bulls TV a few owners back, so it wouldn't be anything new. That said, I'd expect live coverage (with much better quality and reliability than we have currently) to cost a fair bit more and, of course we'd need to give some incentive to away clubs to allow coverage. Without knowing the costs involved I'm far from sure how much it would cost to make it viable. Maybe some of the costs would be covered by sponsorship/advertising

As for Sky owning rights to Championship games, they seem to show little interest (ie none) in showing any games outside the bash, which I don't think is taking place this season anyway. I actually thought that our division's TV rights were bundled along with the Championship, to be honest - they may as well have been as Sky have no interest in showing anything outside SL and middle eight games. With Toronto in the Championship and Catalans in SL both having separate deals in place (though Sky seem hand in glove with the French station) it would seem that outside deals are possible, though maybe they'd be somewhat less keen on English clubs doing deals?

Unfortunately for the Cougars it took about 2000 of their expected attendance if we are to believe there are 4000 regular fans at Odsal

Seriously? Keighley expected every single Bulls supporter to show up at Keighley?

Well if you only have 50% going to an away game that is hardly support. and to answer your question , no I don't because they had a free stream to watch !!!!. And before you start I have also supported Bradford for over 40 years. Maybe it was too far to travel or the fact you would have to pay too

I stopped reading at that point as you are obviously trolling

Since being relegated from SL, we've never had more than a minibus load of away fans at games (excepting Leigh and to a lesser extent Halifax). Even when you watch SL on Sky, there are often barely any away fans at games these days. There was a photo posted of the away end when Huddersfield went to Wigan the other week - less than 100 people in there!

Anyway, given that Keighley averaged 786 in 2017, I'm looking forward to seeing around 400 Keighley fans at Odsal later this season, lol. It's more likely to be a tenth of that number!

On the contrary I think it's very good support - how many clubs in this country can claim that half their home support goes to their away games?

Obviously you didn't read on. I am a Bradford fan. perhaps there will be no Cougar fans there at Odsal if they are allowed to live stream it. It is very good away fan support, there is no denying that. There will be at least 3 Cougar/Bull fans for Cougars match at Odsal