Looks like the channel will collapse any day sadly. Apparently today they have stopped taking new subscriptions. There have been suggestions to survive it may become an add on free to Sky Sports subscribers but I can't see that happening. I reckon ESPN will take the Premier League rights and the NRL could be no more this season and probably go back to Sky next season. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8090633.stm

Looks like the channel will collapse any day sadly. Apparently today they have stopped taking new subscriptions. There have been suggestions to survive it may become an add on free to Sky Sports subscribers but I can't see that happening. I reckon ESPN will take the Premier League rights and the NRL could be no more this season and probably go back to Sky next season. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8090633.stm

It would be fantastic if NRL returns to Sky.

Did Setanta outbid Sky for NRL or had Sky already dropped it in favour of National League games?

It would if they did a better job than showing the 10:30 Saturday Morning game every week (which is the worst game of the week being FOX Sports last pick). Sunday Channel 9 game delayed was ok.

Sky showed 2-3 games a week from the Union Super 14 competition this year plus a weekly round up show so something similar would be good. Just don't involve Tulsen Tollett!

Setanta outbid Sky at the time.

Would be good if SKY could get the NRL and SoO. Would mean that boots n all would be better, and show some NRL highlights like it used to.

I'm more than happy with Setanta's coverage of the NRL. They obviously use the Aussie coverage and listening to Ray Warren, Sterlo, Gus etc is far better than anything sky have/had on RL. Hope they keep it as it is if they do get it.

I would be happy to see it returned to Sky sports given I do not subscribe to Shetanta. Also it will be better to watch than straining my eyes on some internet stream.

If it went back to Sky they would bring back their own studio presentation. They do it for every sport they cover. For that reason Sky still wouldn't be able to guarantee widescreen coverage every week. They only have so many widescreen studios so quite often when they show overseas test cricket from Australia or South Africa it can be in widescreen one day and the old 4:3 format the next!

Also, from a personal point of view, I'd like Setanta to survive and retain the NRL. Setanta is included in the XL TV package on Virgin.

Setanta are rubbish. However, it will not bother me if it disappears off the tele and Sky pick up the pieces.

My computer is more useful than my tele when it comes to rugby anyway, especially NRL.

I really don't see peoples issues surrounding Setanta's coverage of any sport. The AFL has good coverage, the NRL has good coverage, UFC has good coverage, all with their native presenters. The only issue I have is how much weight Steve McManaman has put on. He's got a big moon face now.

does that mean they will get rid od all of the other stanta channles like liverpool/celtic/nal/rangers man utd tv

Well, if you have Setanta on Freeview you sometimes get NRL games, but not the ones before 12pm..

You sometimes get the full 1hr 45 mins of the Footy show, but sometimes you don't depending on what 'international tournament that was on last week' is being shown..

And you pay anywhere between £6 per month and £12 per month for the privilege.

If you fancy that you don't want it, you might as well not bother because they don't bother listening.

We have it bundled with BT now though, so couldn't give one either way if it disappears.

Please please keep the footy show on the air!! I need the fatman in my life!!

Agreed. UFC, NRL and Poker are miles better than pretty much anything that comes on Sky Sports.

I've got that.

Yes, I'd forgotten about The Footy Show.

As a Setanta and Sky HD subscriber the biggest problem I have with Setanta is the picture quality - its absolute house. Even if you compare it to non HD stuff its still very poor in comparison to normal Sky.

Unbelievable.

How anyone can argue that Sky presenters did a good job of the NRL coverage is beyond me.

Not only that but you can all say bye bye to The Footy Show if Sky take NRL responsibility, so long as Channel 9 don't do that first.

Personally I'd like to see Setanta survive for the sake of the Scottish clubs, who are already on the brink.

like that makes a difference to you!!!

No surely people's personal viewing is more important than that.

Sky Sports was aweful at covering the NRL, setanta is great for it. Watching the SOO game last week was brilliant, some of the camera shots were awesome and the commentary and analysis was not bad.

Sky or Sentanta simply buy the rights to the NRL or SofO games. The camera angles etc do not change as it will be the same Aussie channel shooting the coverage. i.e channel 9.

Often this can be re-packaged with UK commentators but the camera angles etc won't change.

Now that I've got V+ it does.

Now the TV in the other room....


well that's a different story.

I didn't mention that it was setanta doing the camera angles, it just came to me that they were very good as that was the last time I watched setanta, I see the confusion though.