FearTheVee

The release was very clear. But it was also misleading as the response from SuperLeague+ support is: "We regret to inform you that you will not be able to purchase as we do not hold the broadcast rights on the USA. We do not have any future updates what is the broadcast partner in the USA as per yet, please keep an eye on the website on the FAQs as will be updated within the next couple of weeks."

He has told them, but it isn't the registration process per-se, it's the fact it's not available in the US but there is nothing that makes that clear when people from the US try to register. He has previously asked loads of times what the rights position is in the US (used to be on Fox Soccer plus USED but they don't show it anymore) but never gets a response. No doubt this will be an issue in other jurisdictions also.

My first experience of this is my excited brother in the US heading to the link on the announcement to hand over cash for an annual pass for the "global" streaming service. To be met with an inability to sign up with no meaningful error message (just hanging at the payment screen). Then contacts them and gets the response it isn't available in the US (after first receiving misleading support messages telling him to waste time trying various other methods of registering). So that's one reasonably large market where this "global" streaming solution doesn't work.

They should ask SL not to include them on the league table too just in case anyone sees how they are doing.

Just need a competitive performance from Wigan (as a minimum) to hopefully continue the breath of life the Saints win over there has given this match. Only consistently being competitive in this game can really see it take off. Good luck to Wigan - can’t wait for the match, should be a tremendous evening.

I remember being questioned on the Wigan forum for getting annoyed about the gap between announcement of the game and tickets being on sale, wanting the biggest chance of a sell-out. There were some views that actually they should be released later in Jan/Feb when Xmas is out of the way . . . . . absolute madness. This is a case in point that you get the tickets out ASAP after the game is announced and you go all out to sell the place out. There were literally people saying to me "it's not a big deal, everyone who wants a ticket will get one" - as if the aim was NOT to sell out so that people could get a ticket easily! RL logic at its best. Our group have our tix and I'm really looking forward to a big occassion (and to hopefully annoying some wiganers in the pub whilst watching the televised saints game beforehand assuming its the Beeb pick )

Big shout to say Ritson can't be any better when he's had one season in and out and another full off-season. Personally I think there is every reason to expect him to be better than last season.

I'd be suprised if Blake didn't play centre tbh, particularly if Ritson has had a good off season. I think Hurrell will be back to first reserve but he's sure to get plenty of games anyway given Percy's record. I think it will come down to whether Ritson has had a good off-season and claims a starting spot on the wing. If so, Blake at centre. If not, Blake on wing but I can't see us playing him with Hurrell so he's be outside Percy one would expect.

I find the criticism of his ambition interesting. What is more ambitious - becoming a legend at a premier RL club like St Helens (say, James Roby) or going and playing in the NRL (say Luke Thompson)? Which one is the more respectable "ambition"? Is wandering around the lower edges of the NRL on more cash more "ambitious" than trying to build/maintain a dynasty and become a legend of the sport as a consequence? Roby never played in the NRL but you can be sure that he was respected by our NRL friends. FWIW I believe he will go to the NRL, just not quite yet. And like Farrell, Sculthorpe, Peacock, Roby, Cunningham and many more before him, we will all know that he is a special player whether he is proving how special he is here or in the NRL. I remember people being adamant that James Graham couldn't cut it in the NRL . . . .

Tomkins was a better runner of the ball (he was truly sensational before his injuries slowed him down) but Welsby is the better all round player IMO. Welsby will play in the NrL at some point I’m sure and will play against NRL players in an England shirt until then. People used to say Roby should go to the NrL to prove himself but anybody with eyes could see he was clearly better than most of his peers in that competition. Same goes for Welsby. It’s so important to have a meaningful international calendar to give players the opportunity to compete against the best without leaving these shores. That said I’m supportive of any player heading to the NRL as it is clearly the worlds premier competition.

Looking more and more like there won't be any big additions to the Saints squad. Leaves a lot riding on some fairly sketchy areas like Percival / Hurrell staying fit, Ritson kicking on with an off-seaon, Dodd regaining top form, Clark slotting in well, avoiding injuries at prop. We'll be competitive but I can see it being a tough old season and more about hanging in there than impressing.

From what I’ve seen Henry Arundell would be a sensational centre in RL

The decision to play it at ER is bad enough, but what genius came up with that Sat vs Sun schedule?! Literally NOBODY would ever decide to do those fixtures in that way. We have a team from abroad? Play them on the Sunday! The five best supported teams including the host city - play them all on the Saturday! Insanity.

That is absolutely true of you hold it in Leeds, less so if you hold it somewhere like Newcastle/Cardiff and market it. i like magic weekend but genuinely believe it would be better to scrap/pause it than devalue it by playing it in Leeds. It’s just an absolutely terrible outcome.

It's a damn site better than where Penrith played it I'd suggest.

The best place to play the game is at Wigan's ground IMO. It doesn't need to be at the Etihad (a byword for dreadful atmosphere), it will be great at Wigan. I'll be there - not cheering Wigan on, but not abusing them for once.

Good luck Wigan, hope they can get over the line.

I’ve given the RFL/Superleague stick for lack of marketing but credit where it’s due, I didn’t realise they made kids books about the play-offs and advertised them on the London Underground. Good initiative .

Francis Meli in an important game.

As pathetic as it is sad.

I haven’t yet had the courage to tell my wife that every SL game is going to be televised.

I don't understand that - they're saying that they are broadcasting on Sky platforms. We'll see but given the lip service Sky has paid the sport for years in terms of shoddy presentation and lazy marketing, I'm expecting next to nothing good from the presentation of these extra games.

Be honest - which do ytou expect given Sky's approach to RL in recent years?

In which case your idea appears to be to rebrand simply so the people of Liverpool can travel to St Helens and pretend it's a Liverpool team? As a Saints fan born in St Helens I think this idea holds more risk than benefit. You would risk watering down a well supported club which is incredibly strongly rooted in its community to pretend it represents Liverpool (which in a way it already does for those interested in RL as the club has a decent following amongst scousers). Not for me.

This idea that we can now broadcast these games far and wide tlike the NRL I suspect is not true. Won't this be like Sky have done with the Championship where you get a silent feed with no commentary, stats, decent replays etc that only a die-hard fan of one of the teams involved would watch? I'll wait to see what content is churned out before commenting on this deal but I suspect it's a bit of a kipper as far as additional exposure is concerned for all but the devoted.