It’s in every paper. 20m for league a year
37m for rfu

And couple of clubs looking at league players at moment

So season 2021, whats the latest thoughts on a start date. Taking into account we will highly likely still be in some level of lockdown until probably end of April. Likelyhood of crowds being allowed in in significant numbers probably diminished again

Could easily see no Championship in 2021. If we are in Tier 4 still or worse come April/May you start to run out of weeks to fit in all the games taking player welfare into account. I suppose you could divide Championship into East & West to reduce fixtures with the 2 top teams playing off for the promotion spot but still can't see most Championship clubs wanting to play any games behind closed doors.

But you never know, things may improve but i wouldn't bet on it.

Of that £37m for RU, the private equity firm CVC who bought into the business take a guaranteed 27% of revenue - so £10m per year. That leaves the clubs with just over £2m each, so it's not as great a deal as it seems. And the money CVC paid to buy in has all gone on paying debts.

The SL offer is bad but not as bad as it appears at first glance. The SL clubs currently receive £20m pa, the RFL take about £8m and the rest goes to Championship / L1 clubs. Apparently this new offer is only for SL, not the leagues below, so it's not as drastic a cut as it appears. And it's - supposedly - only an initial offer. The SL clubs will take a cut, but the real pain will be felt by Ch/L1 clubs and the RFL.

The sky offer is no real surprise. With no real competition for the rights then sky can offer whatever they wish in reality. Combined with the state of global finances whatever happens there will be less money available.
UK PLC are planning on restrictions being in place until April if not beyond so i suspect in RL lower tier game with no income will be cut drastically again next year. If played at all.

You could argue there is currently more competition for sporting rights than there has been over the entire SL era. Sky no longer have a monopoly on TV sport in the UK primarily due to the fragmentation of Premier League rights. RL simply has to make itself attractive to a wider audience if it wants to maximise its TV revenue.

And for that it has to do more than scratch its buttocks in the M62 corridor.

Thoughts? Will fans be allowed then, I some how doubt it in Tier 4?

Who knows, two months is a long time

Under the current arrangements in England limited fans are allowed at tier 1 and tier 2 for elite sport . Tier 3 and 4 no fans allowed. That's if the Championship is designated as elite sport by RFL in agreement with DCMS. In association football the elite categorisation goes down to the sixth tier - National Leagues north and south. So Barnet, Dagenham and Redbridge and Chelmsford City are elite. They've had money from the lottery and are playing behind closed doors and live streaming games for a fee. The thinking behind this apparently is that although a few clubs in the national league and most in national league south and north are part time, players' main job is playing sport. Below that level the balance shifts and their sports earnings are the add on element. I wonder if we might end up with the championship being considered elite but league 1 not? Who knows, and as people have said a lot can change.

It makes you wonder if season ticker tickets should be sold until there's a clear prospect of fans being allowed to attend? Dagenham and Redbridge did sell season tickets and so far have managed to get fans into one league game, during the period between the English lockdown ending and London being elevated from tier 2 to tier 3. My lad was a season ticket holder there last year but didn't commit this year because of the uncertainty.