New TV DEAL

[In-goal]

Should know the full details of the TV deal today Wednesday in the UK or thursday moring in OZ, I have read much speculation about what the deal could would and should be. The RFL have kept things pretty close to the chest giving away nothing, I myself don't want to speculate and are just hoping that its the best deal for the game.

 

[vbfg]

Don't know the details of the money but it's SL and internationals, assuming we still have 'em , on Sky and the Challenge Cup on the Beeb.

 

[In-goal]

Has anyone in ther RFL acctualy said that there will be no terestrial coverage of test matches?

 

[vbfg]

Not as yet but the Murdoch press have been leaking details in a "Ooh, I hope the RFL know what they're doing..." kind of way which I think was having the desired effect on a few chickenshit club chairmen for a while.

This is from today's Guardian, and this is from The Independent. Neither of these are Murdoch papers.

 

[vbfg]

FWIW, this is a second choice deal. It's a second choice deal where the total money coming in to the sport is going up at a time where every other sport negotiating rights in this country are seeing their total money from TV go down. If your second best does that in such an environment then it's not so bad.

BTW, I don't know if you've ever seen BBC coverage over there but it is truly awful. They can't get over the fact that it's not union, and the camera angles they use, pace of the commentary and pace the producer moves between shots all reflect this. I don't like the Sky commentary team but their actual coverage is unrivalled by anyone anywhere. They do a great job.

I'm sorry we're missing out on the greater exposure from terrestrial but I'm not sorry we're missing out on the shoddy way they treat the game.