Efl tv deal implications

[Rugbyleaguesupporter]

It appears Sky will show much more and pay more 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21987012/efl-sky-sports-championship-league-one-league-two/

Contray to what most people think, Sky sports budget is not fixed. The value of RL is basically how many people would cancel their Sky package (including broadband in many cases) if Sky didn't show RL. 

However given crossover between football and RL support, having much more EFL will probably mean RL is less attractive. More games will probably mean Thurs nights being used for EFL 

My guess is that Sky will request the majority of super league takes place between Easter and early Oct (Thurs cannot be used by EFL when there is a full fixture list or majority are in a cup during midweek. There are far less midweek games between Xmas and April in EFL) 

My guess is that Sky will show around 22x3 games from regular rounds- using Thur, Fri and weekend slot 

I imagine Sky won't be too concerned by the Challenge Cup and happy for BBC/ Viaplay to show- but I'm no expert! 

Edited April 10, 2023 by Rugbyleaguesupporter
More text

[JohnM]

Thanks for cheering us all up on this rainy Easter Monday.

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Rugbyleaguesupporter said:

It appears Sky will show much more and pay more 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21987012/efl-sky-sports-championship-league-one-league-two/

Contray to what most people think, Sky sports budget is not fixed. The value of RL is basically how many people would cancel their Sky package (including broadband in many cases) if Sky didn't show RL. 

However given crossover between football and RL support, having much more EFL will probably mean RL is less attractive. More games will probably mean Thurs nights being used for EFL 

My guess is that Sky will request the majority of super league takes place between Easter and early Oct (Thurs cannot be used by EFL when there is a full fixture list or majority are in a cup during midweek. There are far less midweek games between Xmas and April in EFL) 

My guess is that Sky will show around 22x3 games from regular rounds- using Thur, Fri and weekend slot 

I imagine Sky won't be too concerned by the Challenge Cup and happy for BBC/ Viaplay to show- but I'm no expert! 

Of course there is a risk that Sky may want to cull RL. However it won't be because they have too much sport. Their offering is weaker than it has been over the years, and we have far more access to sport on terrestrial TV and other rivals. 

Despite having a lot of channels it is not unusual for th to have little to no live sport on any given day. 

I actually think this is something SL should be thinking about. How we can fill schedules. 

[HawkMan]

Considering the huge amount Sky are willing to pay to retain the EFL contract, 200m per year ( see below), I don't think RL will be affected,  it's loose change to continue with RL, plus a dedicated audience,  and they need a summer sport.

https://theathletic.com/4376250/2023/04/03/efl-sky-sports-tv-rights/

[Dave T]

As an example of what I refer to. 

Sky Sports Main Event on Tuesday and Weds this week has only Indian Premier League Live. From 7pm they simply show Sky Sports News. 

It is not uncommon for them to pad out their channels with minor golf events. 

[Dave T]

I think where we do have a challenge is around peak times. This Friday night sees an EFL match, Scottish Football, T20 International cricket, a PGA Tour Golf Event, SL Netball, Live Basketball - all clashing directly with Wire v Wigan. 

[The 4 of Us]

I suspect that Superleague gets more eyes per pound than quite a few other sports. £20m per year for a couple of hundred thousand views is not a big outlay. 

[HawkMan]

It's possible new subscribers will sign up to Sky, fans of League 1 and 2 soccer teams, attracted by more lower league matches, including from places near RL heartlands, who like both sports thus adding to RL viewing figures. Places such as, Hartlepool,  Grimsby,  Harrogate , Stockport, Bolton Morecambe etc.

[gingerjon]

24 minutes ago, Dave T said:

As an example of what I refer to. 

Sky Sports Main Event on Tuesday and Weds this week has only Indian Premier League Live. From 7pm they simply show Sky Sports News. 

It is not uncommon for them to pad out their channels with minor golf events. 

Are they Champions League nights?

They seem to show only very minor or zero live sport on those evenings.

(Agreeing overall with your point about their overall offer at the minute)

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Rugbyleaguesupporter said:

It appears Sky will show much more and pay more 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21987012/efl-sky-sports-championship-league-one-league-two/

Contray to what most people think, Sky sports budget is not fixed. The value of RL is basically how many people would cancel their Sky package (including broadband in many cases) if Sky didn't show RL. 

However given crossover between football and RL support, having much more EFL will probably mean RL is less attractive. More games will probably mean Thurs nights being used for EFL 

My guess is that Sky will request the majority of super league takes place between Easter and early Oct (Thurs cannot be used by EFL when there is a full fixture list or majority are in a cup during midweek. There are far less midweek games between Xmas and April in EFL) 

My guess is that Sky will show around 22x3 games from regular rounds- using Thur, Fri and weekend slot 

I imagine Sky won't be too concerned by the Challenge Cup and happy for BBC/ Viaplay to show- but I'm no expert! 

