Sky and BBC in danger of losing rugby league rights to ESPN

[josie andrews]

ESPN could enter the market to televise Super League with Richard Lewis, the Rugby Football League's chairman, predicting "the most intense and competitive bidding process" for the right to broadcast both the flagship competition and the Challenge Cup from 2012.

The existing deals for both competitions, with Sky and the BBC respectively, expire at the end of this season, in addition to Super League's title sponsorship with Engage Mutual Assurance, the Harrogate-based financial services company who have been involved since 2005.

The RFL secured a significant increase when the Super League television rights were last renegotiated in November 2007, with each club's annual share of the pot increasing from around £750,000 to more than £1m. That deal was concluded when Setanta Sports was a serious player in the market but Lewis revealed that ESPN has already expressed an interest this time around and that the BBC is also facing competition from other terrestrial broadcasters for the cup.

"This is the third bidding process I've been involved with and there's more interest from more broadcasters than ever before," Lewis said ahead of the official Super League launch at Old Trafford tomorrow, before the season begins with a full programme of fixtures at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium next weekend. "We put the tender document out for prospective bidders this week and it will be a couple of months I think before we have a clear sign of who's going to win the bidding. It's very competitive and it's all to play for, frankly.

"There's ESPN who are active in the marketplace and already showing rugby union, so I don't think I'm divulging any secrets by saying that it's no surprise that ESPN are looking at it very seriously. Once you throw in the mix that the Challenge Cup has become very interesting and attractive to other terrestrial broadcasters, I think that creates a new dynamic for the whole rights bidding process.

"I think the BBC's very vulnerable to losing the rights to the Challenge Cup. There's more interest than I've ever known and I think it's a real possibility the Challenge Cup could end up somewhere else."

The Wembley final remains on the list of events that must be shown on terrestrial television, after the proposal to remove it was deferred until after the digital switchover in 2012. That restriction does not apply to any of the rounds up to and including the semi-finals but Lewis confirmed that the RFL would prefer the whole competition to stay on a terrestrial channel.

Wigan's chairman, Ian Lenagan, has made a pre-emptive strike against likely approaches to the Super League champions' coach, Michael Maguire, from several clubs in his native Australia. Maguire, who guided Wigan to their first title since 1998 in his first season after joining them from Craig Bellamy's support staff at the Melbourne Storm, has already been linked with several vacancies that could arise following further speculation over the weekend that Wayne Bennett will leave the St George Illawarra Dragons at the end of the 2011 season.

Lenagan stressed that Maguire is not halfway through his three-year deal, saying: "Michael's here for the long term and his commitment to Wigan is exemplary. His impact on Super League last year was very special and we're delighted about the way things worked."

Royce Simmons, who is due to take charge of St Helens for the first time in their derby against Wigan on Saturday, which is one of the highlights of Super League's Magic Weekend in Cardiff, has flown home to Sydney because of a family illness. He hopes to rejoin Saints on Thursday.

The former Great Britain team-mates Garry Schofield and Denis Betts enjoyed winning starts as coaches in the Northern Rail Cup. Schofield's Barrow team were pushed all the way by York before securing a 24-20 victory at Craven Park but Betts had a more comfortable afternoon as Widnes won 62-18 at London Skolars.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/fe ... ast-rights

[Kittwazzer]

Think we've been here before. Can't see BBC or Sky giving in without a fight.

Either way. I'm not shelling out any more!

[josie andrews]

Don't know whether this is a good thing or not? Will it give Sky & the Beeb a kick up the proverbial jacksey & make them give us a better deal & with a lot more advertising of our great game?

Especially with the BBC who seem have this ongoing love affair with RU only!! & ignore us even tho' they have the TV rights for the Challenge Cup, which I think they totally ignore until the semi finals & even then there isn't that much advertising coverage!

[Wigan_forever1985]

Think we've been here before. Can't see BBC or Sky giving in without a fight.

Either way. I'm not shelling out any more!

I wouldn't be too sure this is bad news IMO. Sky don't really give a damn about super league and it often is seen as more of an inconvenience than a jewel in their crown. Lets face it all they are interested in is football and maybe golf.

BBC again not arsed in the slightest really, I cant imagine sky losing too much money over the loss of super league they would probably just fill the slot with more football.

Just look at boxing, i would say more popular a sport than RL and yet cant get shown anywhere but on PPV channels or events. In fact im suprised Sky haven't made the millenium magic PPV

[GeoffN]

Interesting - I wonder just how much of that is to try and get more money out of SKY and the Beeb.

I think SKY would (or at least should) increase their bid. RL has the second highest viewing figures for them (behind soccer, of course, but way ahead of RU or the other sports) for regular domestic competitions, and that's what their advertisers look at.

[gpartin]

I thought Sky owned most of ESPN anyway although I might have just made it up.

[Fujiman]

I thought Sky owned most of ESPN anyway although I might have just made it up.

I thought they were owned by Disney, but I may have made that up too!

Nope that's right. Disney own ESPN

[First Try Tickle]

Think a move from Sky to ESPN would suit me. I could cancel my Sky sports and movie repeats and change to ESPN.

At the moment this could save me £20 a month and i would get all the aussie matches as well.

Plus i wouldn't have to listen to dumb and dumber going on each week.

[josie andrews]

Think a move from Sky to ESPN would suit me. I could cancel my Sky sports and movie repeats and change to ESPN.

At the moment this could save me £20 a month and i would get all the aussie matches as well.

Plus i wouldn't have to listen to dumb and dumber going on each week.

[medlocke]

i just had sky sports switched back on for £20+ if espn get it and offer a subscription for a tenner then that'll do for me, bye bye robbing barstewards