Channel 4 to broadcast live Super League

[Wigan Riversider]

Nope

[Scubby]

6 minutes ago, Dave T said:

First couple of rounds fixtures released. 

Four live games in round 1 (including Toulouse home opener) 

3 in round 2 - disappointing that Catalans home game is not on TV. 

Yet, it is always a haggle and probably Super League giving Sky exactly what they paid for as opposed to freebies.

[Robthegasman]

I welcome this.I think it is good news and will ensure that people can watch on free to air TV and I hope it raises the profile.

 I do wish that Channel 4 would also broadcast live Championship and League 1 games especially as that channel does stick up for the underdog,unlike BBC and ITV.

[Tabby]

Excellent for the game. I can see some contractual rights being contested in the future.

[Mr Frisky]

12 minutes ago, Robthegasman said:

I welcome this.I think it is good news and will ensure that people can watch on free to air TV and I hope it raises the profile.

 I do wish that Channel 4 would also broadcast live Championship and League 1 games especially as that channel does stick up for the underdog,unlike BBC and ITV.

Don't think Premier Sports would be happy though. 

[Futtocks]

186 games broadcast live in 2022 (plus all the streamed matches).

 

[Liverpool Rover]

4 hours ago, The Daddy said:

Adam Hills will be on the broadcast team I'm calling it now 

I could see him hosting a Footy Show style programme.

I’ve seen that Channel 4 are going to be showing two play off games.

[Sports Prophet]

This really is great news.

Strange that it is not weekly, but it is a start. Hopefully a tv show to go with it.

What the RFL and clubs must do, is ensure every televised game is the biggest event they host for the year. Rather than view a televised match as one that will potentially stop fans from attending, lower prices, stack the stands and use the broadcast as an advertisement for those that haven’t gone as an event not to be missed next time.

[ATLANTISMAN]

Tony Rea and Tulsen Tullet for C4 is a great call
 

Paul

[voteronniegibbs]

Might I suggest that we have, President of the RFL and knowledgeable commentator, Clare Balding involved in the match day braodcasts.

[Leyther_Matt]

1 hour ago, Robthegasman said:

I do wish that Channel 4 would also broadcast live Championship and League 1 games especially as that channel does stick up for the underdog,unlike BBC and ITV.

Pains me to say it as a supporter of a Championship club, but RL’s rare forays in to live terrestrial games should be used to showcase the absolute elite of our game, on and off the field. Without wishing to detract too much from the topic, I’d even go so far as avoiding showing certain teams at home, either because of the banks of empty seats (Wigan, Huddersfield) or because it would fit in with a 1960’s Coronation Street rerun (Cas, Wakey). 

[Gomersall]

 

[Yakstorm]

The other benefit of that 12:30pm Saturday time slot is from around April that becomes 9:30pm AEST.

Now I know one of the reasons Fox Sports in Australia has generally pushed back on increasing its investment in SL is because of the poor timeslots (Friday & Saturday mornings), but having a live game straight after Super Saturday would rate well (as shown previously whenever a Magic Weekend or Super 8 match has kicked off at that timeslot).

Whilst SL needs to look after its local markets first and foremost, being able to extract extra revenue and awareness from markets like Australia is certainly not a negative. 

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Just now, Yakstorm said:

The other benefit of that 12:30pm Saturday time slot is from around April that becomes 9:30pm AEST.

Now I know one of the reasons Fox Sports in Australia has generally pushed back on increasing its investment in SL is because of the poor timeslots (Friday & Saturday mornings), but having a live game straight after Super Saturday would rate well (as shown previously whenever a Magic Weekend or Super 8 match has kicked off at that timeslot).

Whilst SL needs to look after its local markets first and foremost, being able to extract extra revenue and awareness from markets like Australia is certainly not a negative. 

Is super league on free to air in Australia?

[Yakstorm]

7 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

Is super league on free to air in Australia?

No, it's on Fox League which is on Foxtel (Cable / Satellite) and Kayo (Streaming).

Channel 9 did hold the rights back in 2010 for a couple of seasons before Fox out bidded them. Channel 10 has previously bidded as well.

[LongbridgeH]

I read a really good article the other day which suggested that a lot of sports / league should simply stop trying to chase a huge TV deal and try to be more innovative. 
 

One of the ideas was free to air coverage. NFL and Serie A have picked up fans for life from the Channel 4’s well observed coverage of the sports/competition in the early 90s. The 100 in the summer shows that a terrestrial partner can open a few previously closed doors. Helps a lot with sponsors too. 
 

