The Ghost of '99 wrote:
This is bullshit with respect and it really would help if you tried to understand the dynamics of the TV deal before you go repeating talking points.
1. Sky came to the RFL/SLE several years before the contract was due to end and years before the negotiations were due to start.
2. They had a hard deadline - an upcoming stock market announcement they wanted to make revealing renegotiated packages across a whole host of sports. This to settle market nerves after the increasing threat of BT.
3. They did give a take it or leave it - the leave being, stick with the existing, lower deal which was an option. Did this place the RFL in a difficult place? Yes - Sky aren't stupid. Did the clubs, including Lenagan who has whinged about it non stop for the last 4 years vote for it? Yes they did because it was a decent deal.
The great irony is that the same people who say the last TV deal was a poor one are complaining that the next one won't match it, even if negotiated by these genius businessmen (not genius at RL but apparently outside it). Which is it to be folks?
What choice did the clubs have and how did they end up that situation?
Probably because the leadership coming from the RFL - predominently sponsored by GH were way out of their depth and quite frankly bone-idol - no wonder the clubs don't want this to happen again. Elstone wont be the push over Wood was.
He needs to be allowed to negotiate the next deal free from the likes Ralf Rimmer sticking his nose in. Listen to him and his tactics they are way ahead of anything currently trotting around in RL.
The new is unlikely to be as good because the the RFL and the likes of GH have nutured and progressed the product/game. It is now a worse offering devoid of star players and credible sponsors - but hey Featherstone and Batley get a load of cash so that's OK
When the sport has been dumbed down to the lowest common denominator via a salary cap that hasnt really moved in 20 years and if the likes of GH had his way it would have actually regressed to a level affordable by the worst club. These are facts - something has to change.