It is reported in league Express, that several championship clubs have expressed there concern to the RFL after it has emerged that they were unaware of a deal that premier sports had agreed with the games governing body to broadcast Toronto games from there grounds in 2018. A number of clubs raised their concern about a failure to be consulted by any party.

There is also confusion at why premier are being allowed to Broadcast from there ground at no cost.
And at the fact that Sky own the rights to the Championship (though they refuse for some reason to show any games apart from summer Bash).

Does anyone at the RFL actually know what they're doing. This is basic stuff, get in touch with the clubs and sky. And come to some sort of agreement (it's not hard).
And this is who we entrust to take the game forward, or even look after the game?
God help us.

I thought these "expansion" clubs were our saviours

Surely the likes of Toronto have managed to secure big money deals with TV corporations and are willing to invest and share the wealth

Are they saying this wont happen !!!!

Well I never

Funny how none of these chairmen/clubs gave a damn last year when this was happening while Toronto played in League 1. But as soon as it hits [itheir[/i pockets it becomes a huge issue.

The selfishness and self interest within this sport continues.

RFL should have some bottle and tell them to deal with it. We need the exposure

I'm struggling to see the problem here. If there's a TV company willing to broadcast games from any RL club anywhere, why would that be a bad thing?

What's the problem?

Not sure that the TV deal itself is the issue, just lack of communication of it to the affected clubs.

I assume they are worried potential ticket sales will be lost to those who choose to stay at home and watch the game on tv instead.

Good God, are there still people in charge of our clubs who think TV coverage is a bad thing because it might deter a few dozen punters, rather than a great opportunity to attract more sponsorship and supporters in the future?

I'm struggling to imagine any other sport in which TV coverage would be seen as unwelcome!

Shhh please! If SKY hear you they may think it's fine to televise SL games for free, because we would be content with the exposure!

On this subject I am trying to find out exactly what sky are showing as I understand Premier are not showing NRL next year. I don't like sky but it may be my only option. Has anyone on here got any news please?

Yeah, the last time Premier showed Championship games the clubs really coined it in..........

The only people who will watch the game on PS are already RL fans and most Championship Clubs' sponsors will be really looking to open a new market in Canada won't they?

As Alan says it could be the future path to riches for SL too! Remember the hugely successful free exposure through the Stobart deal?

Can you imagine Championship soccer clubs not getting to vote on any TV deals let alone notr being told one had been agreed

And after the world cup shambles and the loss of the NRL deal I'd be surprised at all if there is anyone within RL circles now still subscribing to Premier Sports.

I phoned up to cancel and they halved my payments, so I get the Toronto games for like £1something per game, which I'm OK with.

The issue is the fact the rest of the championship are not getting a penny for it. Why should PS be allowed to rock up at the shay, leigh sports village, post office road and show torronto v Fax, leigh , F*V without paying a premium when this is likely to affect ticket sales.

Why are premier allowed to show Toronto and not the rest of the championship. Sky bought the rights for the championship so why are Torronto allowed to sell there rights to PS. The chmpioship rules are there all clubs should stick by them

Another way of putting it is why would a TV company be prepared to pay for Toronto's games, but aren't interested in paying for other clubs' games?

Or, to be more controversial, why should clubs which have no attraction to TV companies get to block, or sponge off, a deal made with a club which does?

There are some lessons in this, but I think some club chairmen don't want to hear those lessons.

Will it have much effect? Not sure too many fans are going to subscribe to PS if their portfolio consists only of TW games.

How many Championship clubs raised these sorts of objections to their fixtures against Crusaders being broadcast on S4C?

It is a good illustration of the "damned if you do..." aphorism, as RFL are crticised (rightly IMHO) for a TV deal giving the rights to broadcast the Championship to a company that does not intend to broadcast it; yet if they Do manage to get someone to broadcast Championship games, others complain about that.

I don't understand the "hit ticket sales" objection. Talk about glass half empty. If the commercial at the club can't make some money out of advertising at a televised fixture then they should all be sacked.

And if televising killed the numbers attending, what happened at the darts, which was broaqdcast wall to wall, yet is always packed out?

The answer is of course that it's NOT the televising, it's how the game is marketed. Darts have the great advantage of being the current home of the Hearns. If only they would switch to RL as their next interest.

Am not saying don't broadcast it but why should TW get there own deal yet we have to make do with sky who wont show anything but the summer bash and middle 8s. If premier want to show games from the championship this needs to be a deal for all teams. Why should TW not have the same rules as the rest of the Championship. I would happily have one premier sports game or sky game of the championship each week. It worked fine before and made good viewing but not the TW show evry week and the home club is going to get no money from unless all object and say no

Perhaps TW used their initiative and sorted the deal out themselves

If no equal agreement can be made, then PS can televise all Toronto's home games. Sorted

Perhaps the example that York set in actually seeking to sell the fixture (others may have done as well) and had a bigger crowd than they have had for a good number of years.

If Toronto are able to negotiate some additional TV rights because they are based in another country then there isn't much you can do about it. Catalans do the exact same thing, and as someone else mentioned the Crusaders did likewise back when they were in SL.
Don't forget that both Toronto and Catalans will have far higher travel costs than others in their leagues though, so in the end the difference might not be that much.

You're having a laugh, right ?

For any business to allow one of their competitors to send a TV company into their back yard and make money from a broadcast, whilst said club gets feck all and without seeking permission is not acceptable.

Any loss of fans would come out of the home club's pocket and Toronto stand to gain.

Stand alone TV deals for "expansion" clubs are not acceptable.
IF they were chipping in to the main pot and this was being distributed for the "greater good" then there is no issue but, this doesn't appear to be the case.

I get what you are saying about increased advertising possibilities and maybe you are right but these things should be agreed between all clubs that may be affected and shouldn't ever be any one club pleasing themselves.

Massively different for Toronto's home games, although personally, I believe that any TV revenue should be shared.