Channel 4 to broadcast the Championship?

[Dave T]

3 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

That that is often how rugby league presents itself. That it often looks inwards and backwards rather than outwards and forwards

That very often it presents the rugby league story as pretty one dimensional. Local boy from former pit town done good. That it is very often a sepia toned look at a north that doesnt exist anymore if it ever did. 

We have much bigger and more interesting stories to tell and presenting the game as pit towns, brass bands and terrace chimneys isnt necessary or good. Not all the stories the game has to tell need to be written like a john  Godber play

You also need to make a choice here, are people making the argument that we play up that aspect of the game as you suggest in this post, or is it an argument nobody has made as you suggest in the other? I really dont care because my view wasnt in opposition to others views but in opposition to what the game does now. Some consistency wouldnt go amiss though.

Additionally to hide behind a pathetic idea that any criticism is just  blanket disparagement of the lower leagues is cowardly. It's also wrong considering i applied it to the game as a whole, and the post was a positive suggestion of the great unique and interesting things the game can easily play up 

I just dont see this negativity that you do, apart from in Rugby AM which I dislike.

I see the game portraying itself as a game which tackles community and social issues, leads the way on mental health, mental and physical disability sport - focuses on community links whilst looking at the international influences I.e. the links with Fiji and Rochdale during the WC etc. I see a game that has welcomed Catalans, grown its World Cup massively, seen TWP enter the ranks, hopefully the first of many NA teams, was one of the first to try and modernise via SL, and so on.

I just dont see any real play on the brass bands thing in the slightest. That is the stuff we used to criticise tge BBC for and they havent been about that for probably 15 years. Sky have never really been about that.

I'm not sure where you are getting your fix of RL coverage and stories, because it is nothing like I am seeing.

[Dave T]

In fact, a quick look at the official site of the Champ and L1 (ignoring normal matchday stuff) has the following features:

1. Oldham hosting a Junior Takeover Day

2. Keighley with their Pride shirt and hosting a Pride day match

3. A feature on Greek RL (hosted in the C/L1 section of the site)

4. Bumper OurLeague broadcasting schedule, with womens and junior RL alongside mends adult games.

5. Chernobyl children attending their first game.

6. Jo Cox memorial game at Batley.

There is an issue of there not being enough of the above, but there is some interesting and modern stuff there. Not the old fashioned portrayal that some people will have us believe.

[RP London]

30 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

That that is often how rugby league presents itself. That it often looks inwards and backwards rather than outwards and forwards

That very often it presents the rugby league story as pretty one dimensional. Local boy from former pit town done good. That it is very often a sepia toned look at a north that doesnt exist anymore if it ever did. 

We have much bigger and more interesting stories to tell and presenting the game as pit towns, brass bands and terrace chimneys isnt necessary or good. Not all the stories the game has to tell need to be written like a john  Godber play

 

I admit that RL has done this in the  past but I very much do NOT recognise this now.

On both Sky and the BBC we see podcasts, tv segments in the shows and so on about massively positive things about race, gender, sexuality, disability and interesting segments on interesting players and their backgrounds all the time.. I dont recognise what you are saying about how RL is portrayed by its own shows at all anymore.

[Damien]

28 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

There is plenty and more importantly there is a lack of the other things. 

And I agree with the positives you highlight, my point was that the game accentuates these things too little. 

The challenge cup final is the biggest reaching event every year. What does it put on. A brass band and a hymn. 

As does the FA Cup final. Moving with the times and catering to all tastes does not mean the game has to abandon all traditions and abandon all the things that many people actually enjoy. They are not mutually exclusive. The Grand Final is the polar opposite to the Challenge Cup final and is far removed from any Rugby League stereotype. 

[Manx RL]

[ojx]

A Championship game on C4 can't be any worse for the sport than the SL game I'm watching right now.

[Smudger06]

Jeeez 

What's all this about fly on the wall, behind the scenes...

What we are looking at is live RL games on Freesat & Freeview platforms; where team sports are sorely missing......

