Sky Sports - New TV Deal (Merged Threads)

[sweaty craiq]

If there was no BT. I wonder would SKY be showing games outside SL?

 

If there was no ale would we all drink wine?

[sweaty craiq]

Mr M Sadler will be gutted.

[Amber Avenger]

If there was no SKY, would we still be playing the floodlit trophy on the BBC every week?

[Blind side johnny]

Surely not? People have posted numerous times on here that sky have no interest in the Championship.

 

 

Yes that's right. Such claims were based upon Sky stating that they no longer had any interest in the Championship when they dropped their coverage in 2012.

 

An interesting twist, which might just be sloppy reporting, is that the news is of a new deal between SL and Sky, not the RFL and Sky. What might be the implications of this?

[gingerjon]

Yeah, wishful thinking i guess. Apparently discussions over TV contract were only with SKY, no others spoken to (according to the wonderful world of twitter).

 

Instigated by Sky, one would imagine, so they could lock in as many sports as possible without BT getting involved.  (Although, who knows, twitter may be wrong!)

 

Until we actually see how much it's worth there is very little way of judging if this is a good deal or not.

[John Drake]

There is already a thread on this.... :-)

 

Two threads now merged.

[roughyedspud]

fantastic news.....now lets talk money...

its gotta be upwards of £150-160m hasn't it???

[dkgfd]

Not sure I'm happy about the order of the press release on skysports. We're second after the British and Irish Lions RU tour in 2017!

 

I have seen some of BT sports and I must admit I'm pretty jealous about how they promote their club rugby union. I can never see Sky doing anything like that. As another poster said, a quality magazine show is essential.

[gingerjon]

Yes that's right. Such claims were based upon Sky stating that they no longer had any interest in the Championship when they dropped their coverage in 2012.

 

An interesting twist, which might just be sloppy reporting, is that the news is of a new deal between SL and Sky, not the RFL and Sky. What might be the implications of this?

 

It's clearly stated by the RFL and Sky so let's assume they know who the deal is between.

 

I guess it leaves the door open for Championship 1 clubs (remember them?) to be nice to Premier Sports - and for the Super League shareholders to agree how to distribute the money.

[Ponterover]

Brilliant news

 

Parky and his band of doom mongers will be crying in their chips today, Sky are showing 2nd tier rugby, appear to have strongly backed the new structure and even appear to be paying for the privilege.

 

The new structure bringing financial beneits, who would have thunk it?

 

Well done RFL

[Dave T]

Not sure I'm happy about the order of the press release on skysports. We're second after the British and Irish Lions RU tour in 2017!

 

I have seen some of BT sports and I must admit I'm pretty jealous about how they promote their club rugby union. I can never see Sky doing anything like that. As another poster said, a quality magazine show is essential.

When we can command viewing figures anything like the Lions tours then we have grounds to complain. 

 

That said, it wouldn't be unexpected to have club RU mentioned ahead of SL either.

[The Parksider]

You would hope there had been a significant increase from the current deal to forego a potential bid by BT and Premier Sports.

 

Of course. IIRC the RFL see SKY as a preferred TV partner and value their relationship, for whatever reasons I don't fully know. There was interest from BT apparently and I suspect preliminary talks were such that BT were unlikely to enter a bidding war and the RFL unlikely to use BT against a broadcaster who has backed the game for 17 years.

 

SKY's backing for the game has at times being financially short of what it should be, but equally the RFL's development of the TV product has been woeful with the game failing to expand into new places.

 

That the contract may increase is IMVHO not evidence that SKY back the changes to the restructure, merely evidence that they want to continue with RL and need to up the money as another party was interested.

 

I await the increase. I doubt it'll be that much. If it is massive then I'd accept they rate the downgrading of clubs in the new structure and welcome showing lower standard games.

[dkgfd]

I accept that the Lions viewing figures are large. If the Lions series was this year then again I might think ok. But is 5 years of superleague less worthy than 1 test series 3 years away? Mind you, if they are paying us loads of money then this is a minor complaint!

[gingerjon]

Chuckles is tweeting that it's over £200m.

[Heritage XIII]

Latest tweet from Irvine says deal worth over  200 million pounds!

[JohnM]

Things are looking up on the forum, for  it took until post #18 ( is that a record?) for someone to have a go:  "it looks a very dicey decision...etc etc etc.."

[Gruff]

Latest tweet from Irvine says deal worth over  200 million pounds!

 Wow - that's nearly double what we get at the moment for Superleague.

 

£40m per year - extraordinary.

 

Well done RFL

[gingerjon]

I remain to be convinced that the move to 3x8 had much to do with this but I think it shows the value of a more competitive upper tier.  The numbers in it have gone down but Sky have committed to show considerably more games from it - they must be envisaging a lot more blockbuster games through the season.

