I seem to recall seeing Saints win at Leeds earlier this year. That wasn't the quarter-final, was it?

About the same time as fans stopped bothering about the competition before the quarter finals probably.

Don't the BBC pick up coverage from the last 16?

Well they have for as long as I can remember. At least 10 years.

I think it's a disappointing development for the game and whatever extra Sky bid will only be short term gain for long term pain.

For those of us who live outside the heartlands/north of England then the Challenge Cup games were about the only exposure you ever get of RL down here other than brief mentions hidden away several pages inside the newspapers. I think watching the BBC coverage was a large part of actually learning to love the game for me, and I've no do doubt that I wouldn't have gone out of my way to purchase a Sky subscription without having been fed the BBC diet first.

Imo, free, easy access viewing is a must if the RFL have any serious thoughts of expansion to areas where coverage of the game is already minimal at best. To think that this will start a bidding war is crazy. The BBC only really care about Football, Wimbledon and to a lesser extent Union, they won't go out of their way to keep it and Sky will be happy to bid just above what they're prepared to.

Don't think that will be the case at all. For a start, the BBC start at the 4th Round, and that is AFTER the start of the SL season, so Sky will obviously be able to find time to fit them in if they want. Not to mention they've managed to fit in Championship coverage.

If anything, I'd imagine they'd just keep the usual slots of Friday night and Saturday evening for the cup games (not really a problem) and possibly even a Thursday game to make up for the lack of a Championship game.

Plus, if that's a problem, surely the RFL will have some bartering power here and could request afternoon games if it was that much of an issue to them?

Sadfish is right, there where muttering's several years back about being part of the "crown jewels."
Rugby League has a huge support inside Parliament, for the life of me I cant see how the CC has been removed from the list, unless the RFL wanted it that way.

Given we've just taken a huge step forward in finally getting an international back live on the BBC, I couldn't agree more.

all its about is certain people not wanting to give a minority sport (as they see it) air time. but boost the level at which rugby union is given.

just because its not on the "list" doesnt mean that it wont be on FTA.

The RFL are now free to choose which platform it is broadcast on, if SKY want to pay silly money for it then great. I suspect that SKY will bid something, as will the BBC - who need to keep some sport on their channels.

I've not seen any media reports discuss the reasons why the CCF is coming off the list. They just mention that it and the Derby are getting the chop and move on.

I'm guessing the RFL is happy with this but doesn't want to be seen to be happy with it. Have any journalists asked them for a comment?

its funny how other sports are upset that they are being put onto the list, while RL fans are complaining that we are not on the list.

any excuse for a whinge.

Best are the ones complaining that the Six Nations (an international competition) is on the list thereby depriving the competing nations the right to sell it to the highest bidder, while our domestic Cup competition isn't, thereby allowing it to sell itself to the highest bidder.

Personally, I prefer the [iLondon Evening Standards[/i's take on the story:


It's all about Brown personally taking the cricket Ashes off Sky as a personal revenge against Murdoch for turning against him. Straight up, guv!

Has no interest for me.
An inevitable home landslide victory against an amateur club then an inevitable landslide crushing by Super League club either home or away. Thats all it means to myself and lots of other lower league clubs these days.
Long gone are the days when you could draw a 'big' club at home and have reason to be optimistic of a romantic, shock victory.
That was 80% of the fun with the Challenge Cup.