BETFRED Championship rugby league is looking for a new home, with the likes of Bradford Bulls and Keighley Cougars hopeful of a new TV deal being struck quickly.

The current broadcaster of second-tier rugby league is Viaplay Sports, but they are pulling out of the UK market at the end of the year.

This impacts Scottish football and rugby union too, and comes as a blow after the Nordic company acquired rugby league rights from Premier Sports only last year.

The company have confirmed they are laying off a quarter of their staff, with CEO Jorgen Madsen Lindemann saying: "We will exit Poland, Baltics, UK, US and Canada to re-focus on the Nordics and Netherlands.”

"We have initiated a strategic review for international markets, including the UK, where we will seek optimal solutions for our operations, including partnerships," a spokesperson added.

"Until then it is business as usual, what our customers can watch on Viaplay today will be there tomorrow too."

There were already growing concerns regarding Viaplay’s commitment to Championship rugby league, with no league games shown on the channel between Bulls’ win at Newcastle on June 2, and the Odsal side’s defeat to Widnes on July 10.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Bulls' game at Widnes was the first Championship game on Viaplay Sports for over five weeks.Bulls' game at Widnes was the first Championship game on Viaplay Sports for over five weeks. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Bulls have their next game on Viaplay too, at home to Barrow on July 31, with only three more regular season games scheduled after that before the end of the year.

A TV deal is of course a valuable way for clubs to make money, so Bulls, Cougars and the rest will be hopeful of the RFL striking a partnership with a new broadcaster imminently.