Bearing in mind that Super League is a Sky invention, it would say a lot about those running the sport if Sky pulled out, or offered a deal that was much less. That is a sign that the sport has failed itself.

It would affect Sky though. I'm among many who have Sky for the rugby league. If they didn't, I'd have a cheaper package, or maybe none at all.

But all those people who think they are gaming the system by watching for free on a dodgy box, this is what you reap. You steal from Sky and you cheat everyone else.

But the deal doesn't need to be sealed for another year. This might be negotiating, nothing more.

Ah. The Moral High Ground.
If you think SKY will drop or reduce the contract to show RL because I watch the games FOC on a mobile device 12,000 miles away then you're delusional.

It’s not because a few people watch it via iptv. It’s because there are 4-5 teams propping it up by signing players worth watching while the rest of the league sign amateur level players but expect to receive the same share of tv money.

This has been coming for a long time but “ let’s look after the heartlands” and their 4K fans

But Stephanie dear....who will produce the players for the "non heartland" sides like Toronto, NYC or Ottawa once you cut off the main pathway to success of the young players from the areas where those same said "heartland" clubs will now be amateur and eventually fold?

Your answer to everything is cull the sick and applaud those lucky enough to have a billionaire backer.....I guess we know who you're voting for next week

they should do one on the rfl negotiations that would be car crash tv

I'm fortunate enough not to have to choose between the meagre main options being offered the poor British people -- either the buffoon Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, or the diabolical extremist and high school dropout Jeremy Bernard Corbyn. Neither of them have any interest in rugby league. The distinguished, highly educated, and politically moderate Joanne Kate Swinson CBE is the only palatable choice, but she has little chance of being elected Prime Minister at this time.

Our Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron is obviously far superior to the two major British political leaders. Now if only we could get him interested in rugby league. Having Toulouse in Super League might do the trick. But we would need a new television deal in France involving Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique for this to be effective.

Your answer to everything is cull the sick and applaud those lucky enough to have a billionaire backer.....I guess we know who you're voting for next week





I was talking to Stephanie, but you responded......Hmmm...I wonder

You know I'm talking about people in the UK, but I'll forgive you for outing Jean as Steph, as Steph as Jean, whichever it is (and the others).

It's not the RFL who are negotiating though........

But I am not living in the UK. Haven't been there for years, not since the Catalans first appearance at Wembley in 2007, which I attended.

Steph, on the other hand, does live in the UK.

You know that for sure, are you his agent?

Reading through all the posts if Sky don't renew Super league i'll be cancelling Sky as i only get it for Super league. But i genuinely believe i'll be in the very small minority who would do that. And to be honest sky wouldn't bat an eyelid, they'd hardly lose any money that they'd notice. Football and union will still always dominate and league is just another sport they show along with the many sports they show. We have NO bargaining power with Sky at all, if we said no thanks to a reduced deal they'd just say aahh well that's a shame best of luck, and they'd leave on a handshake. The quality of Super league is in decline and i missed alot of sky games this year as my interest just wasn't there for me, even our challenge cup win was quickly forgotten. We don't have a great marketed brand and it's a shame as i love league above all else sport but we are a dying sport in the UK.

If anyone doubts the above, go on the London Board and ask about the trials and tribulations of finding a boozer to show SuperLeague games. Once you head south of Sheffield the interest in RL (if any) is split between those with a passing interest and the RL Geeks who in terms of attendance number in the hundreds. Also, check out the photos of the Toronto Wolfpack supporters Bar on away match day, where maybe 50 at best will turn up to watch games and ask yourself why the CEO of the Wolfpack is on record as saying it's unlikely they will buy the SKY rights to sell on.

Union getting exposure on FTA TV is exactly what I was saying we should do nearly 2 decades ago.....so if SKY come bac with an average offer and no chance of more money, we should look to negotiate to accept it but with 1 game per week on FTA TV. They share the CC with the BBC and a game on a saturday afternoon on BBC2 would rate pretty well.....

Yeah the BBC would proberbly be a good route as i think alot of casual fans would watch a game on Saturday just because it on and could become fans. BBC always do a good broadcasting job aswell.

Any exposure on FTA TV is welcome but firstly you need the interest from the broadcaster. As you point out trying to watch a game in the pub (often inside, never mind) outside the heartlands can be a fruitless task so just where is the market to entice a broadcaster?

The beauty of BBC is that the licence has already been paid for & they are not dependant on advertisers money. As for sky, the exclusive Superleague deal has made the the top 12 exclusive & cast the rest of the divisions into the wilderness.

But I wasn't talking to you, unless you're him too and you're now just arguing with yourself.

Without doubt 4-5 teams Hull, Leeds, Saints, Wire and Wigan are the mainstay of the game and they tend to win the trophies and get the biggest crowds. Without doubt it's exactly the same in Soccer's premier league. I therefore don't see what is the substance of your criticism?

If this is something to do with the Glamorous RL clubs of North America then let's wait whilst the Transatlantic league still has the big M62 clubs in the top five and Ottawa, New York, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver in the bottom five? How many North American fans would actually pay to watch losing Rugby League every week - let's take away the attendance at the beer festival TWP run and the free tickets brigade? For me their crowds would be a few thousand.

Thing is there is no evidence of any more Argyle's, and even if there was Mr. Argyle is salary capped hence he will be fielding a very average, if not below average team next season. A bad season for TWP once you take the freebies off may just well be paying attendances of erm....

4,000.

Glamour doesn't get any better than Paris, their first game in SL attracted 17,000 fans, towards the end of their second season they had managed to get that down to 500. Oh the glamour of it all! Are we getting sequins in our eyes here steph?

Is the TWP squad for next year settled - how do people think they will go?

Another good post old boy, the problem is, it's like trying to knock a nail in a knot in a plank of wood trying to educate that one.

Toronto's squad is not yet settled. But with a couple more good signings they should do very well.

Fairly well at home, fairly badly away, avoiding relegation comfortably, missing the play offs by a distance. A reasonable season for first-timers.

In the end I don't think there is anything wrong with dreaming. My club has never won anything for decades but I always used to think we were close to breaking through and if we did the game would take off, kids would be scrambling to play and become stars and fans would be queuing to get in. However it's hard to have a discussion with someone who is having a dream.
There's no players in Canada and there's no Canadian/american born investors I know of, certainly not Argylle or Wilby. There's no paying NATV deals either and by the end of this year TWP will have lost £10,000,000. But apparently this is the future? But it's just not. The TV deal was extraordinary last time due to BT's interest, but we already know the next deal is to go right back to the real world levels.

That means only enough money to sustain Superleague as a professional game to provide enough quality on the TV and as the quality player pool has shrunk we are looking at 10 clubs - because SL clubs have been discussing 10 clubs for years now. That leaves no room for any overseas clubs at all yet people persist in the idea they are the future. Whilst TWP are an empty shell containing only a big mouth, it may be worth considering that Les Catalans TV deal has been pulled altogether. When you look at their first team squad it's mainly Anglo/antipodean and so do we really kick off in 2022 with clubs allegedly from North America and France that neither provide players in any number or any TV deals at all as part of that 10 club Superleague?

Once steph and jean have picked the 10 clubs for the new Superleague deal in 2022 i.e. Les Catalans, Ottawa, Avignon, Toronto, Toulouse, Vancouver, Boston, New York, Carcassone and St, Helens, where does the English game go then??

Look on the bright side, no more god awful sky 'commentary'