Sky shelves ‘rugby’ channel

[Cheadle Leyther]

According to today’s Daily Mail Sky had plans to have a separate rugby channel to add to the ones they already have for golf, cricket, football, F1 and Grid Iron. Of course being the Mail this was

presented all as a being from a Union point of view, saying they were willing to buy up the 6 nations and Premiership. However the COVID virus caused them to pull out. 

But right at the end of the article it does mention Sky does have live rights to Superleague and N.R.L. This might mean after the virus, the idea might be revisited and with more content required, might we see all NRL matches shown and a possible exposure of weekly Championship games?

[Hela Wigmen]

Would require Sky to throw a lot of money around for the rights for RU, I’d imagine, so understandable that it’s been shelved for the time being. I’d also find it unlikely that any Rugby channel would see the Championship added either live or in a highlights package. 

[Eddie]

I’d love to see it happen (well the RL element of it anyway), but without exclusive rights to the six nations I can’t see it being worth their while (even though I’d rather watch West Wales v London Skolars). 

[Man of Kent]

Does Sky have much rugby union these days? I thought the English stuff is on BT and internationals on terrestrial or Amazon. 

I know it has Super Rugby and provincial Southern Hemisphere rugby union, and that clashes with NRL. So perhaps this is not such a bad thing. 

[adelwire]

1 hour ago, Cheadle Leyther said:

According to today’s Daily Mail Sky had plans to have a separate rugby channel to add to the ones they already have for golf, cricket, football, F1 and Grid Iron. Of course being the Mail this was

presented all as a being from a Union point of view, saying they were willing to buy up the 6 nations and Premiership. However the COVID virus caused them to pull out. 

But right at the end of the article it does mention Sky does have live rights to Superleague and N.R.L. This might mean after the virus, the idea might be revisited and with more content required, might we see all NRL matches shown and a possible exposure of weekly Championship games?

Do Sky have the rights to Championship games as well? Could BT Sport or Channel 4 or Channel 5 show RL? If you look at the Rugby Union when they do their TV deals they get coverage on all possible channels. 

[Cheadle Leyther]

1 hour ago, Hela Wigmen said:

Would require Sky to throw a lot of money around for the rights for RU, I’d imagine, so understandable that it’s been shelved for the time being. I’d also find it unlikely that any Rugby channel would see the Championship added either live or in a highlights package. 

Well they always seemed to be able to find space for several 2nd tier union matches each season.

[Tommygilf]

Current "Rugby" content on/available to Sky:

Super League

Super Rugby

Rugby Championship (Argentina/SA/Australia/All Blacks)

RU summer and autumn internationals (including Lions Tours)

RU Sevens World Series

Handful of Challenge cup games

NRL

Currie Cup/Mitre 10

RFU Championship

RFL Championship 

Current "Rugby" content not on Sky

English Premiership

European Cup/Challenge Cup RU

Challenge Cup (in the main including both Semis and Final)

Pro 14 (Welsh/Irish/Scottish/Italian Club RU)

Six Nations

RL Internationals (England or GB)

Not sure to the status of 

French domestic RU (Top 14 was on Sky up afaik)

RFL League 1

[Tommygilf]

Is there enough content there?

Possibly, though Super League and international RU in the Summer and Autumn are your leading products there and its debatable as to the value of those. That said Sky Sports Cricket isn't flooded with lots of content for example. 

[Man of Kent]

If NRL was bumped for Super Rugby and vice versa it’s just going to annoy two sets of subscribers. At the end of the day, they’re two different sports with no overwhelming crossover. 

[Tommygilf]

Just now, Man of Kent said:

If NRL was bumped for Super Rugby and vice versa it’s just going to annoy two sets of subscribers. At the end of the day, they’re two different sports with no overwhelming crossover. 

To some extent yes, though I'd argue there is enough "Rugby" viewers to watch League especially given its spectator driven focus.

And arguably Super Rugby won't exist for much longer, though that is another thread.

[M j M]

3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

If NRL was bumped for Super Rugby and vice versa it’s just going to annoy two sets of subscribers. At the end of the day, they’re two different sports with no overwhelming crossover. 

Absolutely this. You may as well bolt together ice hockey and field hockey in a hockey channel. The crossover in viewers is minimal and indeed many of the desirable time slots will clash. It makes no sense to me.

[Man of Kent]

1 minute ago, M j M said:

Absolutely this. You may as well bolt together ice hockey and field hockey in a hockey channel. The crossover in viewers is minimal and indeed many of the desirable time slots will clash. It makes no sense to me.

I was thinking tennis and table tennis, it amounts to the same.

[Rugbyleaguesupporter]

Super rugby rights up for renewal, as are all southern hemisphere rights. 

Six nations and pro 14 both end this year too 

[DoubleD]

39 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

I was thinking tennis and table tennis, it amounts to the same.

Or polo and water polo

[Futtocks]

1 hour ago, Rugbyleaguesupporter said:

Super rugby rights up for renewal, as are all southern hemisphere rights. 

Six nations and pro 14 both end this year too 

Super Rugby may be going cheap, considering the comically disastrous events of the last couple of years. Then again, it is now a much less attractive purchase for the same reasons.

[Copa]

3 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Is there enough content there?

Possibly, though Super League and international RU in the Summer and Autumn are your leading products there and its debatable as to the value of those. That said Sky Sports Cricket isn't flooded with lots of content for example. 

We have a 24/7 rugby league channel in Australia. You have more than enough product with that if it’s pumped up a bit with magazine style shows.

