nadera78 wrote:
The new deal, that kicked in last season, saw a substantial rise in fees despite the doomsayers talking it down. Also, Sky have lost club union to BT Sport, so they're already down on live sport. They need RL, just like RL needs Sky. The next deal may stagnate in terms of price, but it won't fall and Sky won't walk away. And besides, having dumped 4 clubs the remainder can afford to see the price stagnate as they'll be getting an extra 1/2million anyway.
1. The extra revenue to the rest.....SL2 as the plan stands would be on 4.4 million a year, SL1 15.6...with the third tier on another million......so that's 21 million a year out of a kitty of 19 million....there will be no extra cash.
2. Sky are that into RL that they told IMG they weren't willing to pay decent wedge for the RFLWC.....they have binned the NRL and SoO and are having their content eroded by the activities of BT.
If BT are still in the Premiership TV rights game next time around, then SKY may well need every brass farthing they have to fight them of, together with any new "on-line" operators who pop up between now and then. The Soccer TV rights deal next time will be negotiated at the same time the SL rights are...70 odd games of RL at an average of 115,000 viewers is about 8 million set of eyeballs each year.....or 7 Premiership games. Believe me, if SKY have to fight for the Soccer, then RL may well suffer....SKY have already spent extra cash on the championship by sponsoring it....if their cash resources are stretched, League will be one of the first to suffer.
Not doomsaying by the way, just pointing out that the Current RL TV deal may well be the ceiling and if so, then further sacrifices may need to be made.