Firstly I'm looking forward to the world cup and will being going to see PNG in Hull. Their unreserved skill dedication to the sport and reckless disregard for their own safety always makes them exciting to watch.

Now the rant!

Does anyone who's not a rugby league supporter know there's a world cup on in this country. As always the publicity has been shambolic and the coverage from the BBC shocking. There's been little advertising or publicity by the BBC (i don't have sky as I wont give Rupert any of my money so can't speak for their coverage, if they have any). A once weekly advert of cartoon characters mishandling a trophy is hardly going to get the attention of the none supporter. Actual game footage of this brilliant sport might have got some more interest.

From what I've seen the BBC are showing 'most' of England's games live a quarter final semi and final. This with the usual 45 min highlight programmes shown at midnight once a week. To stay up and watch you have to ingest grammes of MKAT or crack. Brilliant! Unless you want to watch it you wont be encouraged to.

This by the BBC who has virtually no other sport to cover or promote now. You can't fault the enthusiasm of the presenters who appear genuinely blown away by the games when they get the job (see Claire Baldwin who referred to Sinfield as the most impressive person and athlete she has met.) But we'll have to stick with the usual lack of BBC enthusiasm for our sport. Having grown up watching them show the oxford cambridge boat race live for a whole day then the bloody varsity rugby union game, live, a f**king university rugby union game live and you were lucky if you got 4-5 live games of football a year before sky.

Even the super league show is shown regionally (just for us northerners). There is NO bbc coverage of the Broncos in London no wonder they never get a crowd. A five live forum is the only build up for the world cup.
The RFL get continually embarrassed by their Aussy counterparts who have successfully established and grown their sport whilst ours have missed countless opportunities through what appears in house bickering and now a world cup that no one knows about.

Anyway sorry for that.

On the competition McNamara doesnot give me confidence and his squad is odd-no Lunt Houghton and 'McKill'um' looks like he'll start as well as Chase. I hope I'm wrong and we do well. We do have plenty of good players.
Roopy's mates may turn up thinking they've already won it and that may be our best hope.

Regarding advertising of the comp theres been quite a bit really, haven't seen anything on Sky but thats to be expected since they aren't covering any games. There is obviously the advert on the BBC as well as numerous interviews on the radio, adverts on the radio plus an advert doing the rounds on ITV. There have been quite a few columns in the newspapers too. There's a thread about it on the VT at the minute rlhererl.

Disagree about the BBC, there has been TV ads during their biggest shows such as the One Show & Match Of The Day, Radio ads on Radio1, a decent feature on the 6 O'Clock news last night, and several positive stories on the BBC Sport website....I think they have put a lot more effort in than usual

I also don't think its a disaster that only the England games are live on BBC, some of the clashes are between very small nations such as Cook Islands-USA which only the most die-hard RL fan will want to watch. I'd rather the BBC audience saw large crowds at Cardiff, Huddersfield, Hull, Wigan & Wembley roaring England on...than a few thousand at Bristol watching the USA. The challenge for the game is to improve some of the smaller nations and make them better viewing for next time we host.

Yes availing the games on Premier Sports does limit the audience, but as far as I understand SKY only wanted exclusive rights and weren't prepared to share with the BBC.

on another note, half of the top tier at the KC has just opened for sale, which would indicate that sales have gone about 15K.

Ah! I avoid the delights of the one show and it sounds like there is a little more going on in the 5 days leading up t othe event. Maybe they have put a little more effort into the advertising of a World Cup. But really.

Rugby League was for decades the sport with second highest number of spectators on a weekly basis behind football. It's probably third now behind rugby union. Does the coverage even match waht they do for any 5 nations rugby union comp. they'd have numerous radio shows, tv specials, every game with hours of build up, complete re-runs on the red button etc etc.

For a world cup for one of the biggest attended sports in the nation has the coverage and advertising been adequate?

Any other world cup and there would be coverage of all the games. By all accounts the Scotland PNG game was a great spectacle. There's plenty of good players in all the squads and they've made format so that there shouldn't be any spectacular blow outs.

Quote: Burtons Forearm "Ah! I avoid the delights of the one show and it sounds like there is a little more going on in the 5 days leading up t othe event. Maybe they have put a little more effort into the advertising of a World Cup. But really. Rugby League was for decades the sport with second highest number of spectators on a weekly basis behind football. It's probably third now behind rugby union. Does the coverage even match waht they do for any 5 nations rugby union comp. they'd have numerous radio shows, tv specials, every game with hours of build up, complete re-runs on the red button etc etc. For a world cup for one of the biggest attended sports in the nation has the coverage and advertising been adequate? Any other world cup and there would be coverage of all the games. By all accounts the Scotland PNG game was a great spectacle. There's plenty of good players in all the squads and they've made format so that there shouldn't be any spectacular blow outs.'" Tbf, look at the crowds even the least attractive 6 nations match gets and those of all but the biggest fixtures in the upcoming RL WC. Since coming up with the idea of a Rugby World Cup, RL hasn't helped itself by holding them sporadically and having such varied formats. Plus Australia won 6 in a row from 1975-2000. RU international competitions, for all the flaws as a spectacle, you know when they'll be and what the format is, but the outcome is a bit less certain. This piece is largely positive: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/24481185

