I agree with that actually.

The Stobart deal is a case in point
I actually have no problem with them receiving no net income from any such deal - if the publicity was worth it, which the Stobart deal certainly wasnt.

I'd like to know if they even approached any blue chip organisations with a similar proposition - no money takes hands, just one organisation with a big cache is branded as "Official Sponsor of SL" - say Land Rover, Apple, Coke etc.

Also WHY dont RL get brewers sponsoring sports any more?

The current domestic tv deal works out at £27m per year, whereas the new union one works out at £38m per year. It's a little larger difference than I first thought as I'd mistakenly thought our deal was for 4 years but it's actually 5 as you say, but it's not a huge difference I don't think, and shows we aren't getting screwed by Sky or are totally incompetent at negotiating these deals which some people would have you believe.

Like I said in my previous post, it's business sponsorship and partnerships where we struggle IMO.

Yep, like you say the publicity is probably worth more than the £1m we'd get for a title sponsor, as long as its with the right company in the right manner.

I suspect BT will get their fingers burned with this deal - haven't RU bounced between Sky and ESPN in the past? Sky are the major players and I would have thought the benefits in terms of exposure and viewing figures (even though obviously less than live terrestrial) of being on Sky would be a clinching factor if they were in anywhere near the same ballpark. Domestic club RU doesn't get the ratings and it's hard to see how this will pay off - but the people running BT might have some misconceptions about the popularity of the sport....

But I'm sure on the business plan they can make it stack up

Let's do the MATH. Union's Premiership: £152m over 4 years (£38m per year). 12 clubs. = a share of £3.16m per club per season. League's Superleague: £95m over 5 years (£19m per year). 14 clubs. = a share of £1.35m per club per season. WOW. SL deal source: www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/ju ... gue-rights I can't find anything quoting £135m?

Let's do the MATH. Union's Premiership: £152m over 4 years (£38m per year). 12 clubs. = a share of £3.16m per club per season. League's Superleague: £95m over 5 years (£19m per year). 14 clubs. = a share of £1.35m per club per season. WOW. SL deal source: www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/ju ... gue-rights I can't find anything quoting £135m?

IMG negotiate the sale of our broadcasting rights, another thing the RFL get the blame for which isnt down to them

Shows what a proper governing body can achieve. Give it 20 years and Premiership Union will absolutely dwarf Super League.

Him, I think your maths is off. The SL deal is £95m over 5 years. £19m per season. Union deal is £152m over 4 years, which is £38m per season. So by my maths they are receiving £19m more per season.

Union's domestic competition sponsorship deal is £20m over 4 years, Super League's is £0m over 0 years.

So that's £24m PER SEASON more money for the Union competition. And that is without throwing in the 5m euros per season for the last 20 years that Union has received for the Heineken Cup or the handouts from the cashcow that is Twickenham.

Who appointed IMG to do it? It's clearly the RFL's fault.

Yeah, who would use IMG to sell broadcast rights? nobody even knows who they are in the media industry. You wouldn’t catch the NFL, Australian Open, R&A, IRB et al working with them. Damn Fools.

Yep the £135m figure is in the Watkins Review and includes Challenge Cup but doesnt include internationals. Like Smokey says the new Union deal includes Heineken Cup games after the first year.

Also the RL broadcasting deal is split into 16ths.
Each SL club gets a share, the RFL gets a share and the remaining share is given to the Championships.
So:
£135m over 5 years = £27m per year
£27m divide by 16 = £1.69m

So each SL club gets £1.69m, the RFL gets £1.69m and the Championships get £1.69m. Plus IIRC any title sponsor and international broadcasting revenue will be split the same way.

The more I see the more I am thinking BT is going to go the way of ITV Digital and its digital broadcasting rights for the soccer...

FiveLive are reporting that a one off subscription to BT Vision is required then all the matches will be available on Sky, VirginMedia and possibly Freeview.