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7 minutes ago, Damien said:

Prove itself indicates that Sky wants changes and wants to be offered more and something different. RL has had 30 years to prove itself to Sky as is so I don't think prove itself is just more of the same.

I think cutting wages, the salary cap and narrowing the geographical footprint of SL will help immensely in luring big bucks from Sky. 

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31 minutes ago, Scubby said:

I think cutting wages, the salary cap and narrowing the geographical footprint of SL will help immensely in luring big bucks from Sky. 

Cutting wages is a Covid fallout out really, lots of major sports have done it, but I completely agree the ongoing salary cap restrictions and the current anti-expansion mindset will not have pleased Sky.

What's positive here is that Sky clearly do want to keep RL and will pay big money if we give them fair value.

2021 is a recovery year, SL needs to firstly put an end to the PR disasters of 2020 it has brought on itself, and then show it is putting positive plans in place for 2022.

SL are going to have to work very closely with Sky on those plans. Licencing may well rear its head again.

It's going to be another fascinating year on and off the pitch that's for sure.

The Championship news is great, looks like I'll be watching a lot of OurLeague in 2021.

 

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It’s hard to prove ourselves when you look at the Sky team, which I assume is a Sky issue rather than a Rugby League issue. As much as we have things to prove, we need them to work with us to change the face of the sport because the punditry and commentary teams are shocking. With the likes of Barrie and Terry and a commentary team that fills you with little enthusiasm, it’s going to be hard to look much better, regardless of what clubs do on and off the pitch. 

Branding is a big issue, it would seem. Wigan, Salford and Huddersfield have released new branding with Hull KR looking into their own branding, so it’s safe to assume that’s one indicator to be monitored. 

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" prove yourself " in Sky - Talk simply means ratings,  it's that simple,  that's what any tv company wants. Ratings may have increased lately but clearly not enough to satisfy Sky. With the WC this year they want to see if there's a ratings bounce in 2022. If there is then great,  but if not , if ratings stay static then 2023 might see difficult negotiations with Sky. 

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Without getting too defensive, I am not keen on the idea that Sky feels Rugby League has to prove itself.

I am a long time subscriber to Sky Sports and one constant throughout that time is the relative lack of exposure Sky gives Rugby League when previewing its coming sports coverage.  Even in January when the new Super League season is just around the corner, Sky would be showcasing 5 or 6 sports to watch out for in the coming months and Rugby League doesn't get a mention.

I don't know where Sky rating for Super League sit alongside other sports but I would image that it forms a decent part of the portfolio.  With the introduction of BT sports and now the likes of Amazon coming into the sports broadcasting market, as well as the potential for self created and streamed content from the sports governing bodies, I would would suggest it feels more like a sellers market than a buyers market.

Sky have to realise that it is not easy to find a professional sport that will give you two or three quality games a week (or more if they wanted it) to a core and loyal fan base.  I suspect that they do see this as they will understand their product portfolio well enough and I also suspect that they value the RL ratings they get more than they let on. 

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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RL desperately needs another player interested in showing the sport to force Sky into upping their game, both in terms of price and coverage. Every time TV rights are up rumours start on here about BT but I have never seen anything remotely approaching a concrete offer from them. Until then it is always very much a buyers market and RL is faced with a like or lump it scenario.

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12 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Without getting too defensive, I am not keen on the idea that Sky feels Rugby League has to prove itself.

I am a long time subscriber to Sky Sports and one constant throughout that time is the relative lack of exposure Sky gives Rugby League when previewing its coming sports coverage.  Even in January when the new Super League season is just around the corner, Sky would be showcasing 5 or 6 sports to watch out for in the coming months and Rugby League doesn't get a mention.

I have also noticed that advert for their upcoming 2021 sports coverage, with no mention of rugby league.  It does make you wonder how Sky actually see rugby league and how they see our sport within their set up.

