Do you want to watch an England A game? I don't. Does anyone? Can you get 5,000 to an England A game even in Yorkshire?



Give TV companies what they want. Its that simple.

Each package goes to the highest bidder.
Smaller bidder pays astronomical fee to beat off Sky
Bidder doesn't secure enough customers to make bid profitable
Bidder struggles financially
Bidder goes bust
Sky gets package

You could call it the Setanta system, or ITV Digital system

As sure as Video Killed the Radio Star,
SLY TV saved Pro RL in this country.

They plough in the money that keeps at least 8 of the 14 clubs afloat and are now giving exposure to the Championship....what more do people want?
The BBC treat and show RL like it is still stuck in the 50's (the sport, not the BBC......BUT THEN AGAIN...) and the "other stations" are really on their butts. C5 and C4 are in real danger and ITV are laying off people every day in the regions.

How much have sky paid for the four nations games at the end of the year? Why didnt the RFL sell all the games to the bbc. Im sure theyd have been interested in them, it might of been less money than sky are paying but wouldnt the exposure for international RL of been worth it?

Well there has been a compromise as 1 game is on the BBC but if this happened then Sky's £54m contract would quickly become £30m as the internationals get alot of viewers and Sky value them

It's two games on the BBC. They have England v Australia and France v Australia. I'm not sure if they are shared with Sky mind but Sky will at least have delayed coverage of both as well.

Exactly. Without Sky we'd have gone on with regional action on Granada and Yorkshire TV and then gawd knows where after they merged into the national ITV.

This splitting packages is a bad idea. The Scottish SPL have split its coverage between Sky and ESPN but that just forces fans to have to pay two subscriptions to see every game. Madness!

So you think the TV contract for the four nations is worth £24m? I very much doubt it, if it was so valuble internationals would be played all year round as they are in RU.

I think I'm watching the wrong challenge cup

"errrrrr that was just a super errrr ball errrr back in my day eerrrr the ball was made of stone errrrrr could try eerrrrrr over to you welshman"

"well this is a well worked try, this guy passes to this guy *draws annoying white line on screen* and then he runs in here and some bloke stood in this corner puts the ball over the line....can I go home? I dont want to be here"

Well in fairness I think they've made a start by seemingly making Dave Woods the main commentator this year although I'll wait and see if he gets the final.

Knowing the BBC it will be given to the guy who does Castlefords commentary for their home games on Superleague TV.

Morgy? He'd be brilliant on the Final