[Smudger06]

 

33 minutes ago, SL17 said:

Terrestrial. How many homes in the UK have a aerial on the roof?

The vast majority. 

 

[roughyedspud]

15 minutes ago, SL17 said:

 Championship RL will become the product.

Can't be having that now....

[The Parksider]

19 hours ago, Konkrete said:

What is crystal clear is that the sub SL clubs must act in the face of the Sky money being removed.  That might be a guaranteed revenue stream from a broadcaster with the highest bid, or it might be better to take a a lower bid in order to access free to air delivery 

In terms of content to attract new viewers then what you want is excitement, controversy, violence and skill.  The Championship and League One have all those elements in abundance.  The games are excellent viewing.

And just look at the potential spread.... herritage sides, plus North American, French and Welsh ones.  You've also got London in there as well as Newcastle, Coventry and York.  Maybe even Leeds.  That's a pretty good starting point for doing something fresh and attractive to both advertisers and viewers across a very broad spectrum.

Not "crystal clear" at all mate. Any such "starting point" coming in next season will be very close to it's own finishing point when the SKY deal runs out after that.

I don't think you can look at these things in isolation, and assume this current Championship set up of 25 clubs will just run and run as it is. Superleague have already tried to take control of eight championship clubs so as to be able to form an SL1 and an SL2. of 10 clubs each. Bulls boss Chalmers tried to stop this and did so with a vote against it from the championship clubs who were scared they'd be one of the seventeen clubs to be cut adrift. 

But Superleague have now come back with the idea that any future Superleague club must run an "A" team, and run it properly - no joint "A" teams, no random fixtures, full set of home and away fixtures. Most SL clubs have simply committed to this but it's very important to note a good number of Championship clubs wanting in, and committing reserves themselves. Newcastle are said to be keen to align with Superleague, no doubt Toulouse will run reserves as well, Halifax are in, and Bradford and Widnes have to be in or as I understand it they lose their academy funding.

Add to that say Leigh, York and Featherstone and surprise surprise you have 20 clubs running Reserves in a superleague led system to meet the criteria Superleague have set for entry to their competition. I'm not dreaming up a "conspiracy theory" I'm merely pointing out how Elstone and the SL club chairman many of whom could not give a fig about "Reserves" have suddenly got enough clubs in their camp to resurrect the 2x10 idea. Add to that the way this requirement stuffs Toronto and Ottawa as future SL clubs (whom Superleague do not want) and it all makes a rather brilliant move on their part to put an end to the Championship opposition and the failed American dream.

Smart work, and a great political coup d'etat.

Apologies if this dismisses your idea of a league providing "fresh and exciting excellent viewing" But Superleague will in no way allow their SKY paymasters to be compromised by the production of an alternative English Rugby League competition to compete for viewers with SKY. This smart move retains exclusivity for SKY and breaks in half Chalmers support group "tail" that had the cheek to wag the dog over SL1 & SL2.......Run that vote again and  SL will have it in the bag.

[Gooleboy]

Their is no way those selfish SL Chairmen and their head honcho will allow Championship RL to be on terrestrial TV while they are stuck on Sky, because the Championship would be more available to the masses.

[Smudger06]

Parksider has a point, FTA would immediately get triple the viewing figures RL behind a Pay wall currently gets, SL Chairmen & Sky cannot let that can of worms be opened! 

[Dave T]

25 minutes ago, Gooleboy said:

Their is no way those selfish SL Chairmen and their head honcho will allow Championship RL to be on terrestrial TV while they are stuck on Sky, because the Championship would be more available to the masses.

And what exactly would/could they do about it? Literally nothing.

I'm not sure why some Champ fans are being so aggressive about this - isn't it meant to be SL fans and clubs who don't care about anything other than their own part of the game?

But there are two interesting comparisons to make for those people who claim that the lower divisions suddenly become the top dog because of higher viewing figs.

1 - Darts - The BBC comp didn't win out with its higher figures.