Jam Eater  1.(noun. jam eeter) A Resident of Whitehaven or Workington. Offensive.  It is now a term of abuse that both towns of West Cumbria use for each other especially at Workington/Whitehaven rugby league derby matches.

St Albans Centurions Website 

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sky is the school bully with rugby league in a headlock dragging it round the playground - the sooner we can get away from this greedy vile company the better

see you later undertaker - in a while necrophile 

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1 minute ago, Exiled Townie said:

I have also noticed that advert for their upcoming 2021 sports coverage, with no mention of rugby league.  It does make you wonder how Sky actually see rugby league and how they see our sport within their set up.

I suspect that they see it as a staple part of their portfolio that delivers consistent viewing numbers over a long period of time... hence the lack of investment in adverting or broadcast quality.

The problem with this is that it doesn't move Sky or the sport forward from where we are today and everything will be 'more of the same'.

I would argue that Sky have as much to prove to Rugby League as Rugby League has to prove to Sky.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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It would seem to me that Sky relinquishing the rights for the broadcasting of all Championship matches at the beginning of the season then two per week later is a win for the RFL. 

You would think that this will funnel more viewers into OurLeague which is exactly what the RFL would want as they grow the digital side of the business and the potential advertising and sponsorship benefits that would flow from that..

It appears also if they can arrange it, Sky is giving them the opportunity to sub-contract the production if a better deal can be found that meets minimum standards. This could work in the RFL`s favour as well. Especially given all the complaints I hear about the current coverage.

This would appear a better deal for the RFL as they try to grow OurLeague and increase the amount of Rugby League content available to the public. 

As far as the exclusive right for Sky to broadcast 2 Super League matches per week on Sky, what happens with the other 4 matches, could they be streamed, or could at least some of them be sold, even at a reduced amount to a terrestrial broadcaster. 

 

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2 hours ago, Scubby said:

I think cutting wages, the salary cap and narrowing the geographical footprint of SL will help immensely in luring big bucks from Sky. 

The ' narrowing ' of the geographical footprint is down to covid ( and poor management by Toronto ) , nothing else 

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I would say that I follow the game pretty closely, but I have absolutely no idea what, if anything SL wants to do in the future. I used to have a vague sense it wanted to drive up standards and audiences and expand, but you only have to look at Trinity’s ground, our stagnant fan numbers and the make up of the league (with Catalans being an overseas retirement home) to see that that’s nonsense.

I simply don’t see any reason why Sky should pay us very much at all, given that we give every impression of dying a slow death. Leigh for Toronto really sums it up. And Elstone gets a salary for this? 

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27 minutes ago, Robthegasman said:

Have I read this right that in 2022 Championship and Championship 1 clubs are going to get nothing from the RFL/Super League?

Not exactly. What has been suggested is the income for the rights for SL, nothing has been confirmed on how they are distributed. Previously a portion of the SL rights money has gone on to the Championship & League One

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2 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

The ' narrowing ' of the geographical footprint is down to covid ( and poor management by Toronto ) , nothing else 

Surely you haven't forgotten SL's hand-ringing over "no away fans" before Toronto won promotion and then them making them continue going without a share of the TV money and paying visiting teams' expenses?

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3 hours ago, Dunbar said:

I suspect that they see it as a staple part of their portfolio that delivers consistent viewing numbers over a long period of time... hence the lack of investment in adverting or broadcast quality.

The problem with this is that it doesn't move Sky or the sport forward from where we are today and everything will be 'more of the same'.

I would argue that Sky have as much to prove to Rugby League as Rugby League has to prove to Sky.

Possibly Sky think that, as things stand, there's not much potential growth in the game in the near future. So it is just a reliable fixture in the schedules, where they know a certain number of subscribers will tune in and that's all. So why chuck money at it?

Plus, if the RWC garners wider public interest and brings more viewers to the club game, Sky will already have had their SL bid agreed to for the next few years and they reap those benefits at a bargain price.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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