One game a week on the BBC and the rest shoved away on Premier Sports with it's 7 subscribers. No doubt BBC's highlights programme will be at 01:15 on a Monday morning on the red button too.

If games are too easy to watch on the sofa, fewer fans attend games...

Isn't it possible that sky may have gave the RFL no choice but to go to premier. Considering how sky passed in the 4 nations last year I think they made it clear they only want deals that involve the big international matches.

They could have said they were not interested in the minor games so the RFL were left with premier sports. The chances of premier paying big money for this are very slim..

It all depends how much money they have got for the coverage. If it's nothing, then it's not that great a deal. League, whilst it might get okay viewing figures on the BBC, is never going to be one of those sports that gets mass media support so the tournament will never gain the traction and hype it needs to in order to leave a positive legacy.

I think at this stage holding a tournament that doesn't have completely embarrassing attendances (Doubt we'll achieve that) and doesn't bankrupt the RFL is probably the best they can hope for.

Exactly, if every game was on freeview people would be hyperventilating about empty stadiums. Can't win!

Does it worry anyone that Sky weren't interested? Hopefully it doesn't indicate their interest in League is not what it once was.

Its not a bad move, although its a shame some of the other group game won't be on Sky but at least they'll be showing highlights on the beeb.

Good news about the 4Ns as well.

Plus we'll have Dave Woods, Balding, Millward and Noble instead of Eddie and Stevo, although I hope they keep Ray French away from the comentary box.

I'm convinced Sky will have wanted the deal. Too bad...

How do you know they weren't?

Do you honestly believe it will make that much difference? For example when Scotland are playing do you think spectators who don't normally watch league who may think 'ooh I quite fancy seeing how scotland get on' after finding out it's not available to watch without paying a subscription, will suddenly decide to attend the match?

Sky will always be interested in super league. Its a good product for them!

Last years 4 Nations showed that they are not interested in the smaller international games though.

I wonder if BT vision showed any interest or was premier the only option after BBC got the big games package.

Personally im really happy. If any non RL fans were going to watch a match to see what its like it would be England they would want to watch. England on BBC rest on premier sports.

Premier sports btw i see as great value. £9.99 a month all the NRL, SoO and world cup.

Cant knock it as a RL fan.

I'm sure BT were in the run-in. It was rumoured at one point they were favourires for the rights.

Having all the England games live on Free to Air was the absolute key in any deal for RLWC 2013.

The rest is just window dressing.

If folk want to watch the minor nations then they'll do so, whether it's on Sky, BBC or Premier. No channel is going to pick up massive viewer numbers for Scotland v Tonga or France v Samoa, hence no bidder is likely to have offered a sizeable amount of money for the rights to them.