 

It is excellent that the Championship is included.  It would be ridiculous to have the lower tier on one channel, the upper tier on the other and then some kind of hodge podge come play off time.

 

If my maths is right then Sky are committing to 20 Championship games per season which is less than Premier currently show (I believe).  I would imagine the majority of those games will be in the play offs.

 

And if the £200m is right then it looks like a very good deal.

[MrPosh]

Things are looking up on the forum, for  it took until post #18 ( is that a record?) for someone to have a go:  "it looks a very dicey decision...etc etc etc.."

 

Not really. Plenty of the usual suspects have been on to spout their bile and claim some kind of hollow victory.

[Terry Mullaney]

No, it's got nothing to do with the restructuring of the game, here's the evidence...

“Throughout our negotiations it was clear that Sky were genuinely excited by the league structures that we are putting in place from 2015 onwards.

“Whilst the new contract does not come into effect until 2017, it allows for the return of live Championship action to Sky Sports from next year which will complement their first class coverage of the First Utility Super League and capture the thrills and drama of new-look competitions where every match matters.

“Following on from the success of Rugby League World Cup 2013, the forging of significant commercial partnerships around the First Utility Super League and the decision by the clubs to embrace the new league structures, this is another momentous day for the sport.

“This really is a fantastic time to be a Rugby League supporter.”

Sky Sports Managing Director Barney Francis said: “This new deal is great news for Sky Sports and our customers, who will enjoy at least eight more years of live Rugby League and an exciting new structure for the sport in the UK.

“This new deal will take Sky’s partnership with the RFL to 30 years, 26 of those between Sky Sports and Super League. Now, at the dawn of an exciting new era for Rugby League, we’re thrilled that the premier competition in the UK will continue to be available only on Sky Sports until at least 2021.

[Gruff]

Current Deal is £22.5m per year over 14 teams - £1.61m each

 

New Deal of £40m over 24 teams - £1.66m each.

 

This is actual a gamechanger for RL.  I know it won't be split equally, but it goes to show the value of it.

 

This could give each of the 12 SL teams £2m each - an additional £400k per year, the 12 Championship teams £1m each and still have £4m quid a year for parachute payments, prize funds etc...

[The Parksider]

Brilliant news

 

Parky and his band of doom mongers will be crying in their chips today,

 

The new structure bringing financial beneits, who would have thunk it?

 

Well done RFL

 

So you have read the press release then?

 

“Throughout our negotiations it was clear that Sky were genuinely excited by the league structures that we are putting in place from 2015 onwards".

 

Wood is always going to say this, and it's said in the face of a one vote victory in which half the Superleague chairmen were not genuinely excited, as aren't many coaches and fans.

 

If were going to debate RL based on press releases equally based on agendas like Wood saving his skin, then we are into fantasy RL.

 

Oh hang on we already are half the time.

 

Now back to the real world. You tell me that without the interest from other broadcasters SKY would have made the increase solely on the re-structure.

 

Go on Ponte put your serious unbiased hat on. You have done it before!

[gingerjon]

No, it's got nothing to do with the restructuring of the game, here's the evidence...

“Throughout our negotiations it was clear that Sky were genuinely excited by the league structures that we are putting in place from 2015 onwards.

“Whilst the new contract does not come into effect until 2017, it allows for the return of live Championship action to Sky Sports from next year which will complement their first class coverage of the First Utility Super League and capture the thrills and drama of new-look competitions where every match matters.

“Following on from the success of Rugby League World Cup 2013, the forging of significant commercial partnerships around the First Utility Super League and the decision by the clubs to embrace the new league structures, this is another momentous day for the sport.

“This really is a fantastic time to be a Rugby League supporter.”

Sky Sports Managing Director Barney Francis said: “This new deal is great news for Sky Sports and our customers, who will enjoy at least eight more years of live Rugby League and an exciting new structure for the sport in the UK.

“This new deal will take Sky’s partnership with the RFL to 30 years, 26 of those between Sky Sports and Super League. Now, at the dawn of an exciting new era for Rugby League, we’re thrilled that the premier competition in the UK will continue to be available only on Sky Sports until at least 2021.

 

I always use press releases as evidence.

[nadera78]

Things are looking up on the forum, for  it took until post #18 ( is that a record?) for someone to have a go:  "it looks a very dicey decision...etc etc etc.."

Actually, what I said was that it depended entirely on the value of the deal. But carry on.

[The 4 of Us]

Latest tweet from Irvine says deal worth over 200 million pounds!

Excuse me swearing. FM. That made me smile.