Congratulations on scribing the most rugby league post of all time. 

[Rugbyleaguesupporter]

30 minutes ago, HawkMan said:

Considering the huge amount Sky are willing to pay to retain the EFL contract, 200m per year ( see below), I don't think RL will be affected,  it's loose change to continue with RL, plus a dedicated audience,  and they need a summer sport.

https://theathletic.com/4376250/2023/04/03/efl-sky-sports-tv-rights/

Yes, I agree. Unfortunately sky midweek offering is much poorer, but obviously we can't play many matches midweek 

Also worth noting that Sky saved a mini fortune by not renewing Nations League, which they massively paid over the odds for. 

Sky will show ATP and WTA tennis as filler next year 

I think Thur nights, Fri nights and Sat 3pm during football season might be slots Sky want- but most of Super League I think will occur after May 

[Rugbyleaguesupporter]

2 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Congratulations on scribing the most rugby league post of all time. 

Ha- I actually don't think it'll make lots of difference. 

Had Sky lost EFL then I think much more super league would be shown, but that has to be balanced up with fact that Sky would lose subscribers 

[Tommygilf]

22 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Are they Champions League nights?

They seem to show only very minor or zero live sport on those evenings.

(Agreeing overall with your point about their overall offer at the minute)

Usually the Champions League weekday nights have Championship games on Sky Sports.

[Damien]

Football is a different beast than any other sport. It has driven the Sky model for 3 decades and will always be given prominence.

However Sky does need other sports too, and UK based sports at that. A lot of casual sports fans may get Sky for RL and Football and grudgingly pay £70+ for it. Ditto with fans of other sports who may like Football but its not the prime driver. However if Sky turned its offering into just a glorified Football channel with US sports as a cheap filler I think an awful lot of people will see £70+ as terrible value.

As is RL has always had a good relationship with Sky and is relatively cheap. It has also always been very flexible, often too much so but that's a different debate, and has often bended over backwards to accommodate Sky. I'm not sure other bigger sports would be so accomodating. Overall I think RL provide pretty good value for Sky. It is a sport which has been a mainstay of the UK TV sports scene over decades, gets good TV figures and provides live sports to its schedules at a cheap price.

[gingerjon]

4 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Usually the Champions League weekday nights have Championship games on Sky Sports.

That used to be the case but I'm fairly certain - not that I've been checking overly - that it seems more often they just fling on Sky Sports News and have live updates from the Champions League games in a sort of Soccer Saturday approach.

[Oxford]

26 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Congratulations on scribing the most rugby league post of all time. 

Miserable, doom laden and down grading RL possibilites and appeal .... no I think there's still plenty of posts on here to compete with that one and surpass it easily ..... or definitely a B grading there.

Edited April 10, 2023 by Oxford

[Tommygilf]

2 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

That used to be the case but I'm fairly certain - not that I've been checking overly - that it seems more often they just fling on Sky Sports News and have live updates from the Champions League games in a sort of Soccer Saturday approach.

Depends on the week.

[HawkMan]

Just now, gingerjon said:

That used to be the case but I'm fairly certain - not that I've been checking overly - that it seems more often they just fling on Sky Sports News and have live updates from the Champions League games in a sort of Soccer Saturday approach.

On SNN Yes, but usually as Tommy says, it's Championship games on SS Main Event and SSFootball,  and often with all the nights matches available via red button.

[gingerjon]

3 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Depends on the week.

Indeed. As someone not overly bothered by the Champions League, I do tend to notice that the alternatives are very often very slim pickings indeed.

[Oxford]

Sometimes it's hard to recall if this is a TGG forum!

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

I'd cancel SKY if they ditched SL......would just make down with MOTD for soccer and cricket can be radio for me .....they have no decent union now either  (cue RU quips )

[JohnM]

5 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Indeed. As someone not overly bothered by the Champions League, I do tend to notice that the alternatives are very often very slim pickings indeed.

Slim Pickings sure thing. You need some salve. 

https://youtu.be/HpnPN9XYAqg

Edited April 10, 2023 by JohnM

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Slim Pickings sure thing. You need some salve. 

https://youtu.be/HpnPN9XYAqg

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

I think where we do have a challenge is around peak times. This Friday night sees an EFL match, Scottish Football, T20 International cricket, a PGA Tour Golf Event, SL Netball, Live Basketball - all clashing directly with Wire v Wigan. 

Netball it is then

[Tommygilf]

11 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Indeed. As someone not overly bothered by the Champions League, I do tend to notice that the alternatives are very often very slim pickings indeed.

Tbh, I think they have upped their game with midweek Championship games which are usually on the same time as the Champions League. Every midweek game is now available on the red button for example.

That said, there is naturally going to be less sport on on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.