IF the challenge cup becomes open to satellite broadcasters it actually may kick some life into the comp.

The RFL could no longer ignore the comp as opportunities open up for the RFL.

For example

1 You could easily sell split coverage between terrestrial and satellite and get both to broadcast the final.

2 You could merge the magic weekend and the last 16 of the comp which would free up a weekend and all the magic fixtures could be shown across 2 channels.

This would perhaps be an extra stimulus to the early stages of the cup for a team to make a showpiece event and give the magic games a competitive edge that it lacks.

3 IF you also seed the top 7 in sl and the nl1 champs into the last 16 you can make the draw as soon as the regular season finishes with 8 qualifier balls.

This would further reduce 2 games on players making the playoffs.

I'd be more concerned if it wasn't for the fact that the sponsorship for the CC has been so poor in the last few years. Hardly a sign that being on terrestrial is helping.

However, despite this, it would be sad. RL is only just hanging on to any form of national profile by its fingertips due to the CC being on the BBC. Take it off the BBC and we're a completely satellite game, and will retreat to hardcore 200-300k fans (compare that to the 1m who watched France v Australia mismatch last weekend). It's not like sports editors need any more excuses to give us no coverage.

Also, anyone who thinks the BBC will bid seriously for our game is sadly mistaken. The BBC is the establishment broadcaster and its sports priorities will always be the establishment sports. The beeb has shown plenty of times in the past that it values one viewer of a RU match far more highly than one viewer of a RL match. Which is odd, as it isn't reliant on advertising. But we all know what it's about.

It's not about advertising revenue or even ratings for Sky these days. Adverts during Super League games have become less and less as the years have rolled by.

These days Sky buy new sports rights that'll bring new subscribers in and retain enough to see that current subscribers stay. New subscribers getting Sky HD boxes is key and I don't think the Challenge Cup would bring Sky any extra subscribers as they have Super League anyway so it wouldn't be of any benefit to them what so ever.

An example of this is the National League games. They don't rate that well compared to Super League but if a few NL fans subscribe to watch it's well worth Sky showing the games even though the ratings are low.

People talk about Sky getting the NRL rights. Well they might if no one else bids but if it ends up a bidding war they just won't bother because it won't drag that many new subscribers in.

ESPN maybe but I don't think we televise enough, nor is their enough quality of matches to choose from, to make a pay broadcaster bite. The Cup just isn't a good enough competition these days. NRL + Challenge Cup could be a good package for ESPN but they don't seem that interested in splashing out. They seem happy to have American Sports + Premier League and be happy with that.

And we've only ourselves to blame. I keep saying that taking home internationals off the BBC and putting the games on Sky has damaged our sport a lot. They should have given the whole four nations to the BBC. Imagine if the final was on the BBC this weekend on Saturday Afternoon with the football premiership having a weekend off. I think a lot of pubs would have bitten that despite the Union international on Sky.

The irony of this four nations is the two best games Australia v New Zealand & England v New Zealand have been on Sky. A wasted opportunity because probably only the already preached saw it!

There's been nothing stopping Sky from bidding for the Challenge Cup and that includes showing the final.

Only the final is on the protected list and like the FA Cup Final previously it could be shown on both free and pay TV live.

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/8356391.stm

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/8356391.stm

Bugger.

It will be interesting to hear what the Chairman of Sport England has to say about this, The silence will be deafening.

I was under the impression a few years ago the RFL where after getting the CC removed from the list? was I dreaming it?

I think a few things here, Andy Burnham has a large part to play with the list and he is one of "us" so to speak, I doubt he would allow the removal if it didnt have the blessing of the RFL.

I'm not sure either way, I've no love for the BBC anymore, so i'm not overly fussed about them losing the cup but i'm concerned that say if ESPN got it that it would alienate the tournement.

As has been said, it coming off the list doesn't mean it wont be on the BBC in the future.

I'm not sure what it has to do with him, it's to do with the department of media and sport and the RFL strategy department if there is such a thing, Nigel Wood most likely I guess.

But I bet Lewis is delighted that Wimbledon is on the retained list.

Well if thats what Wimbledon want then so be it.

these things aren't just thrown together, they do involve the sport governing bodies too you know

does it really matter?



if removing it from the FTA list means a bidding war between the bbc & sky for the challenge cup then good! i don't see what the problem is?

sky would love it,and they'll probably show games from round 1 or 2 if it was attractive enough

and the BBC would probably pay that bit extra to keep it given the historical ties between the BBC & challenge cup..


crack on i say

If Sky get it , prepare to lose live Saturday and Sunday afternoon games as we have now on the BBC.

The early rounds of the Cup fall slap bang in the middle of the football and rugby union seasons. No chance whatsoever of those getting shunted to fit in Rochdale v Halifax in Round 2 of the Challenge Cup.

Expect to see maybe one live game on a Friday night and the other on either Thursday or Sunday nights IMO.

Since when did the BBC cover a game before the quarter finals?