Agreed.
This TV deal, following on from the RLWC and introduction of the 2x12; 3x8 structure is fantastic news for the game here.

And new sponsorship.

Just don't call it a WC legacy.

Premier Sports have pulled out of covering the Championship in 2014.

Premier Sports were paying how much?

With Superleague games on a Thursday it's no great loss to the general armchair RL fan.

Personally until the CC is compressed or there is some shortened version of RL, such as a 9's for FTA to cover. The problems will remain the same regardless of where the CC is shown.

It's too spread out, it has no buying from people outside of RL , people can't associate with a club as they may not see them from round to round.

FTA needs an element of concentration, similar to Wimbledon, the 6 nations etc.

A short but intense period of coverage to sell the larger game.

The current format is too wide spread.

Interestingly, regarding the CC, surely the final cant be held at the end if August with it been crunch time for the split

Unless they put the weekend of the challenge cup final between the split, to buy themselves some time figuring out fixtures?

Is it the more than half a billion pounds they have invested in Rugby League that upsets you?

Loss of Championship coverage doesn't bother me in the slightest. I only subscribe to Premier Sports for the NRL and I've got it at a cost of just £12 in total for the next 6 months. Premier Sports claim they'll now be looking to add a lot more NRL content to their schedules instead which is great news.

spot on!



Have to say, as much as I am happy to criticise Big Nigel and the gang, this is a bloody good bit of business by the RFL.

Neil Hudgell on Twitter... [i"Cautious optimism over tv deal. 8 years is a long time. Could have done with more than 2 hours to consider the detail"[/i #indecenthaste?

I need an eye test.

This made me smile!



Re Premier Sports, they paid Championship clubs £750 a year. Doubt that covered the lost earnings caused by playing big games at unsociable times.

eh? £750, not £750k? or even £75k?

No.
The clubs have wasted it though, seeing a considerable amount went overseas never to return,but that is not Sky's fault.
I see Sky using RL as a filler which can be messed about at a whim. Even the sports news gives RL little credence and always follows the inferior code.
Sorry but I can't wear rose tinted spectacles all the time.

£750.00 only paid to each club, as a sort of compensation. I doubt they will be losing any sleep tonight.

A fabulous deal.

It's amazing to see everyone buying into this deal, even those who would be at each others throats normally.

Terrible deal. £62 million a season and not even linked to inflation, so the deal gets worse every year. To put it into perspective Man Utd are about to sign a kit deal for £70 million a season! RFL have no balls. We are just coming out of a deep recession where products and services are under valued. Why not sign the best short term deal with whichever broadcaster offers the biggest deal and then go for a long term deal when the economy is on back on its feet.

Lol.

Looks like I spoke too soon.

That's more like the RLFANS we've come to know!

He's merely taken a random and irrelevant neo-factoid from another sport completely out of context and tried to manipulate it to demonstrate that Rugby League is in some way failing. You not familiar with that at all?

Crikey, how did you survive the winter of 62/63? All those fixture changes at short notice. You must have been livid at it all.

That much?

That's £310 million over the 5 years.

The exclusive deal and exclusive bidding process just gets better and better!

I think you're confusing me with someone else

Oh dear



Not sure where to begin with your post. Comparing it to the the world biggest sporting brand, even GF is more realistic than that



I'm not brilliant with percentages but i make it around a 60% increase in money (help me out WE!)

Inflation won't go up that much i'm sure!

Anyone see Microsofts profit this year, compare that to the RFL's, good god what a mickey mouse organisation they are.

I criticise the RFL when i think they deserve criticising and applaud when they do well. This deal is absolutely superb for the sport! Some say we could have waited until deal ran out to allow BT to bid. That's a dangerous game IMO, BT are new on to the scene and are literally throwing money at sports at this moment in time, unfortunately our deal iwas 3 years away from expiring and a lot can change. BT have paid nearly a £1billion for CL rights. If viewing figures aren't great, BT won't be throwing money around like they are now and may not even be on the scene anymore. That means SKY won't have to "up" their bid and we wouldn't have got an offer anywhere near £200million.