Eddie and Stevo fearful that rugby league could go back to part time

It is a big year for rugby league.

The sport is undergoing change because of IMG and their proposals but also is chasing new TV deals with the contracts with Sky Sports, Channel 4 and Viaplay all expiring this year with BBC set to follow suit in 2024.

But what perhaps hasn’t helped is the fact that there is division in the sport over key issues.

The best example is Keighley Cougars’ opposition of IMG and former Sky Sports commentator Stevo had said they have a point: “They probably have a point but so do IMG and we mentioned it a couple of weeks ago in regards to the fact they’re trying to make sure that any club playing in Super League is financially stable,” he said on the Eddie and Stevo podcast.

“Quite frankly I don’t think that all clubs in Super League will be classified as stable and strong for the future, in terms of finances.”

Meanwhile, his old partner in crime then raised a big question about the sport’s future.

If a TV deal isn’t secured, will the sport go back to part time:

“If we don’t get a television contract, do they go back to 1995 and be part-time?”

Stevo responded: “I think we’d have to. Some of these players contracts the majority of it comes from television revenue, yet here we are fighting amongst ourselves about which is the way forward.”

However, despite this it seems the sport is in a good position with regards to a TV deal with “lots of potential partners” according to new RFL Chair Tony Sutton.