Rugby league's revised television deal was today backed by York Rugby League Club.

The Wasps were voting in favour of the new offer from News Corporation to guarantee that First and Second Division Association (FASDA) clubs £10.8 million in television cash over the next two years.

Representatives of the sport's 31 clubs were meeting at Headingley today in a bid to resolve a protracted dispute over the new BSkyB television contract.

Several FASDA clubs were threatening to vote against the revised offer from News Corporation which will also net Super League clubs £45 million over five years and the RFL £200,000 a year over five years

The sticking point is a set of stringent conditions laid down by Super League Europe for entry into the top flight for the FASDA Grand Final winners.

First Division sides, such as league leaders Wakefield Trinity, object to a clause which states clubs must have a £500,000 nest egg in place before entry to the top flight can be considered.

However, general manager Mick Scaife, representing the Wasps at the Headingley meeting with director Pete Warters, claimed York would be "stupid" to oppose the deal.

Said Scaife: "We support the new deal and we would be stupid not to.

"The only argument that FASDA clubs are using for not signing it is that it does not give them the right to enter Super League. But in the current state of affairs the chance of us getting into Super League and winning the First Division are remote.

"We would be cutting off our nose to spite our face not to support the contract. We have no other option. As far as we are concerned it is an incidental argument. We will support it because we need the money."

Scaife added that the club could only benefit by the new deal, which allows FASDA clubs to share the £10.8 million they were already scheduled to receive while crucially also being free to negotiate their own TV deal.

Rugby Football League chief executive Neil Tunnicliffe met representatives of FASDA this morning in a last-ditch bid to reach an agreement ahead of the special general meeting in Leeds.

RFL spokesman Dave Callaghan said: "We are hoping to take something positive to the special general meeting. We are reasonably optimistic that we have a plan to ease the fears of clubs on the issue of promotion."

Meanwhile, York coach Dean Robinson confirmed the club are operating under an RFL transfer embargo. The Wasps have been banned from making further signings until Wakefield receive outstanding cash from the transfer of Mick Ramsden, as reported in yesterday's Evening Press.

"Unfortunately, I have been informed that his transfer didn't go through due to a lack of finance," said the coach."It makes things very difficult but more importantly I am more concerned about Mick himself, as we need the situation resolved so we can continue to look at him as being part of the squad.

"He cannot play for York until we finalise the financial aspect of it."

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