CATALANS DRAGONS are making a last-minute push for a television deal which will see Super League games in Perpignan broadcast live on beIN Sport and Sky Sports this year.
The Dragons are in a unique position in the competition, which allows them to independently negotiate broadcast arrangements at Stade Gilbert Brutus. Until now the club has handled contract discussions but the RFL’s strategic partners IMG have taken over negotiations for 2023 and Catalans are still awaiting details of any new deal.
From their very first game in the top-flight in 2006 the Dragons had regular live coverage on Saturday afternoons of fixtures in Perpignan, thanks to a joint agreement between Sky Sports and beIN Sports to cover the production costs.
However, the lights went out in 2019 when beIN pulled the plug on the deal and Catalans have had limited coverage since.
The club has self-financed live transmission of a limited number of games over the past two seasons, but no arrangement is yet in place for this year and the first home game of the season is just twelve days away.
Unless a deal is struck, there will be no coverage of Leigh Leopards’ trip to France for their debut away game of 2023.
A club spokesman told League Express: “We are still working on broadcast arrangements for 2023.”
Dragons’ President Bernard Guasch told Perpignan’s L’independent: “IMG have taken over and there is a tense tug-of-war between Sky Sports (holder of the rights of the Super League) and Fox Sports (which have those of the NRL) and beIN, which broadcasts in France.”
The hoping for a successful resolution, which would see matches return to screens this season.
Catalans have two home games scheduled for coverage so far on Sky Sports (Warrington April 8 and St Helens May 5) and there are no plans as yet for Channel Four to cover any games in Perpignan.
Meanwhile, coach Steve McNamara welcomed full-back Sam Tomkins to full training for the first time last week with doubts still lingering over his fitness for Friday’s season-opener at Wakefield Trinity.
The England captain had surgery on a knee problem following his participation in the World Cup and he has been working on strengthening the joint before he took up running at practise last week.
“Sam’s not far off, he’s been working really hard to regain strength and we’ll take a look at him this week before making a decision,” said McNamara.
The coach will also run the rule over Australian new recruit Adam Keighran and French international prop Julian Bousquet, both of whom picked up calf injuries last week.
Definitely missing from Round One for the Dragons will be Mike McMeeken (broken wrist) and Tyrone May (hip), who are only expected to feature at the end of March.
Winger Fouad Yaha will be out of action until June following surgery on a dislocated shoulder.
Catalans continue to be linked to potential new recruits as they have two quota spots available on their roster, with President Guasch telling local media to expect “an Australian centre” to be signed up very soon.
