Superted wrote:
Yep - and Premier Sports offered to televise all of the European international matches free-to-air, but requested £30k to cover some of the production costs - they were turned away.
Good to see the sport taking international rugby and raising it's profile as serious as ever....
Now it might not have gotten mountains of viewers, but some is better than none!
Weren't we told that last years RLWC was a huge success making record profits which would be invested in international RL? Yet the game will not and cannot commit a paltry £30k for TV coverage of a tournament which is alleged to be important in terms of qualification for the 4N in 2016 and the RLWC in 2017? How difficult would it be to find sponsors to pay the £30k instead? Filed away in the "too hard basket" at Red Hall obviously.
On the topic of baskets, the sport may prefer to recognise itself as "the greatest game" but in reality it's a total and utter basket case. Blaming Australia for the current state of international RL should satisfy the Moonie Brigade however, despite the fact that England haven't played since last years RLWC.
I don't know why Premier Sports bother. They got stiffed by the RFL over Championship coverage last year when it bent over for Sky and now this. Premier Sports should stick two fingers up and concentrate on enhancing their coverage of the game down under instead.
International RL - RIP