Having Leigh as the 12th SL club has hardly helped the case for bigger investment by Sky. To them and the watching world its just "another M62 club" joining an insular, inward looking sport.

Totally agreed. The whole way it was done absolutely stinks. The clubs decided Toronto’s fate but an independent committee decide to promote Leigh?



Leigh was the safe bet but that doesn’t mean it was the right one.



The so called NRL takeover will happen next year IMO for a fraction of the prove touted. The sooner the bloody better, no one in this country seems capable of running RL effectively or competently. That offer is the result of years of poor baffling decisions, impatience with decisions (licensing, Exiles, War of the Roses etc) and a clear inability to do anything but lower the standards of the league to satisfy the likes of Wakefield, Cas, KR who have absolutely no intentions of raising their own standards.



Licensing should have been a new dawn for RL. A set of minimum standards each club had to meet consistently to keep their place in the league. Instead we got clubs like the aforementioned half heartedly promise stadia and investment that just never came. Wigan, Saints, Leeds, Catalans and Warrington have been consistently meeting and exceeding those standards, even after they went. Those clubs are the benchmark for UKRL and the standard which York, Newcastle, Toulouse and London are aiming for. Having successful and well run clubs attracts sponsors, fans and media and that’s irrespective of where in the country the clubs are.



The only people to blame for this mess is the RFL and SL. Together they’ve reduced RL to no more than an after thought. The kind of sport people like but wouldn’t know when/where to go watch a game. It’s an absolute disgrace of epic proportions.

The mergers might have worked when Mo Lindsay suggested them back in the early days of SL. Cumbria, Humberside, Manchester and central Yorkshire would have been perfect zones for it to happen. Even the like of Wigan / Saints, Bradford / Leeds and Warrington / Widnes could have looked at it, but only the emergence of super teams in other big cities would have made it worthwhile for our bigger clubs, and there was never any sign of that.



I still think that a combined Cumbria team could have worked, along with combined Manchester and central Yorkshire teams, but if you look at the situation now, the potential advantages aren't as evident.



Even if the Cumbrian clubs were willing, most of them would bring nothing to the table. Instead of having two or three ineffective Cumbrian clubs, we'd have one. Likewise the teams in Manchester: Salford would simply consume Oldham, Rochdale etc and gain little from it.



It might work in central Yorkshire and on Humberside, but it's impossible to imagine Cas, Wakey, FC and KR agreeing to it. Besides, if we did that, we'd be reducing the numbers of our viable clubs even more, and there aren't many of those to start with.



I'm not sure what other mergers we could even consider. Wigan and Leigh? Why would either agree? Wigan would gain nothing from it and Leigh would just disappear. It would be the same with Wire and Widnes.

This new TV deal is really worrying for the sport. A reported 50% of the last one, a drop of 33% for SL clubs and no funding for any lower leagues. The future looks bleak.

What I don't understand, is why the game doesn't get a bigger following. As you can tell from my name I am a softy Southerner (granted lived in the NW for a good while) and was brought up on Union.



To watch and to play League is far more entertaining. Doesn't matter if you think that its a simple game and the facets of Union make it better. For shear action League is miles in front.



I have mates down hear who love the game. Took me a while to get them into it but they love far more than Union now.



A blind man can see its more entertaining, so why does it still struggle to increase the following even if its only tv and not in the grounds.



is it the coverage? The commentators? The lack of marketing? Not enough quality sides?



I base this on the fact I don't think the game needs improving as a spectacle

(sigh) It would be nice to be a fan of the sport without worrying about the sport.



Looks like private investors will plug the gap in the short term with the hope that the next contract will be of higher value. If its the right investor who is able to play a significant role in driving the sport forward it might be a good move but still a massive gamble.



What the Championship clubs do is anyone's guess - I can't see any broadcasters offering a deal purely for lower league RL.

Elstone has done a great job since he came .....

The tv deal was always going to be less with covid.



Time for the RFL and ESL to sell some big name sponsorship deals rather than keep giving them away.

Problem 1 - Most people in the UK do not know Rugby League exists



Combination of:

1 - Good quality rugby league clubs not spread across the UK. (People in certain areas don't have a team to support).

2 - Rugby League not consistently taught throughout the UK in primary and secondary schools

3 - Rugby League does not have a strong amateur game throughout the UK

4 - Weak International game. (There are problably more supporters of England Rugby Union than of the individual omestic clubs fanbase combined)

5 - Poorly marketed, but pointless without points 1-4 addressed

regarding point 1 I don't agree. I think most people who like sport know of RL.



This is my point. Its a great product. People know of it but just don't seem to want to watch it, even on a Friday night in the house with a beer.

Don't forget the ongoing efforts (although they persist in denying it) of Twickenham to suppress League & their influence with the "established" broadcasters & governments.

Perhaps if Sly don't want the lower leagues, the terrestrial broadcasters might step in - it'd be crumbs, but better than nowt maybe. Then at least there might be some exposure (unless they stick it on at stupid o'clock on a Monday morning).

Although Sky money had without doubt helped the game I’m not sure their coverage has, they seem intent on portraying it as a northern stereotype and creating controversy rather than focusing on the positive.



The national press are clearly not interested which IMO filters down to the general public. Whether that’s the fault of RL or a prejudice from the southern based press I don’t know.



Born a Wiganer I live on the south coast now, I know a lot of people who follow RU, all of which are aware of league but none of which have the slightest interest in watching it, maybe they are worried they would like it?



Our biggest issue IMO is the international game, or rather lack of it. The interest in RU grew exponentially after their WC win, they have a regular international calendar which creates the interest which then filters down, both in support and finances to the domestic game.



I’ve said for years we need a RL equivalent of the 6 nations, England would walk it initially but over time, with the promise of regular fixtures it would become more competitive.