RL on Channel 4

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

52 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Good he wants to promote it but yeah if he wants to do a good job of promotion drop the northerness stuff

 

 

Which teams to appear on Channel 4 are not northern?

 

Saturday 12th February

Super League Round 1 - TBC Time Channel 4

12:30pm Leeds v Warrington

Saturday 19th February

Super League Round 2 - TBC Time Channel 4

12:30pm Hull FC v St Helens

Saturday 19th March

Super League Round 6 - TBC Time Channel 4

12:30pm Warrington v Wakefield

Saturday 24th April

Super League Round 10 - TBC Time Channel 4

1:00pm Wigan v Salford

[Wigan Riversider]

3 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

It’s not a sponsorship. I don’t believe the value of the 10 game broadcast deal with channel 4 has been revealed.

Thanks, that answers my query.

The sky tv deal is now worth £25m a year (down from £40m a year).

Still shocked by SL losing £15m.

The Channel 4 deal will cover a bit of this difference, but overall tv revenue will be significantly down.

That's not good IMHO.

 

[Exiled Townie]

Just seen this on my newsfeed -

Multi-award-winning sports independent production company IMG has been awarded a two-year contract to provide Channel 4’s Betfred Super League coverage.  Super League rugby will be shown live on free-to-air television for the first time in its 26-year history after Channel 4 secured a deal initially to show ten live matches and Grand Final highlights for the next two years.

IMG will produce the live coverage of Super League on site from the grounds and is opening a new office in Leeds to work specifically on the Channel 4 live programme.  Channel 4 Head of Sport Pete Andrews said: “It was a very competitive tender process but IMG showed a vision that really stood out. And we were absolutely delighted when they revealed their plans to open a Leeds base. This chimes perfectly with Channel 4’s ambition – to help boost the production industry in the Nations and Regions. I can’t wait for the coverage of our first live Super League game on 12 February when Leeds Rhinos take on Warrington Wolves.”

 

[Guest]

Was there ever a £ figure put to the deal?

[Man of Kent]

Interesting that IMG's head of production is former Sky Sports MD Barney Francis.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

27 minutes ago, Exiled Townie said:

Just seen this on my newsfeed -

Multi-award-winning sports independent production company IMG has been awarded a two-year contract to provide Channel 4’s Betfred Super League coverage.  Super League rugby will be shown live on free-to-air television for the first time in its 26-year history after Channel 4 secured a deal initially to show ten live matches and Grand Final highlights for the next two years.

IMG will produce the live coverage of Super League on site from the grounds and is opening a new office in Leeds to work specifically on the Channel 4 live programme.  Channel 4 Head of Sport Pete Andrews said: “It was a very competitive tender process but IMG showed a vision that really stood out. And we were absolutely delighted when they revealed their plans to open a Leeds base. This chimes perfectly with Channel 4’s ambition – to help boost the production industry in the Nations and Regions. I can’t wait for the coverage of our first live Super League game on 12 February when Leeds Rhinos take on Warrington Wolves.”

 

Leeds, the home and provider for Rugby League in the UK. The sport cannot thank the city enough for all that it brings to it.

[Man of Kent]

What is it with Leeds fans on here? They think Leeds invented the air in the ball.

[Wigan Riversider]

1 hour ago, Leonard said:

Was there ever a £ figure put to the deal?

That's what I would love to know.

[theswanmcr]

46 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Leeds, the home and provider for Rugby League in the UK. The sport cannot thank the city enough for all that it brings to it.

It’s pronounced ‘Dirty Leeds’

[RigbyLuger]

14 minutes ago, theswanmcr said:

It’s pronounced ‘Dirty Leeds’

WeAllHate Leeds (first bit silent.)

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 01/02/2022 at 12:26, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Which teams to appear on Channel 4 are not northern?

 

Saturday 12th February

Super League Round 1 - TBC Time Channel 4

12:30pm Leeds v Warrington

 

Saturday 19th February

Super League Round 2 - TBC Time Channel 4

12:30pm Hull FC v St Helens

 

Saturday 19th March

Super League Round 6 - TBC Time Channel 4

12:30pm Warrington v Wakefield

 

Saturday 24th April

Super League Round 10 - TBC Time Channel 4

1:00pm Wigan v Salford

They are all northern

Hence 'northerness' is well represented already 

Therefore he doesn't need to reemphasise the northerness

Edited February 2, 2022 by Bedfordshire Bronco

[theswanmcr]

37 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

They are all northern

Hence 'northerness' is well represented already 

Therefore he doesn't need to reemphasise the northerness

Northern-born presenter, who is proud of being from the north, promotes a sport where all the English clubs are from the north - and is only showing those northern clubs - on a TV channel with a new northern base… in mentioning the north shocker.

[RigbyLuger]

I think it's the issue of perception, which those who champion the Rugby AM lot never understand.

