The BBC are rights holders and as such, their hands are tied. They also.... know what side their bread is buttered.
The Adver are hamstrung by the fact that local media is broke. It simply doesn't work commercially. Why would they invest in a story, when there is no money to be made (unless they take a brave leap and put it behind a paywall, but the quality needs to come first).
I am not convinced either of these stack up, only insofar as if you compare them with the media up here.
When all the Bury stuff was kicking off the local beeb were not backwards in coming forward, likewise with Bolton, the Bolton News (who are Newsquest like the Adver) seemed to have a reporter on its full time, albeit I suspect this was helped by the fact that he is obviously a fan, I am not convinced the Adver sports reporters have ever been to the town.