Saints v Wigan on TV? Should be ‘when’ not ‘if’

Well it’s been a strange week with most talk being of games that are and aren’t on the television.

I actually think Sky called it right. There was much more at stake in the Leeds-Rovers game than there was in the Saints-Wigan game. There is history here, Sky did the same when Wigan nearly got relegated in 2007. Games involving the top sides then were jettisoned to focus on the battle at the bottom.

I have heard fans question what Sky would do in the Premier League, would the Liverpool-Manchester United game ever be dropped? Fair point and no of course they wouldn’t. What they would do is add a fixture, surely?

For me though it shouldn’t be a question of ‘if’ it should be but ‘when.’

Five games kicked off at the sane time tonight, what a waste of exposure. No games are missed in the NRL, they stagger the games over a weekend to create a full weekend of our greatest game, and reap the rewards of TV revenue.

If Sky didn’t want Saints-Wigan, I’m sure the BBC would, or even better BT?

It’s time to end the Sky monopoly and have more than one broadcaster of our great game. One game Thursday, one Friday and then two each Saturday and Sunday. Okay, Sky may have first pick but there are plenty other channels for the rest.

BBC could maybe have the live Catalans home games? Put them on the red button or their website, as long as it’s free.

It works elsewhere, it could work here too!

The game needs to increase it’s profile to stop the one way traffic of talent to the NRL. So next time the Rugby League family wouldn’t have to miss a clash between two of the big guns. It matters not where they are in the league, it’s a match that should be on TV.

Games could also be shown on the Our League app if necessary, crowds may take a hit to start with but as advertising revenue increases and the product improves the fans will come flooding back. Crowds are already dipping alarmingly anyway.

Our star players should be superstars, giving them this exposure would help that.

So next time instead of asking if our teams are on TV, we can ask when they are on (or what channel).

Just to finish, I write this on Friday night and we have no more games this weekend. Yes Sunday is a packed sports program with Wimbledon, the Grand Prix and the cricket, but not so much tomorrow after the tennis, which will be done by 3pm.

Surely there should be some live fee-to-air rugby for the nation to watch at tea time? It would have been a great time to put a Wakefield-Castleford derby on maybe?

Would love to hear your thoughts on this, let me know in the comments.