You're welcome. The issue isn't your awareness though, but the op and a good deal many posters are having issues with basic geography and therefore, the map helps

I was being sarcastic by the way. I am quite au fait with a map of the UK and where top flight RL clubs are based, after all I live here and I am a fan of RL.

You could shoehorn that map into any conversation about coverage and exposure of RL to make a point, but this is one that has already been made several times. Even though we effectively a regional game at the top level, it doesn't stop me being disappointed with the BBC and how it covers the game. It was just a throw-away comment made as I was watching the TV that morning.

Occasionally you have a positive and interesting contribution to make to these boards but most of the time you just pick up on certain parts of people's posts to spout the same old tedious message.

Don't get me started on shoehorns'

Let me turn that on its head and ask you something, than gutterfax.

Do you think that if there were successful SL clubs in, say, Birmingham, Southampton, Newcastle, London (mimicking football, if you will), that TV coverage and general media interest would be transformed?

Because I don't. I think it would make depressingly little difference. In other words, the claim that the sport is too regional is largely just a convenient excuse.

First up, TV coverage is dictated by how much we want in the way of revenue for our rights and who is willing to pay for it. The "lack of TV coverage" is dictated by the selection of interested parties, or as I shall now refer to them, SKY. The BBC aren't interested, neither are ITV, or any of the other FTA channels or if they are, they aren't interested at the rate we'd expect to be paid. So we have SKY, who in addition to our million pound deal, also incur costs associated with 2 outside broadcast events a week as well as the cost of picking up the french games and who are now out #1 source of income.
SKY are a competitor of the FTA channels and therefore, the non-mention of a SKY TV Exclusive sport other than for finals and major games is to be expected. The BBC don't mention Darts when it's on SKY, other than to announce the winner of a tournament....it's the nature of how TV companies operate.
Then we have the challenge cup and Sky's reticence to show any of the games they were/are entitled to. This decision, whilst puzzling to is, is made by people who balance the books at SKY and if there were a "gain" to be had in showing CC matches, they'd show them.
Now, my convenient map

It's more than convenient, it's 100% accurate in terms of top flight Rugby of either code in the British Isles. I also have one of France.......that's pretty convenient too



There's also one of Italy, that finishes of both codes European top flight teams...2 blue and no red dots.


Now, the crux of the matter. The people who make the decisions at Media outlets, be they press, TV , Radio or Web based are generally of an "ilk" that could be described as "comfortably middle class". These people were either born to this social status or they have aspired and achieved it and they like to be able to discuss matters with their peers that they have in common. Grammar/Public School educated, University degree from a red brick and all in all a nice volvo driving gymkhana attending bunch of Tarquins and Jemima's. Other than the Red tops, their readers are also of the same "aspirant" ilk, and as such want to be associated with sports that are themselves associated with the Rolex type sponsors, the range rover tail-gate pre-match parties etc.......the exception is of course soccer, which is just too big to ignore, but in the main, they will cover the ponies, soccer, ruggah, cricket and Golf......cycling is fast becoming another "golf" and recent British Success has elevated that to a decent amount of column inches of late. Tennis is yet another sport where the top British Players are from the "middle classes".......and I do say that papers will always print what their readers want to read.

So, you're angst against the Media is actually an age old battle between the classes. Like it or not, Rugby League is considered a Northern Sport and whilst there is now lack of money in the North, it's still the North and therefore not aspirational.....especially when it comes to the readers of the Broadsheets and non red tops. You rather sweepingly declare that successful sides all over the country would make little difference, when in reality, if SL mirrored the current Premiership football geography and attendances, it would get more coverage....it doesn't.....see my convenient map!

What you fail to understand and what is often ignored is that Televisually, the BBC show the Challenge Cup final......but no Union domestic finals, no domestic soccer finals. They will fight tooth and nail for the soccer at international level, cover the 6 nations only in ruggah and they currently have international League. They showed 5 England RU games 2013 and 5 England RL games. 2014 saw all 3 England RL games covered and only 5 of England Unions 11 covered. The BBC give as much coverage to England RL as they do England RU.........that fact that more people tune into watch the Union isn't their fault....it's that aspirational class thing again!

More people watched the 2013 autumn international friendly between Ireland and New Zealand on the BBC than watched England lose to the Kiwis on the BBC the day before....I could wax lyrical about the class struggle some more if you like, but I'll give you a while to digest this fact.

