YORK KNIGHTS chief executive Neil Gulliver has explained that “TV dictates” when deciding kick-off times.
At a recent fans’ forum, Gulliver addressed a number of pressing issues, not least his club’s improved IMG score from 13.04 to 13.24.
Questions from supporters ranged from membership prices to the standardising of kick-off times.
In 2025 – York’s final season in the Championship before they were elevated to Super League under the IMG gradings – the Knights had just four games scheduled for a kick-off time that wasn’t Sunday afternoon at 3.00pm.
In 2026, however, York played just one game in what had previously been their preferred 3.00pm Sunday slot – a 66-16 home thrashing by Leeds Rhinos.
That led to some dissatisfaction amongst York fans who were keen to explore whether something could be done about the issue going into the 2027 season.
Gulliver, however, explained just how tough it is to schedule fixtures and stick to a committed time slot when Sky Sports plays such a key role in Super League.
“Scheduling from the RFL is a tough job. They have to make sure there’s an even balance of when matches across the clubs (e.g. so one club isn’t always playing on Thursdays),” Gulliver said.
“Plus like some other clubs that ground share, we have the issue of stadium availability. There can be wiggle room on some games but not a lot.
“We do our best with what we have, but there’s not always room to move because TV dictates.”
Gulliver has also explained how the club has gone about expanding its support – particularly amongst the young adults and children in North Yorkshire.
“The fan base is growing. Ours is a younger demographic than many clubs and we have a good price point for children and juniors,” he added.
“There are more juniors playing in York than for years.”
