A bit like what Sky are doing with the NRL now you mean . Premier Sports / Setanta are showing 150 live NRL games a season = 5 games a week and Sky turn up and cherry pick the State of Origin series and the Grand Final

So if Sky do what everyone expects and just show the NRC final and the Grand Final , making it worthless to any other broadcaster to show the Championship competition .

Can't fully agree with that one Steve, TV coverage of some kind is of paramount importance so clubs can 'sell' to sponsors the idea of the chance of their company's name being on 'the box'. Maybe the Championship (&1) clubs should get together pool resources and get some sort of marketing company on board and collectively do their own thing as if Sky do pull the plug on our part of the game it proves the RFL don't think much of it either. I for one will end my Sky subscription and go back to cable and will not have Sky Sports.

That's the only way to force real change (I've been espousing it for ages!!)....but there will always be those who come on here and say "Well, I can't cancel my subscription because.....
....we have it for the kids for Nick Jnr or the Disney channel!!"
....it's the only chance I get to watch live wendyball/cricket/golf/boxing/truck-pulling/etc!!"
....where would I get to see (pretend) WWE??"

With what is currently going on in the media (and especially those sections of the media currently owned by R.Murdoch) - who can say, with any certainty, that the SKY funding bubble is not gonna burst at some point in the not too distant??

Maybe now is the time for the clubs outside SDL to try and secure a deal for themselves elsewhere?

Sky aren't stupid. RL on Thurs evening filled a void for live sport. The viewing figures must not have been that great if they are not renewing, especially considering they will now have to fill with something else. The crowds didn't back up that it is something to watch either.
After saying this, if RL on Thurs nite is not successful on a channel that is subscribed by sports fans then it doesn't look very enticing for any one else either. Tho if a TV company spent a lot of time/money on marketing our brand of rugby and giving a good price for something they are already giving a hitch up to then who knows tho - is there anyone who would do that ?

I will then, you will be 67in 2015

See the resident Sky idiot Hemmings did another tonight when reffering to Widnes entering 'The Family' next season, just goes to show he has no rugby background at all as we are all in the Rugby League family.

I sometimes have to turn the sound off when those two clowns start with Stevo 's little sayings "iv'e little doubt in my mind " and "as far as i'm concerned "

Aye Fred, when Hemmings said that, I almost vomitted. He's so irritating/clueless (just relies on force fed Stats)

and when that bl00dy stevo calls a right play i'll put the flag up

Add Clarke to the mix and you have a trio of complete gobbins.

Did he really say that Fred? Unbelievable. Stevo has a problem getting the players names right and some are on their blinkin backs. The Familly eh. Stuff um. The current SL format is starting to go stale as predicted by a hell of a lot of true RL people.

yup 'And next season we welcome Widnes to the family' was his words the idiot.

Hemmings also said it was a 'must win' game for the Crusaders also !!! Course it was. He was probably thinking "why the hell are we televising this game".

I find Phil Clarke is the only one that actually talks just a little bit of sense, it can be hard to notice with the tripe the rest of them have coming out of there mouths.

What narks me about Eddie's commentary is when he constantly describes what you can actually see, not technical stuff, just basic - many times during the match I've shouted " Eddie I can see that - I'm not listening to the f'ing radio" .
Although a different sport, definately not brought up in the Richie Benaud school of commentary - "only speak when you can add to the picture".

While I'm on my rant - why do they need 4 in the commentary box? They all have to justify their existance resulting in non stop "jabbering" from start to finish. Only solution is to turn the sound down - bring back the option for the stadium crowd noise only for me.