2 - Rugby League itself - the Championship has previously had highlights on terrestrial TV around the playoffs and Grand Final in particular. 

Another thing to consider is that SL has terrestrial coverage in the form of SL Show highlights and playoff and GF coverage on the BBC in prime weekend daytime slots.

The Championships getting a decent TV deal would be good for all of the game, I'm not sure why this has become an us v them argument.

[Smudger06]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

And what exactly would/could they do about it? Literally nothing.

I'm not sure why some Champ fans are being so aggressive about this - isn't it meant to be SL fans and clubs who don't care about anything other than their own part of the game?

But there are two interesting comparisons to make for those people who claim that the lower divisions suddenly become the top dog because of higher viewing figs.

1 - Darts - The BBC comp didn't win out with its higher figures.

2 - Rugby League itself - the Championship has previously had highlights on terrestrial TV around the playoffs and Grand Final in particular. 

Another thing to consider is that SL has terrestrial coverage in the form of SL Show highlights and playoff and GF coverage on the BBC in prime weekend daytime slots.

The Championships getting a decent TV deal would be good for all of the game, I'm not sure why this has become an us v them argument.

It's good for the game because Sky could now be forced to pay more to maintain exclusivity, SL & Championship Clubs could all get more than currently and Sky have demonstrated their tolerance of championship games not broadcast by them been streamed live on ouRLeague which is good going forward.

Or should Sky not be forthcoming, as you say a decent FTA deal for the Championship it is then.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Watched RL Backchat last night and one of the panel, whose name escapes me (he’s the editor of Forty20), said let’s be honest, it costs far too much (he quoted a figure, I can’t remember what it was) to screen a live game each week for Channel 4 and I think he probably has a point there, so it seems unlikely for live RL to be screened on “normal” TV. 

[Smudger06]

1 minute ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Watched RL Backchat last night and one of the panel, whose name escapes me (he’s the editor of Forty20), said let’s be honest, it costs far too much (he quoted a figure, I can’t remember what it was) to screen a live game each week for Channel 4 and I think he probably has a point there, so it seems unlikely for live RL to be screened on “normal” TV. 

30 second adverts would be slotted in between the linesmens flags after conversion and the restart for every try, delaying the restart by 5 to 10 seconds each time. Channel Four Broadcasting Corporation has the resources regardless. 

[Dave T]

13 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Watched RL Backchat last night and one of the panel, whose name escapes me (he’s the editor of Forty20), said let’s be honest, it costs far too much (he quoted a figure, I can’t remember what it was) to screen a live game each week for Channel 4 and I think he probably has a point there, so it seems unlikely for live RL to be screened on “normal” TV. 

We have seen that an RL game can be put on with far lower production values than Sky provide, but still looks pretty good. Some of the Toronto games are an example of this. 

[Smudger06]

I'm swaying towards the 2 x 10 SL & 4 x 4 group stage CC as the way forward come the next broadcast deal to be honest. CC Preliminary Round(s) for SL2. 

[Damien]

1 hour ago, Gooleboy said:

Their is no way those selfish SL Chairmen and their head honcho will allow Championship RL to be on terrestrial TV while they are stuck on Sky, because the Championship would be more available to the masses.

Why would they care? They will be counting their Sky millions. Also do you seriously think terrestrial TV are choosing to show the Championship, if it happens, instead of Super League? If they are doing so it's because they can't afford Super League and the Championship is cheap/free. 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

33 minutes ago, Dave T said:

We have seen that an RL game can be put on with far lower production values than Sky provide, but still looks pretty good. Some of the Toronto games are an example of this. 

I’m not sure what he was basing his figures on (whether it was the lower cost of Toronto games or a standard SL game) but he didn’t seem confident it would be live games. 

 

[Dave T]

33 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

I’m not sure what he was basing his figures on (whether it was the lower cost of Toronto games or a standard SL game) but he didn’t seem confident it would be live games. 

