How about Eurosport.

id rather it went to sky than Eurosport

Absolutely. I never tire of talking to people about rugby league, and I always feel proud as punch when people from, say, the south tell me how much they love watching RL and that it's exciting to watch.

But I always feel let down when they tell me that they hardly ever see it - and that is down to the game not being in front of their noses.

I always wonder - although it will never happen - if RL and football had equal press and TV coverage, which sport would be the one of choice? Being a football fan is like being a Westlife fan - often, it comes about due to them not even being aware of an alternative.

WHAT? No one watches it!!!

All this means is that sky & other pay per view channels can also bid for the rights.

If the BBC still want it and they offer an agreeable amount of money they will still keep it

Would be interesting if the cup moved to channel 4 or 5. Don't believe that they would get the same audience but they did ok with the ashes the last time they had them. 2 live games a week plus also a weekly magazine/highlights program in the contract, now that would be a good thing for the sport on national tv

how have you jumped to that conclusion from the fact that the CC Final is no longer on the list??????

sponsorhip of the cup is gash anyway.....Leeds Polytechnic sponsoring the "crown jewel" competition is laughable.

Can you imagine the "FA Cup sponsored by Bolton College"

I'm not in the position to complain, because I don't pay the licence fee.

Give it Sky i say

BBC is embarressing viewing

It doesnt mean it won't be on the BBC, it just means the RFL can take it away if they wish.

They will be f*ckin insane if they do, hopefully getting some 4 nations on the Beeb was a sign they still want to show RL.

Think a lot of you have got the wrong end of the stick with this ruling.

All the decision means is that the final doesn't have to be Live on Free to Air like has been in the past.

The Challenge Cup will remain on the BBC. Sky won't bid for it - no chance of that! No else will go for it either. Setanta maybe if they were still around but it just isn't an asset for a pay tv company.

Still doesnt make sense though, by the way it sounds BBC will still show all of the early rounds. If a non RL fan watches the earlier rounds and enjoys watching it, then finds out the final is either on Sky/ESPN, then if they dont already have it, I doubt they will pay extra to watch it.

Again you've got the wrong end of the stick. The final was protected so it HAD to be on free to air. All being removed from that list means it doesn't have to be but can be if the rights are sold to a free broadcaster, which they are and will continue to do so.

But if someone comes along and buys the rights to show the games it wont be on the BBC?

Well it's more of an asset to a pay tv operator than it was because under the old rule they wouldn't have had the final exclusively.

But a pay tv operator won't go near the cup. Particularly Sky. It would be of zero benefit to them. It just isn't a good enough competition.

ESPN seem happy with football and american sports. The FA Cup rights are up for grabs but they are no biting at that and neither are Sky.

the Challenge Cup Final is no longer on the protected list meaning that it can be on pay TV. The early rounds have never been on the protected list - which means taht the BBC [iwants[/i to broadcast them.

The BBC are under no obligation to show [iany[/i of the games - even though the final is on the "list" doesnt mean that they have to broadcast it.

They bid for the competition as a whole because they see it as adding value to their portfolio of sports, and I see no reason why this would change in the future.

The BBC dislike RL anyway.

The sports headlines on the saturday evening BBC news last week spoke of the defeats of England and Wales Rah Rah teams, and showed some crappy footage of penalties and kicks. This item was the first on the report.

At the end of the sports news it "mentioned" the England RL win over New Zealand, and didn't show any of the game or interview anyone.

Now if the Rah Rah team had gone into a game as underdogs and beaten the World Champions, they would have had it plastered all over the telly.

Just remember the BBC Sports Team of the year (a few years ago and I cant recall the exact year) - they gave it to ENgland RU, when the Wigan team had swept all all before them - fix? I think so.

I don't know the answer though. I like many others love RL but can't afford Sky Sports, so I'd prefer it to be on a free channel. What is most important is that it goes to a TV company that will show it to a large audience, and can do it better than the BBC.

I'm concerned that once off the BBC, a sponsor will be hard to find.

Ok well aslong as it stays on the BBC then I'll be happy

Obsessed - it's gone. Let it go man!

It's not gone, it's still alive. I just have to move to Ireland, the Carribean or Australia.

Can you show me where it say that the Challenge Cup will not be on the BBC next year because I cannot see it

Might be worth changing the title. How about "Very remote chance of the CC final not being on the BBC"

I have changed the title using far less effort than that!

England v Argentina
BBC Radio 5 Live 14:30
Live rugby union Test commentary on England v Argentina at Twickenham. Plus regular updates on Scotland v Fiji.
Wales v Scotland
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra 15:00
International football friendly commentary on Wales v Scotland.
England v Brazil
BBC Radio 5 Live 17:00
Uninterrupted commentary from Doha on the international friendly between England and Brazil.
England v Australia
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra 19:30
Uninterrupted rugby league commentary as England face Australia in the final of the Four Nations tournament. Coverage starts at 19:15.

Just heard the advert for this Saturday's sport on Radio 5 and 5Live extra. Guess which of the four games above wasn't mentioned. Would it have been so difficult to have tagged the 4 Nations final on to the end of the ad?