You're welcome!

You might make a few more friends here if you didn't take the tone of a supercilious schoolteacher lecturing rather dense schoolboys. You're not telling me anything I (and I'm sure other posters too) don't already realise. So please, spare us your maps in future.

Selby, Rotherham and Barnsley teams all going well from that map. Not sure about Stockport though

Well off the top of my head I know that in the non heartlands South/East//Midlands/SW/SE areas we have RL teams playing in leagues at these towns & cities..
Bedford, Hitchin, Cambridge, St.Albans, Hemel Hempstead, St.Ives, King's Lynn, Milton keynes, Brentwood, Billericay, Southend, Colchester, Gillingham, Bovingdon, Southampton, Portsmouth, Brighton, Guildford, Royal Tumbridge Wells, Newham/West Ham, North london, West london, South London, Oxford, Northampton, Coventry, Nottingham, Birmingham, Derby, Leicester, Leamington Spa, Telford, Chesterfield, Swindon, Bridgewater, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Plymouth, Exeter, Torquay, Redruth, Barnstaple..

nah not that nationwide

Are you chewing gum?



WoW.....the game at the level below the top 24 has really come on leaps and bounds over the years and that's fan-friggin'-tastic, but unfortunately, in terms of the topic under discussion, MEDIA ATTENTION IN THE UK AND PARTICULARLY TV, RADIO, PRESS AND AUNTIE, then you're list is about as useful as chocolate teaspoon



Seriously, even 2nd tier soccer struggles to get noticed other than the top few who might briefly grace the premiership next season (GO BRENTFORD!).

knockersbump, GF was talking about elite pro sport. The Gaelic sports are played nationwide in the UK, doesn't mean its a national sport.

Blue dots top tier Hockey clubs, red line top tier RL clubs. Haven't been on Hockeyfans.com, but I doubt they bitch and whine about lack of press coverage!

Not sure if it was Avenger or Crusader Pete who reckoned a map of the 2nd tier clubs in both Rugby codes would paint league in a better light, but here you go anyway. Red and blue as before


Interestingly, the Broncos have featured on BBC TV more in the last few weeks than they did in the last few years........let's see if that continues.

aren't you going to have a similar map for any sport with small top tier?

Trying to keep it to team sports played on grass

Interesting that you've set a criteria which allows you to omit the 2 clubs in Wales, the club in Newcastle, Gloucester, Coventry, Oxford, the extra club in Cumbria and the 2 other clubs in London.

Interesting but transparent and not at all surprising as it blows your argument that RL is only professional along the M62 corridor.

Nope...that's the 2nd tier map you asked for......are you that desperate that you now want 3rd tier clubs to show the relevance of Rugby League to the NATIONAL MEDIA


Of the 12 RL clubs in the championship, 3 are full time. The rest are semi-professional. Below the top 24 clubs, the level of payment received by players is minimal and hardly worthy of being related to as "professional". Next you'll want me to include all the clubs in Ireland to show how widespread the game is there

Cool picture Bro,
Can you really fit that many up your ass?


Where did I ask you for a 2nd tier map?

Just those clubs who are professional and part of the RFLs league structure which has promotion and relegation between them will do thanks

Here's a tip to help you do the graphic.
Super League
Championship
Championship 1

I won't hold my breath because I know it blows your argument that professional Rugby League is only played along the M62.

You can't be semi professional, you either get paid to play or you don't. You can be part time which is what you were trying to say.

I don't give a flying one about gutterkn0b, I'm no longer interested in what that fool has to say on this forum.
as far as I'm concerned RL IS nationally played and as such should be recognised, the BBC give airtime to local RU in pretty much every regions' local news but at the same level (2nd/3rd tier etc) they barely mention RL.
The flaws are ultimately at the door of the RFL.

So is Hockey....and it's more demographically diverse than League, but has less whiney fans when it comes to demanding national coverage!

17 of the 23 English clubs in the top 2 tiers of RL play in a county that includes the word YORKSHIRE.

If it were any more local it'd be called Shinty!




Oh dear



[urlhttp://www.thefreedictionary.com/semiprofessional[/url
[urlhttp://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/semi-professional[/url

Counties in England with top 2 tier RL sides........REGIONAL?

So where's your super duper graphic showing all three of the RFLs professional leagues?

Desperate much.?

What do the different colours mean?

I wouldn't say you were desperate just a little deluded