presumably you feel entitled to plenty of free stuff then? i quite fancy a ferrari but can't afford one so surely i should be entitled to at least a subaru wrx for free.

Funny.

Most sports with the exception of tossball need to attract new viewers & participants to themselves in order to perpetuate. Yes Sky has probably saved RL in many ways, allowing the development of a professional sport through Superleague, but in order to attract more people to the game there should be an element of free to view within the top echelons of the sport.

England won the Ashes in cricket this year - over 1 million fewer viewers saw the series on tv thanks to it being broadcast on subscription rather than free to view as it was in 05 with Channel 4. The overall impact was considerably less too directly as a result of fewer people being aware of the series taking place not least England's victory.

Sky has a very valuable place in British sport these days, but it should not be the only place.

I don't disagree about the coverage to a wider 'free' audiance. Being off this sacred list doesn't mean that the Challenge cup must become a paid view. It is upto the rugby league if they want to tout it to Sky etc.. for more money, so it's upto them regarding the argument about developing the game with free tho air events. However i don't see why any event sporting or otherwise MUST be kept free. People are just used to having they feel they should be entitled to it.

no but you can see a ferari for free on the TV



well, top gear/bbc licence fee free anyhoo

Well you can look at the outside of the HJ stadium for free but it will cost you to go inside and watch the game. Peolpe get that concept and accept that. It's only habit that outrages them when you apply the same concept to things they have been used to enjoying previously for free.

We hardly get any exposure as it is, Roy. 41 seconds of airtime on a tv station that actually shows RL proved this.

Sorry fella, but I won't be signing the petition. The sooner the CC is moved to a station that acutally gives a rats about RL and won't treat it with the contempt that the BBC show it, the better. And if that does end up being Sky, then so be it.

It's not free you have to buy a tv license

so nothing is free and sky is expensive and if the game is to get to a wider audience it needs to be on the beeb or ITV

Exactly

I agree

I hope Dave Or Quest buy the rights to show the challenge cup ...how cool would that be... a morning of when sport goes bad, worlds deadliest animals, when sharks attack. then The Challenge cup sponsored by WD40 or something. then wind down after the game with Surf patrol and Super tankers......

No longer should the challenge cup be sandwiched in between the 1.45 queen Eugiene handicap from Doncaster and the South korean ping pong final....

Lets get Rugby League off the BBC..its a channel for Stiffs....home of sports personality of the year and other like minded useless Tat

Probably the best broadcaster in the world.

Here here get it off the bbc its cr"p coverage anyway look at this year’s game nothing afterwards poor very poor cameras presenters everything is poor let sky have it at least you see the game and 9/10 times you have someone presenting it who knows what there on about

Would those who refuse to sign the petition be the first to complain if the Challenge Cup is scrapped by the RFL?

IMO taking the CC off the protected list is the first step in its demise. It allows the BBC to drop its coverage, and if this happens who will step in?

Sky? They're only bothered about selling subscriptions in the long term, and with the RL community cornered broadcasting SL and the Championships its most likely they won't be interested or treat it with contempt.
ITV? And you moan about the BBC being a poor broadcaster. ITV will never be interested in RL.
Channel 4 or Five? Neither have the money despite their sports coverage being small.
ESPN? See ITV, plus their schedule is bursting with football and American sports.

Attendances are on the demise as it is, especially in the earlier rounds if we're tied with a lower league side or anyone other than Saints and Wigan. All the focus and attention is on SL in the media which is affecting casual supporters interests across the game. Eventually it won't be financially feasible for the RFL to run the competition and the lower teams will earn a significantly less amount of gate receipts which they so desperately need. We have got to a stage where the CC is only important for expansion and awareness of the sport across the country, and dropping it from the list is a significant step back from that point of view.

The RFL is in a different position to say the ECB, where the ECBs primary income is from SKY. The RFL has Sky's money and free-to-air broadcasting so has the best of both worlds similar to the FA Cup.