Another idea pointed out F1’s popularity has boomed in the last few years. This has largely been put down to the Netflix series where it’s added a human, ‘drama’ dynamic rather than just solely about the competition. It’s peaked interest into the middle pack of drivers rather than it being about the Championship winners. Could something like this work for RL? An All or Nothing type series but really warts and all 

[Man of Kent]

From The Times:

There will be no regular highlights programme on Channel 4, though it will show highlights of the end-of-season Grand Final.

Channel 4 says it will appoint a production company to spearhead their coverage within the next month after fielding a flurry of interest from interested parties.

Peter Andrews, Channel 4’s head of sport, said “We’re putting this out to tender because we exist to give work to the independent production community.

“Companies will submit proposals to Channel 4 about how they would like the coverage of Super League to look and what they would bring to it. We’re saying, ‘come and tell us how you’d do it’, bearing in mind we’re looking for a broader audience but we also want to satisfy the core rugby league audience.

“They are the challenges we will put out there, so right now it’s all open. The company who comes up with the best ideas will get the gig and should be in place before Christmas.

“The phone has been red-hot because the announcement of the deal has created huge interest, so fingers crossed that translates into viewing figures.”

The clash between Hull FC and St Helens, the defending champions, on February 19 will be the second live match, followed, The Timesunderstands, by Warrington v Wakefield Trinity on March 19 and Wigan Warriors v Salford Red Devils on April 24. Channel 4 will subsequently show six more regular-season games before two play-off matches at the end of the campaign.

“As a public service broadcaster, we’re very aware of the role that Channel 4 can play in televising live sport on a terrestrial channel,” Andrews added.

“We’re all about giving that window to a wider audience and we think there is value in rugby league.”

No financial details of the two-year deal have been disclosed but it is described as a “complex” three-way arrangement between Super League, Sky Sports and Channel 4, with the two television companies set to share match footage.

Andrews added: “We have a good relationship with Sky and, if viewers watch Super League on Channel 4, they might decide they want to watch every game and take out a Sky subscription.”

 

[Man of Kent]

The Times report suggests it’s actually 12 live games on Channel 4, 10 regular season + 2 playoffs. Not sure that’s right. 

[EastLondonMike]

From reading the Times report it would be the production company pulling together the broadcast team.

I do feel we’d benefit from having some completely new faces. Tulsen Tollet would be a good shout in some capacity, as an experienced ex-player. 
layla Anne-lee (UFC,Extreme E presenter) and Josh Denziel (sky, bbc, primevideo) are a couple of presenters who would bring a fresh and youthful appeal to any broadcast. Like him or dislike him I also think Jon Wilkin could also be an asset.

 

[Man of Kent]

7 minutes ago, EastLondonMike said:

From reading the Times report it would be the production company pulling together the broadcast team.

I do feel we’d benefit from having some completely new faces. Tulsen Tollet would be a good shout in some capacity, as an experienced ex-player. 
layla Anne-lee (UFC,Extreme E presenter) and Josh Denziel (sky, bbc, primevideo) are a couple of presenters who would bring a fresh and youthful appeal to any broadcast. Like him or dislike him I also think Jon Wilkin could also be an asset.

 

No Phil Clarke with his Captain Birdseye outfit? 

[Eddie]

8 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

, I’d even go so far as avoiding showing certain teams at home, either because of the banks of empty seats (Wigan, Huddersfield) or because it would fit in with a 1960’s Coronation Street rerun (Cas, Wakey). 

I was thinking that too, but how many clubs do you have left who’s home games might look exciting on tv to someone who hasn’t watched RL much before. Wire, Saints, Hull KR, Catalans and Leeds? Even they would need to put 25% on their normal crowds. 

[Eddie]

6 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

The Times report suggests it’s actually 12 live games on Channel 4, 10 regular season + 2 playoffs. Not sure that’s right. 

Yeah that’s what all articles have said

[Man of Kent]

Just now, Eddie said:

Yeah that’s what all articles have said

Are you sure?

[Eddie]

1 minute ago, Man of Kent said:

Are you sure?

Actually no I’ve just re-read the original article and you’re right, it’s 10 including the 2x play offs. 

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

9 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Pains me to say it as a supporter of a Championship club, but RL’s rare forays in to live terrestrial games should be used to showcase the absolute elite of our game, on and off the field. Without wishing to detract too much from the topic, I’d even go so far as avoiding showing certain teams at home, either because of the banks of empty seats (Wigan, Huddersfield) or because it would fit in with a 1960’s Coronation Street rerun (Cas, Wakey). 

Well said Matt, although I don’t think we should emphasise too much concern on any empty seats, obviously full grounds look better, the main thing is to get high quality games on free to air tv featuring our better and more popular teams people actually want to watch. Games between Leeds, Saints, Wigan, Warrington, Hull FC and Catalans are games that need to feature on Channel 4.