You could say the same about the play-offs, and even then the final isn't a sell out. Shall we scrap that as well?

But that isn't in free to air tv, which is the matter in hand

The comment I quoted was in relation to interest in the competition and attendance levels, rather than it's television coverage.

If sky outbid the bbc is that really such a bad thing? Isnt it just more money coming into the sport?
We really need more internationals on free tv. The four nations should have been on the bbc. I know the aussie game was but this weeks final and the kiwi game could have been watched by a few million but instead will only be seen by 200k diehard RL fans in the north of england. We complain at not getting enough coverage in the media but warrington and huddersfield playing for a cup isnt going to interest many non RL fans and is going to be hard to justify filling a section in a national paper for. If its England thats playing and winning it will.

The upside would possibly be the BBC will splash more cash on the event if they want it bringing more money into the rfl to do something with the clubs to improve attendances in the comp.

But the whole basis of the thread is about television coverage.

Yet the comment that I quoted mentioned nowt of television coverage. Topics do tend to drift somewhat, you know. Jesus wept.

Just doing my bit to keep it off drift before tb gets here

'before tb gets here'?

I'm both omnipresent and omniscient.

There's a big difference between not selling out Old Trafford and clubs pulling in around 50% of their average home gate for Challenge Cup ties.

Maybe Quadrivium would be better asking where those 30k Warrington fans had been in the earlier rounds?

Let's wait and see what happens to the BBC if the Conservatives win the next election. There was no sign of any adverse reaction from Conservative Central Office after the Shadow Minister of Culture (or whatever he's called) talked about modifying or even tearing up the BBC's charter in a recent interview. If they do emasculate (or possibly close) the BBC then Sky will be the only company interested in us. NOT a good thing.

Sky won't bid for the challenge cup. It wouldn't be of any benefit to them.

care to expand on that? its not as plenty of people dont watch the cup and if people watch theres advertising revenue to be made.

I actually think that this a good thing for Rugby League. It allows the RFL to get a true market value for the Challenge Cup and stops them being held to ransom by the BBC. In addition they still have the option of keeping it on terrestrial TV if they wish.