Quote: Burtons Forearm "Ah! I avoid the delights of the one show and it sounds like there is a little more going on in the 5 days leading up t othe event. Maybe they have put a little more effort into the advertising of a World Cup. But really. Rugby League was for decades the sport with second highest number of spectators on a weekly basis behind football. It's probably third now behind rugby union. Does the coverage even match waht they do for any 5 nations rugby union comp. they'd have numerous radio shows, tv specials, every game with hours of build up, complete re-runs on the red button etc etc. For a world cup for one of the biggest attended sports in the nation has the coverage and advertising been adequate? Any other world cup and there would be coverage of all the games. By all accounts the Scotland PNG game was a great spectacle. There's plenty of good players in all the squads and they've made format so that there shouldn't be any spectacular blow outs.'" Tbf, look at the crowds even the least attractive 6 nations match gets and those of all but the biggest fixtures in the upcoming RL WC. Since coming up with the idea of a Rugby World Cup, RL hasn't helped itself by holding them sporadically and having such varied formats. Plus Australia won 6 in a row from 1975-2000. RU international competitions, for all the flaws as a spectacle, you know when they'll be and what the format is, but the outcome is a bit less certain. This piece is largely positive: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/24481185

So, beyond TV ads during hows such as the One Show & Match Of The Day which has a massive reach to our target audience, Radio ads on Radio1 to probably a new audience, feature interviews on Radio 5Live, news reports on the 6 O'Clock TV News & Radio 4's Today Programme, coverage across local BBC radio & TV where matches are being played, special features on the homepage of the BBC Sport website (inc '10 reasons to watch the RL World Cup', 'Why the French banned RL', 'WC2013http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/16658285rl

I saw an advertising hoarding at the side of the M62 today. I was mighty impressed NOT!!

Ive seen the bbc advertise it is also pushed on talksport nationally also it osnt just england game bedn shown the wales one is being shown on bbc2 after the england game this Saturday

Thanks to the Director General there for clarifying the BBC's dedication to the RL world cup.

Let's clarify then. The usual slot used in MOTD to highlight BBC coverage of an up coming sporting event they have. These 30 sec slot happen every week on sailing etc so no special effort.

A slot on the flag ship One Show. That daily magazine programme desperate for content. Did they slip the world cup article between some t*at doing publicity for their book/film/programme (delete as appropriate), Giles f***ing Brandreth offering his witty insights into life and the horrors of having to maintain a stately home and Gosport's skate boarding dog. Brilliant thanks for that. If they did an article a day on some of the squads/outstanding players in the tournement then fair enough.
They've put some articles on their own RL website. Brilliant that will get a lot of passing traffic or just the usual RL fans?
An advert on radio 1 you say. Well their Logan's Run approach to their audience who aren't allowed to be over 30 means my ears can no longer hear that high pitched drivel from that station so I missed that one too.

The link offered said it all about the BBC's commitment to this. 7 live games out of 28! Shocking. All England's games which could all be non contests ( I hope not) and highlights for insomniacs.

The RU world cup is a success because ITV flogged it. The initial tournements were made up of a huge percentage of non contests (new zealand 96 italy 0 springs to mind). But that's not the point. The tournements allow you to follow players/teams build affinities get to know the game. That's not going to happen with this AGAIN.
Because of their exposure countries like Italy, Argentina etc now are major forces in RU. PNG and Wales should be in RL but no one gets to see them. Because of high BBC flogging the 5 now 6 nations gets lots of people to watch 30 mins of scrumming action then strain their necks during a prolonged game of kick tennis followed by the inevitable and highly exciting line out.
Our game is so much better. As the England RU coach says RL players have an 80% better skill set that ther RU counter parts.
RL second best viewing figures for a team sport on sky(behind football).

Shame about the BBC.

Was that the one that doesn't fit the board properly ??? Looks proper poor ...... if you get the advertising space at least fill it. Typical RL. #shambles

I've just been and wrapped a massive RLWC2013 poster right around Burton's Forearm's house.

Soon as you finished the BBC turned up and covered it with a preview poster for next years's Wimbledon.....damn them.

So far they have sold 5300 for sunday, expecting 6500 in the ground for the game

I think thats pretty good really. If there was only one game at Craven Park you would have probably got more people to it. Still a good effort

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/24676263 Just watched the McNamara interview, made me chuckle, he thinks he's Jose the special one! He looks under pressure. Looking forward to the games, I hope England can surprise a few people and pull off a result, but I doubt it, Aus by 30+.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/24676263 Just watched the McNamara interview, made me chuckle, he thinks he's Jose the special one! He looks under pressure. Looking forward to the games, I hope England can surprise a few people and pull off a result, but I doubt it, Aus by 30+.