[The Rocket]

7 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

If NRL was bumped for Super Rugby and vice versa it’s just going to annoy two sets of subscribers. At the end of the day, they’re two different sports with no overwhelming crossover. 

 

7 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

To some extent yes, though I'd argue there is enough "Rugby" viewers to watch League especially given its spectator driven focus.

And arguably Super Rugby won't exist for much longer, though that is another thread.

I had a look at a Rugby Union forum yesterday to see whether they have  anything like this site, had to say it was very quiet compared, however one thing that did stand out was they did talk about League a fair bit, especially how their game is morphing into League and even how this may be inevitable. Very Interesting.

Have to say though I did get the impression that they are in no way as hostile to League as a spectacle as we are to union. Couple of posters actually praised NRL as a spectacle compared to English premiership rugby.

I know it is a very small sample but I tend to agree with Tommy here, and this is certainly the case in Oz, a lot more union followers may be amenable to watching League than we think , especially if they were on a dedicated Rugby channel where both were inter mixed. Could work to Leagues advantage I thought.

[Man of Kent]

17 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

 

I had a look at a Rugby Union forum yesterday to see whether they have  anything like this site, had to say it was very quiet compared, however one thing that did stand out was they did talk about League a fair bit, especially how their game is morphing into League and even how this may be inevitable. Very Interesting.

Have to say though I did get the impression that they are in no way as hostile to League as a spectacle as we are to union. Couple of posters actually praised NRL as a spectacle compared to English premiership rugby.

I know it is a very small sample but I tend to agree with Tommy here, and this is certainly the case in Oz, a lot more union followers may be amenable to watching League than we think , especially if they were on a dedicated Rugby channel where both were inter mixed. Could work to Leagues advantage I thought.

Yes, the NRL is admired by many British rugby union fans but this comes back to my main point. Ain’t gonna work, chief.

[gingerjon]

I think it shows again that Sky created an unworkable mess when they decided on their current channel naming.

[Tommygilf]

5 hours ago, Copa said:

We have a 24/7 rugby league channel in Australia. You have more than enough product with that if it’s pumped up a bit with magazine style shows.

We have a 24/7 Premier League channel, and a separate football channel, I don't think their is the demand from Sky for that in English RL

[Damien]

I think many have no interest in a rugby channel and the elements that involve the other code. Most RL fans are followers of other sports such as Football and RU would be well down that list. I daresay say that the same applies to RU fans.

[ATLANTISMAN]

I think you are right Damian (Crossover 10% at most) I think SKY dumping the Pro 14 was a silly move it was an interesting competition and the Championship is good for a crack at places like Richmond/London Scottish (If you live in London) with nothing else to do at the weekend.

Super Rugby is on the way out I cannot see it surviving all focus will be on domestic competitions.

We are better off on the main SKY channels hopefully not clashing with football so much,also I have a feeling (That will surprise many on here) that SKY showing a reasonable amount of Championship matches is back on the agenda if that happens I for one as I am sure will many others be delighted:)

 

 

 

Paul

[Taniwha Warriors]

37 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

I think you are right Damian (Crossover 10% at most) I think SKY dumping the Pro 14 was a silly move it was an interesting competition and the Championship is good for a crack at places like Richmond/London Scottish (If you live in London) with nothing else to do at the weekend.

Super Rugby is on the way out I cannot see it surviving all focus will be on domestic competitions.

We are better off on the main SKY channels hopefully not clashing with football so much,also I have a feeling (That will surprise many on here) that SKY showing a reasonable amount of Championship matches is back on the agenda if that happens I for one as I am sure will many others be delighted:)

 

 

 

Paul

Super Rugby future has already been decided down this ways. No more SA teams. NZ and Australia having their own competition with a cross border similar to the Heineken Cup. Many union fans here are happy to see SA go to Pro 14.

[unapologetic pedant]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

 

I had a look at a Rugby Union forum yesterday to see whether they have  anything like this site, had to say it was very quiet compared, however one thing that did stand out was they did talk about League a fair bit, especially how their game is morphing into League and even how this may be inevitable. Very Interesting.

Have to say though I did get the impression that they are in no way as hostile to League as a spectacle as we are to union. Couple of posters actually praised NRL as a spectacle compared to English premiership rugby.

Caution is advised on this. English RU fans and journalists have been lamenting Union`s mutation into League for over 30 years. It`s often a "disparage one, get one free" hit on League and SH Union. One phrase from the early 90s has stuck in my mind, where one writer depicted NZRU as "imitating what they most fear."

This accusation is a particular comfort for England RU in the aftermath of a hammering by the All Blacks. The content is remarkably similar to the reflections GB RL fans used to indulge in following a capitulation to the Kangaroos.

BTW, via a tortuous, lazily clicking on one thing after another method, I ended up perusing an Australian RU forum. Nothing but page after page about the decline of Rugby in each poster`s old private school. I was starting to feel sorry for them.

[whatmichaelsays]

I'd suggest that a "rugby channel" only works if "rugby" provides the content. Sky certainly isn't going to go out of it's way and start paying to send camera crews to Championship grounds just to fill some dead air. 

The Premier League channel works because the Premier League actually provides a lot of the content for it (and the fact that there is the much higher demand to justify Sky investing in the production that it does). Equally, Sky Sports Golf, F1 and NFL is pumped full of content that is produced by the PGA / European Tour, F1 and NFL. 

If rugby league wants more exposure on Sky, it needs to start producing more content. That's the game we're playing now.