I'll read all that later but for now can I just



Edit: How dare you disrespect Leon like that. And what about Michelle McMannus?

American Idol by plenty, go Sanjayer Malakar.



Not that I'm a fan unlike your good self.

Leon????!!!!! Don't even go there!

The CC final is only on a protected list, and as someone has pointed out, the BBC currently show more than just this round.

Also, the definition is that the events need to be of national importance. Comparisons between 6 nations and the CC is stupid. One is an international series, which people all over the country will watch, over 5 weeks, and one is a club level match, of a reasonably regional sport. lets not get ahead of ourselves.

If RL was ever to get a set format international calendar, and generate some reasonable attendance and viewing figures, we could claim national interest, but when we can't even get 25k for an international match we should look at our own house before complaining because the nasty BBC are against us.

I wonder if Leeds had won the last three Challenge Cup Finals rather than Grand Finals if Lawrie would show the same contempt for the competition!

Perhaps the RFL should converse with Lawrie before organising competitions or introducing new ideas as he clearly thinks he knows it all! Then all RFL events could be organised around the festivals and Lawrie could attend everything.

Indeed, a closer comparison would be the Heineken Cup or Premiership play-offs - neither of which are protected.

Well you normally talk sense, so a bit surprised by your response! It is nothing to do with the BBC for a start, it is to do with the government department who draw up the list. I do not believe that the six nations should be taken off the list and when did this become about international RU versus international RL. The CC cup final gets just as big a crowd if not bigger than some of the games in the six nations. So why does the attendances in the RL four nations even come in to this... that is not on the list?

The six nations gets 5 weeks of coverage and surely that is worthy of one weekend of RL at least on the list. Also we have three teams outside of this 'regional sport' you talk about and two of those have made the CC final in the last 10 years! As I also said, there is very little difference in overall seasonal average attendances between the Zurich Premiership and SL and therefore 'regional' issues should not even come in to it because we are the third biggest weekly spectator sport after football!

To make this worse the ECB does not want the Ashes to be put back on the list, as they say it damages funding significantly! Maybe the RFL might say the same but I am not sure I want the government to favour one code of Rugby over another which it appears to be on the verge of doing.

Why does the decision need to have anything to do with league versus union?

What does the status of the Six Nations on the list have to do with anything? You're comparing apples with forklifts.

I am not as such, the government are though because of what has been said.

[iBut in December 2008, Andy Burnham, the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, announced a review into the sporting events that should be safeguarded on free-to-air television.

Reflecting on the success of the Beijing Olympics, he said "the broadcast of big sports events... get young people inspired by sport, driving sports participation and the creation of the next generation of sports stars."

He added: "The sale of TV rights helps fund grassroots sport, so we need to get the balance right."[/i

So are we prepared to let RU's show-piece event (which the six nations is, lets be honest) be chosen over our show-piece event of the CC to "get young people inspired by sport, driving sports participation and the creation of the next generation of sports stars."

You say apples to forklifts and while I agree it is not quite apples to apples it is at least red apples to green apples is it not?

If that is the case then fine... take it off free-to-air.

Regarding teh BBC my bad



my main point was that the list is seemingly to be about events of national importance. I don;t think that the CC final rates as that. Its the only non-international match on the current list, aside from the FA Cup final.

Personally I think that the coverage of the CC is generally poor form the BBC, but the sport would be hurt by not being available to the general public to view

The CC should go back to its original slot at the end of the season with the final the week before the Grand Final, just like it used to be

where did I say we should scrap the Challenge Cup?

These all seem to really support your view of being pro challenge cup loz!

HTH

it doesnt help, especially as your last two points you have cut apart from a question I asked

nice try

but Fail

TVOC's an X Factor Fan!

you are right - it was cowell who lost his credibility and rendered the actual format of the show redundant - just make it a straight vote from the fans.

My 10 year old daughter makes me watch it

Many boxers were household names in the 80's and 90's before that sport whored itself to sky, now its profile as a sport is down the pan.

Ok, the sky money kept the game from going bust, but the challenge cup on the Beeb showcases it to a wider audience. Its a nice balance.

I would disagree that it is not a nationally important event, I think it is, it is still one of the UK biggest spectator sports oldest cup competition and it is played in the national stadium (and has been for majority of its history). And also, is that what the government is still saying? It sounds like they are talking about keeping certain sporting events on TV to inspire young people into these and other sports through these large sporting spectacles remaining accessible for all to see on free-to-air TV. Why should we let the many young people who do play RL in schools and clubs throughout the UK (and in particular the North) not be inspired by RL and let RU six nations have that right instead because they don't have Sky!

I admit that the BBC do not do a great job of covering the CC in comparison to Sky and that is clearly born out of complacency but I think to let the government tell us that they do not consider our great sport worthy enough to inspire our young people to participate in sport but RU is... come on!

BBC Breakfast just led the 'rugby' segment of their sport section with a clip of a try from the Kiwis game and and interview with Tony Smith. Only a passing reference to the Rah Rah game.....I'm off for a lie down



More seriously, I wouldn't be that bothered if ITV picked up the Challenge Cup. I know their production values often leave a bit to be desired but they'd have 'magazine' shows on ITV2, 3 or 4 with live coverage of early rounds on ITV4.
We'd maintain 'free tv' coverage and, for the first couple of seasons, they'd want to show the Beeb how to do it right.
Since the season shift the CC has suffered and the decline in the status of the cup is largely down to the teams' attitude and supporter apathy, not the tv coverage.

I'd certainly be open to teh CC moving to another channel. For prime sports time entertainment you get a lot of bang for your buck, at a time when football is our of season

I agree with you about ITV. If they just showed the Semi's and/or Final on ITV1 as you said they could show early rounds, even the very early rounds, on ITV4. I understand that the BBC get around 3 to 5 million viewers for RL on Saturday/Sunday afternoons and that goes up above 5 million for the final, so those figures are not too shabby. I also understand that the six nations games don't attract a significantly bigger amount of viewers per-say!

ITV used to cover rugby league with Clive Tyldesley as the commentator & he was IMO very good. Mind you that was in comparison to Ray French.
If it was Ch4 I'd have no qualms since their cricket coverage was an improvement on the BBC so see no reason why they couldn't do the same with RL.
All this shows the need to become a fully national sport.

put them both together and you're still arguing against the challenge cup!

Don't back track. Argue your viewpoint.

As Cala has demonstrated, your viewpoint is very negative towards the CC.

you havent answered my question

its in the wrong part of the year, it should be moved and it is scheduled badly in its current format (month between rounds)

it shouldnt be scrapped but it needs its sparkle back

Just been confirmed on the BBC Sport breaking news that the CC final is to be taken off the "protected list" for free to air along with the Winter Olympics and the Derby.

What BBC have done to their Horse Racing coverage is disgraceful, thank god we have Channel 4