Who are the other TV companies fighting for these rights? If there was a bid from ESPN for the current package, I imagine it would come as a joint (if not in name, then in spirit) one with Sky. The relationship between the too is much more [iEntente-Cordiale[/i than the' war' of Sky and Setanta, and you can see why that is beneficial to both parties when you see what happened to Setanta in the end.

Last time I looked all SL clubs are in Europe and all bar one are in the UK.

If the TV rights can be sold in smaller packages then there is greater chance that other companies might be interested in a proven product that provides attractive, cheap TV. There have never been more TV companies than there are now.

Producing live sport on television isn't 'cheap' though - not just the rights, but transmission costs, staffing, equipment... And while there may be more TV companies and certainly channels, it doesn't mean they'd be interested in showing rugby league, union, cricket, snooker, darts or whatever sport you choose!

Indeed, so how would you propose to split the two pools of teams.
Yorkshire/ Lancashire and make Quins, Catalans and Crusaders fit the numbers.
You would end up with too many repeat fixtures, a bit liks the SPL.
Far better to have a larger SL (if this could be agreed by the clubs), although the idea behind SL was to have fewer, more competetive teams, to allow us at some point to compete with the Aussies and we have gone backwards with this !