I think you are right, in so much it is in Sky's interests to have untapped areas gaining an interest in SL to enable them to increase sales.

Should this come to pass, I would see it as purely a positive as it would provide a variation on the current demographic.

Seems a bit of a win-win, to me.

Simple equation. RL = Summer. RU = Winter. The Pro12 deal would have been for absolute peanuts, the games were on BBC's Welsh and Scottish channels over here previously.

I think your post seems to have come through a wormhole and arrived from 1997.

Sky had an expansionist agenda in 1995 as did the RFL since then expansion clubs with the sole exception of Catalans have been a disaster. RL hasn't proven to be the game that it was hoped to be.

I cannot imagine why Sky would want poorly supported clubs in Birmingham, Bristol etc that moved grounds and changed names every 3-4 years.

The restructuring of CC1 isn't a new thing particularly, the RFL have wanted new blood in the then national leagues since National League three was introduced; we were supposed to have promotion and relegation betwwn NL2 and NL3 afterall. And they have always welcomed new sides whether in Blackpool, Gateshead, London, Wrexham or Bridgend.

There is no market for union vs league clashes because the union clubs would win under union rules and the league clubs would win under league. No third code is going to come into existence without the say so of countries like South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Argentina, France, New Zealand, Wales etc and in most of these countries league barely exists. Why would they agree to merged rules?

Sky and the RFL might no longer believe that professional clubs outside the heartlands can simply be wished into existence but seemingly RL fans haven't given up believing in fairy stories.

Take a look at which regions had pro clubs at the birth of SL. Now look at what exists today. The only changes are that France had a struggling side in Paris but now has a strong one in Perpignan; London were a strong side but are now struggling to stay alive and Cumbria & the North East have lost their pro clubs.

It's more of an M62 league than it was back in the day.

What if sky decide RL is the product for them and decide to triple the money they give the game. Will we see the cash strapped RU clubs like the welsh regional sides, falcons and sale demanding to join superleague?

It will be interesting when the new tv deal is done. With them not showing union i personally wonder if they would want more matches on and whether they would happily invest more money for a better and bigger comp.

Does anyone know if the RFL will have sounded out Sky as to what they think about their proposed league changes?

Its the first thing i would do. Point out good viewing figures and opportunity for tighter games etc etc and see what they would want and offer.

I really just hope they show more RL tbh. I hate the facts there is only two matches a week. Increasibg to three or even four should be schedule wise very easy.

The NRL is the premier Club Rugby competition in the world and I think Sky would of loved to of shown the NRL but its timeslot clashes with Super Rugby/Tri Nations and having foreign Rugby League/Union go h2h makes no sense.

I have been thinking about this, but the other way around. With the money in RU, might RL teams apply to join them? I think they would welcome Wigan and or Leeds with open arms, if only to help crush RL..

I wonder if Sky's problem at the moment is that they grossly overpaid for the new soccer deal and now haven't the loot to make a successful bid for other sports against BT's apparent cash pile (my personal opinion is that BT will crash and burn, but we'll see), which puts us in a rather comfortable position.

Sky bid and paid for SL before the bid for the PL. They will bid and pay for the next SL contract before they bid for the PL.

If BT sports is any kind of success at all i.e if they are still in the market for the next tranche of PL, then the value of SL shoots up rapidly.

That should be number one on Brian Barwick's agenda. This is more than just a contact network black book job, it requires the highest strategy.

That should be number one on Brian Barwick's agenda. This is more than just a contact network black book job, it requires the highest strategy.

That should be number one on Brian Barwick's agenda. This is more than just a contact network black book job, it requires the highest strategy.

That should be number one on Brian Barwick's agenda. This is more than just a contact network black book job, it requires the highest strategy.

That should be number one on Brian Barwick's agenda. This is more than just a contact network black book job, it requires the highest strategy.