rlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/8356391.stmrl

England's home Ashes Tests are set to return to free-to-air television following a review of sport's "listed events", BBC Sport understands.

But flat racing's showpiece, the Epsom Derby, and rugby league's Challenge Cup final are both expected to be removed.

Who said anything about axing it, its maybe being removed from free to air only coverage, if the BBC want it, they bid for it with Sky, ITV etc.

I hope it stays on BBC, I just wish they would get shut of Ray French and stop bringing in the Welsh git to analyse, surely we have other people associated with the game that don't sound like morons.

OK so axed was the wrong word, but it might be removed from the BBC's live TV listings. I don't know what the BBC's viewing figures are like, but to remove it will take rugby league out of the public's eye unless you've got Sky Sports.

Whoops already a topic !
rlhttp://forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php?t

I think it's important we maintain coverage on FTA TV to attract new people to the game and to give sponsors, ground, shirt etc a chance of some national TV coverage (and thus make it more valuable).

If Sky get 3rd choice of a game to show on a friday then so be it, it would be funny to watch the U-turn from Eddie, Stevo etc who currentley ignore the CC and any significance it has in order to big up the SL. If they got the rights to the final, then overnight it would become 'the greatest most historical competition in the world again' lol.

bad news if true IMO

people may moan about the BBC's coverage, but nearly 2 million watched England-Australia the other week...whereas the game would have got around 200k on SKY.

we need the publicity and coverage a national broadcaster can provide

even if the local LEEDS presenter says the final is at the Rhino's ground

I suspect that the union lobby are not far behind this, they have long held the belief that it should never be on the "list" due to its narrow area of support.

This will now devalue the comp as many people watch the cup final every year regardless of supporting RL or not, it has become a national tradition.
The RFL will find it difficult to get quality sponsorship if it has lost the protected status and the union wallahs with the BBC heirachy will soon kill it off.

Don't kid ourselves any of the other channels will do as agood a job as the Beeb over the years or keep the sports profile high has it has been.

Well that would be the end of me watching Rugby on TV. I'm no-way going to pay the £40 a month or whatever it is for Sky sports. I'm not subsidising soccer, cricket, rugby Union etc. when I am only interested in Rugby League. You could say go to the pub but I don't enjoy drinking in the daytime.

Just to cear matters up but if it is removed it means that bidding is open to FTA and pay tv so the CC final could end up on BBC, ITV 4 or Sky Sports.

At the moment it is important to know that its ONLY the challenge cup final that has to be FTA.

The other games could be on any all tip pot channel but the RFL has sold it as a package.

Which ever way we spin it this is bad news for RL - As some pundit mentioned on 5live last night when this was discussed RL has got exactly what it deserved for getting into bed with Sky right from the outset .

Yeah, we're unique pariahs for that one. WTF, seriously? How has RL got into bed with Sky any more than soccer, cricket, RU etc?

For every con there's a pro. I really don't think it's going to make much of a difference.

If Sky wanted the Challenge Cup before they could have had it anyway. They would have just had to put the Final on one of their free to air channels like Sky 3 or something.

It's not going to make a difference.

again, why is it that only RL fans see bad news not to be on the "list"?

every other sport would be delighted that it can sell the rights to whoever it wants. If the RFL have any sense, they will keep it on the BBC - but at least they now have the option of selling the rights to whoever they want.

Couple of other points to note - the changes are not definate anyway, this is just a recommended list, it has to go through Parliament yet - which probably wont be completed until after the General Election, and probable new Government. Also, the recommendation is to change the "list" from 2016 onwards.

I think that people are also forgetting that by 2016, "free to air" will be much more than BBC 1, BBC 2, ITV, C4 and C5.

By that time, there will be 30+ channels defined as "free to air" when the digital switchover is complete. That's a lot of airspace to fill.

The CC Final being on, for example, BBC Three or ITV4 tomorrow would be a problem, it won't be in 2016.

rlRL doesn't matter - Officialrl