 

It wouldn't surprise me, and tbh, it doesn't need to be. 

I'd be very surprised if channels are suddenly very interested in investing money in covering the comp (although I would love to be wrong). I wouldn't be surprised if a channel would be happy to sign a deal allowing OurLeague to show games, and them to take a highlights show and maybe playoffs, Summer Bash and GF - that the RFL may assist in producing. 

That said, Premier managed to afford to cover these games, there is no reason to suggest C4 couldn't afford it, I suppose it is whether they want to spend that money, which brings us back to the last paragraph.

[Konkrete]

3 hours ago, The Parksider said:

Not "crystal clear" at all mate. Any such "starting point" coming in next season will be very close to it's own finishing point when the SKY deal runs out after that.

I don't think you can look at these things in isolation, and assume this current Championship set up of 25 clubs will just run and run as it is. Superleague have already tried to take control of eight championship clubs so as to be able to form an SL1 and an SL2. of 10 clubs each. Bulls boss Chalmers tried to stop this and did so with a vote against it from the championship clubs who were scared they'd be one of the seventeen clubs to be cut adrift. 

But Superleague have now come back with the idea that any future Superleague club must run an "A" team, and run it properly - no joint "A" teams, no random fixtures, full set of home and away fixtures. Most SL clubs have simply committed to this but it's very important to note a good number of Championship clubs wanting in, and committing reserves themselves. Newcastle are said to be keen to align with Superleague, no doubt Toulouse will run reserves as well, Halifax are in, and Bradford and Widnes have to be in or as I understand it they lose their academy funding.

Add to that say Leigh, York and Featherstone and surprise surprise you have 20 clubs running Reserves in a superleague led system to meet the criteria Superleague have set for entry to their competition. I'm not dreaming up a "conspiracy theory" I'm merely pointing out how Elstone and the SL club chairman many of whom could not give a fig about "Reserves" have suddenly got enough clubs in their camp to resurrect the 2x10 idea. Add to that the way this requirement stuffs Toronto and Ottawa as future SL clubs (whom Superleague do not want) and it all makes a rather brilliant move on their part to put an end to the Championship opposition and the failed American dream.

Smart work, and a great political coup d'etat.

Apologies if this dismisses your idea of a league providing "fresh and exciting excellent viewing" But Superleague will in no way allow their SKY paymasters to be compromised by the production of an alternative English Rugby League competition to compete for viewers with SKY. This smart move retains exclusivity for SKY and breaks in half Chalmers support group "tail" that had the cheek to wag the dog over SL1 & SL2.......Run that vote again and  SL will have it in the bag.

Sorry, but it is absolutely crystal clear I'm afraid.  If the Championship and League 1 clubs are faced with the possibility of having all their TV funding removed in the very near future then they must act now and prepare.  That is what they're doing by exploring broadcast opportunities.  That is the reality. That is exactly what is happening now in the real world, mate.

[Clogiron]

3 hours ago, Konkrete said:

Sorry, but it is absolutely crystal clear I'm afraid.  If the Championship and League 1 clubs are faced with the possibility of having all their TV funding removed in the very near future then they must act now and prepare.  That is what they're doing by exploring broadcast opportunities.  That is the reality. That is exactly what is happening now in the real world, mate.

It's your own fault for mentioning the T or N.A words

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Part of me would quite like us to do something different. Live sport is everywhere these days and I’m not sure we’d suddenly gain a range of new followers based solely off a live game each week. I would quite like to see a “fly on the wall” type dock-series from pre-season all the way through the year, a bit like the NFL Hard Knocks series. 

[Dave T]

53 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Part of me would quite like us to do something different. Live sport is everywhere these days and I’m not sure we’d suddenly gain a range of new followers based solely off a live game each week. I would quite like to see a “fly on the wall” type dock-series from pre-season all the way through the year, a bit like the NFL Hard Knocks series. 

Are you kidding? See page 1, suggested similar, doing an access all areas kind of thing and got accused of being patronising!!!