[theswanmcr]

10 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

I think it's the issue of perception, which those who champion the Rugby AM lot never understand.

Totally get that but without a single UK top flight club outside the heartlands then we’re asking for it really.

Also tone and enthusiasm are just as important. I’d rather have an upbeat intro from Vernon Kay than a snidey one from someone who is indifferent or hates our sport.

[RigbyLuger]

2 minutes ago, theswanmcr said:

Totally get that but without a single UK top flight club outside the heartlands then we’re asking for it really.

Also tone and enthusiasm are just as important. I’d rather have an upbeat intro from Vernon Kay than a snidey one from someone who is indifferent or hates our sport.

John Inverdale need not apply! Odd how there's been no rumours of who will be on at all.

[theswanmcr]

12 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

John Inverdale need not apply! Odd how there's been no rumours of who will be on at all.

Our ‘friend’ John Inverdale was exactly who I was thinking of

[Guest]

They should just let premier do it and put a CH4 sticker over it.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

47 minutes ago, theswanmcr said:

47 minutes ago, theswanmcr said:

 promotes a sport where all the English clubs are from the north 

 

"A sport" that includes SL, Champ and all levels below etc.

Last I heard we have four English professional teams that are not from the North 

If you meant Super League and not the sport of rugby league then why focus only on saying "all the English clubs"?

Because if you meant SL then of course not all the clubs are Northern are they?

[Gav Wilson]

2 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

"A sport" that includes SL, Champ and all levels below etc.

Last I heard we have four English professional teams that are not from the North 

If you meant Super League and not the sport of rugby league then why focus only on saying "all the English clubs"?

Because if you meant SL then of course not all the clubs are Northern are they?

The competition that C4 have rights to is Super League.

It is a competition that 18 months ago, replaced a team from Toronto with a second team from Wigan.

I've no issue with Vernon Kay calling it exactly what it is.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

26 minutes ago, Gav Wilson said:

The competition that C4 have rights to is Super League.

It is a competition that 18 months ago, replaced a team from Toronto with a second team from Wigan.

I've no issue with Vernon Kay calling it exactly what it is.

Vernon could emphasise lots of things about SL that would be "calling it exactly what it is"

E.g. he could have said

"Many SL stadiums are in poor repair or are subject to shakey rental agreements"

Or

"SL has just suffered a huge drop in TV central funding "

 

Both would be true about SL but I would not want him to say them as those things are not strengths of SL.

In the same way the fact that all English SL clubs are Northern is not a strength so I don't want him to emphasise it

[Dave T]

10 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Vernon could emphasise lots of things about SL that would be "calling it exactly what it is"

E.g. he could have said

"Many SL stadiums are in poor repair or are subject to shakey rental agreements"

Or

"SL has just suffered a huge drop in TV central funding "

 

Both would be true about SL but I would not want him to say them as those things are not strengths of SL.

In the same way the fact that all English SL clubs are Northern is not a strength so I don't want him to emphasise it

As a proud Northerner, maybe Vernon Kay doesn't see it as a negative in the slightest. 

[Damien]

4 minutes ago, Dave T said:

As a proud Northerner, maybe Vernon Kay doesn't see it as a negative in the slightest. 

Good point and I think you are quite correct. Yes us RL fans may be sensitive about it, yes RU fans certainly use it to have a dig but I doubt that many floating northern RL fans really think about it.

[mrfranco]

8 hours ago, Exiled Townie said:

Super League rugby will be shown live on free-to-air for time in its 26-year after Channel 4 secured a deal initially to show ten live matches and Grand Final highlights for the next two .

 

 

Didn't know C4 would be showing GF highlights.

Think that's good news!

 

[theswanmcr]

4 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Both would be true about SL but I would not want him to say them as those things are not strengths of SL.

In the same way the fact that all English SL clubs are Northern is not a strength so I don't want him to emphasise it

I (half) watched the Sale v Leicester premiership game on ITV at the weekend. At the end one of the pundits said that they are glad the second half picked up as they’d all ‘driven a long way up here’ for this. It came across as a posh southerner being a bit condescending to followers of the game in the north.

I don’t imagine people are up in are arms on Union forums at this terrible representation of the sport etc etc

We get waaaay too worked up about every little comment or new promo etc and love to create conspiracies out of nothing.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

Just for clarification I love the north and northerners. I've had a long held obsession with a game 'invented' by northerners 

I don't see northerness as bad or embarrassing. I'll be up there AGAIN next Friday spending all weekend with my family - centred around the match but we're planning on enjoying other northerners stuff (the media museum if you are interested)

I just think rugby league has more than enough of it in the brand already. A high profile celebrity saying stuff like that refuels beliefs/prejudice/stereotypes  many have that league is/should be only restricted to the north 

He could have just said what an exciting action packed sport it is or something like that