Paul Deacon may have played almost 300 matches for Bradford Bulls and over a fifth of those have probably been on Sky Sports.

But that doesn't mean that the 28-year-old is getting blase about appearing on satellite television.

The half-back said: "To play on Sky every week is still a buzz for Super League players. There is something special about being on the telly."

Deacon's comment is even more appropriate this week with Sky Sports getting exclusive rights to show the engage Super League until the end of the 2011 season.

Sky, who have shown Britain's premier league since its inception in 1996, will show over 100 live matches a year in what is an improved deal.

That total includes over 70 from Super League, including all of the end-of-season play-off games and the Grand Final.

In addition, Sky have agreed to show the annual World Club Challenge, two internationals each year, plus 29 matches from the National League and the National Cup.

Deacon said: "Sky Sports has been very important to rugby league because it gets it out there to the masses, if you like, and the coverage is a lot better on Sky than it ever was on BBC, so they have to be praised for that.

"From the start of Super League, when Sky took it over, the evolution of the game has gone beyond belief. The product that we have now in Super League is second to none."

Deacon is also aware of the impact that the satellite channel has had on the semi-professional game.

He said: "Sky's coverage of the National League has given those divisions a whole new dimension.

"And the players in the National League probably have that big-game feeling about ten times more than we have.

"I always think of the rugby side of things but being on TV is massive for the business side of clubs as well, especially the semi-professional ones.

"There is just more and more rugby league on the TV and that has to be good for the sport."

Deacon's team-mate Jamie Langley is conscious of Sky's contribution to rugby league but is also aware of what might happen if they ever pulled the plug on rugby league.

He said: "They have done a lot for rugby league and a lot of it comes down to money, and hopefully they can keep putting in that money because without it there wouldn't be any games.

"Sky have done a good job and publicise the sport well and hopefully we can move forward with them.

"There has been talk of Setanta taking over and if Sky weren't prepared to put the money in then you would have to look elsewhere."

Meanwhile, the chances of Super League being expanded to accommodate 14 teams from 2009 have increased with the new TV deal.

After a highly successful season that brought a record average attendance in the top flight, the Rugby Football League has also announced that it has agreed a renewal with the BBC to show the Carnegie Challenge Cup live until 2011.

The deal is also good for the grass-roots level of the game, community clubs being looked after with Sky offering them discounts on subscriptions as well as other benefits.

"The negotiations have resulted in a healthy revenue increase, thus giving us a great platform to continue our successful growth and future development," said the RFL's executive chairman Richard Lewis. "The contracts also ensure club stability and create the opportunity to invest in the Co-operative National League and the community game.

"The outcome clearly demonstrates that rugby league is a highly prized and valuable broadcast property which is followed by millions of viewers on a regular basis."

Clubs have until the end of January to submit their application for a Super League licence and the RFL are set to decide on the new make-up of the game in the summer.

It is expected that the RFL will rubber-stamp a move to increase the size of the Super League, with the new funding only serving to improve the chances of that happening.

The sport's chief executive, Nigel Wood, recently said he expected 18 applications, with the likes of Salford, Toulouse, Widnes and the ambitious Celtic Crusaders joining the existing 12 Super League clubs.

The BBC have also gained rights to international rugby league and kept their highlights package of the Super League.

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