how have you jumped to that conclusion from the fact that the CC Final is no longer on the list??????

sponsorhip of the cup is gash anyway.....Leeds Polytechnic sponsoring the "crown jewel" competition is laughable.

Can you imagine the "FA Cup sponsored by Bolton College"

I'm not in the position to complain, because I don't pay the licence fee.

Give it Sky i say

BBC is embarressing viewing

It doesnt mean it won't be on the BBC, it just means the RFL can take it away if they wish.

They will be f*ckin insane if they do, hopefully getting some 4 nations on the Beeb was a sign they still want to show RL.

Think a lot of you have got the wrong end of the stick with this ruling.

All the decision means is that the final doesn't have to be Live on Free to Air like has been in the past.

The Challenge Cup will remain on the BBC. Sky won't bid for it - no chance of that! No else will go for it either. Setanta maybe if they were still around but it just isn't an asset for a pay tv company.

Still doesnt make sense though, by the way it sounds BBC will still show all of the early rounds. If a non RL fan watches the earlier rounds and enjoys watching it, then finds out the final is either on Sky/ESPN, then if they dont already have it, I doubt they will pay extra to watch it.

Again you've got the wrong end of the stick. The final was protected so it HAD to be on free to air. All being removed from that list means it doesn't have to be but can be if the rights are sold to a free broadcaster, which they are and will continue to do so.

But if someone comes along and buys the rights to show the games it wont be on the BBC?

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Well it's more of an asset to a pay tv operator than it was because under the old rule they wouldn't have had the final exclusively.

But a pay tv operator won't go near the cup. Particularly Sky. It would be of zero benefit to them. It just isn't a good enough competition.

ESPN seem happy with football and american sports. The FA Cup rights are up for grabs but they are no biting at that and neither are Sky.

The BBC dislike RL anyway.

The sports headlines on the saturday evening BBC news last week spoke of the defeats of England and Wales Rah Rah teams, and showed some crappy footage of penalties and kicks. This item was the first on the report.

At the end of the sports news it "mentioned" the England RL win over New Zealand, and didn't show any of the game or interview anyone.

Now if the Rah Rah team had gone into a game as underdogs and beaten the World Champions, they would have had it plastered all over the telly.

Just remember the BBC Sports Team of the year (a few years ago and I cant recall the exact year) - they gave it to ENgland RU, when the Wigan team had swept all all before them - fix? I think so.

I don't know the answer though. I like many others love RL but can't afford Sky Sports, so I'd prefer it to be on a free channel. What is most important is that it goes to a TV company that will show it to a large audience, and can do it better than the BBC.

I'm concerned that once off the BBC, a sponsor will be hard to find.

Ok well aslong as it stays on the BBC then I'll be happy

Obsessed - it's gone. Let it go man!