So, Sky are paying £200 million for almost "everything"... Super League, Championship, WCC, Challenge Cup, internationals from 2017 to 2021... apart from the 2017 RLWC which the BBC has rights to... and the RLWC 2021 (though Sky have all rights to England games up to and including 2021).

Therefore, RL is currently worth £200 million in TV rights from 2017 to 2021 plus whatever the BBC are stumping up for the 2017 RLWC. This deal does not take into account it's value in real terms in 2021. Assuming an average inflation rate of just 3% each year, that £200 million will be worth £162 million or just £32 million per year by 2021.

Apart from the £152 million for the Aviva Premiership rights, what is the rest of the TV rights in Union worth? The Six Nations? The Rugby World Cup ? All the other RU cup competitions broadcast on BBC, ITV, Sky, BT Sport and ITV combined?

So ... This is happening again. Some points:

The ru deal also includes "whatever European completion English domestic leagues are competing in" (or words to that affect, I can't be bothered to find the full link and quote) - this can be roughly comparable to the challenge cup part of the sky deal.

The challenge cup final is protected for fta tv - so sky haven't got the final as part of the deal (bbc can choose not to show it if they so wish but that's their business)

Il/ Nigel is the most despicable human being on the planet single handed lay trying to ruin our sacred sport (depending on which side of the fence you're on)

I still don't care about rugby union comparisons, the tv deal is the best one yet for rugby league, so let's stop worrying about everyone else and just concentrate on us!

Edit: I couldn't read.

Do you envisage the BBC broadcasting the CC Final given that Sky will own the rights to all the other rounds and the televising of 11 games? (it's reasonable to assume one of those is the Final itself).


Judging by the RFL's press release today, they clearly do care about comparisons with Rugby Union... particularly when it is expedient to do so..

A) target inflation is 2% - a 3% inflation rate would cause all kinds of chaos beyond our sport!

B) your using inflation as a single solaritary calculation, where as inflationary calculations need to be done using compound interest - it's not as simple as doing 200,000,000x0.97 - a slightly closer figure is 5x(40,000,000x0.97) = 194,000,000 ... Nothing like economics hey!

C) yes the ruff have a much stronger international scene, which also generates a big financial gain for them, no one disputes that, but the domestic competition, which we are comparing, we have gotten a (slightly) better deal.

That's right, the same as now but with a few mickey mouse cup games before the final goes out on the BBC.
Do we actually know if the BBC have lost all rights the CC rounds or could they still show 1 game per round?



Why mention the RU world cup when you've previously stated the RLWC is on BBC?

"Target inflation is currently 2%"

And that was a party political broadcast on behalf of the Conservative Party and Lib Dem Party coalition

It's currently 2014 not 2017.

What will £40 million a season at today's prices be worth in the year 2021 again?

The 6 nations isn’t sold by premier rugby either, its sold by a completely different company based in Dublin, which also sells the lions tour (who also sold for 2017 to Sky, at exactly the same time as the RFL deal, But surely they would have run around to BT and BBC and got other prices, they would never sell so early on, not in this market no sir), friendlies are sold by the RFU and the RUWC by the IRB.

Fantastic news.

You are aware that the rate of inflation was above 3% throughout 2010 and 2011 and right up until April 2012 despite healthier forecasts beforehand?

Your slavish acceptance of what the former Governor of the Bank of Canada might forecast is duly noted.

So are we all agreed that comparing the practically all-inclusive 5 year £200 million Sky deal from 2017 to 2021 with only the £152 million 4 year Aviva Premiership deal and then claiming victory over the other code is tantamount to the existence of an extremely insecure agenda?

You are aware that the economic situations of 2010 and 2011 are different to those currently in place? And even during depression we didn't see hyper inflationary rates like those in the 70s?

It's called forward guidance - and is a strong economic tool applied by the Bank of England. Whilst figures are generally off (though not as much as the Americans, there last 3 nfp estimates have been hilariously off) they show the picture of what is expected to happen (hence the name). Unless you're saying you know the British economy better than some of the best bankers in the country?

Of course, none of this makes them conservative like you originally claimed.

Let me paint a hypothetical picture. Suppose for a second, in the next two years, America defaults on its debt (which at the moment seems somewhat likely) - the mass economic effect of that is hard to imagine, but suppose the effect is to drag down the value of oil and gas, which in turn drags down the prices of living. Despite the increased spending power of the people of Britain, economic news has created a scared environment, with excess cash being stored in equities and bonds whilst the trouble caused by America ceases. This is the lead to deflation. Should then the rfu whose lack of foresight means they're renegotiating deals during this period, are only able to receive 100m (due to hyper deflationary effects) for the same length of deal - I presume you will be all over this board for the brilliance of the deal being negotiated during stronger economic times? All hypothetical and improbable ... But could happen. So instead of trying to predict the future of what it could be worth, why don't we compare it to what we have currently, and just see it's a better deal than what we've had?

As I say, if buts and maybes.

The mean inflation rate in the UK circa Jan 2010 until Jan 2014 was just over 3% (real figures, not forecasts) therefore it wasn't an unreasonable percentage figure to employ.

Good luck with the "inflation rate will be 2% or lower" forecasts from now until 2021 at least.

big question with the TV deal for me is, does this narrow the gap of whats being paid between union and league? I think Rugby league is slowly catching up with union. Still i would say league has a more hardcore fan base than union no matter what gutterwax or the other guy says.

We need strong guidance for the next ten years and hopefully the game should be blooming. with technology its easier for people to read and get some kind off affiliation towards league than say 10 years ago, where union was more dominant in every aspect. Neutral fans can no longer be told league is just union with less rules because its clearly not.

You have to look at the hard work done by the NRL they wasn't always mega rich and such a dominant association as they are now. isn't the ARFU almost bankrupt?

Lol. Just lol.
The desperation of AP is embarrassing.