Upfront: The League Express opinion – Mon 31st Jan 2022
So the league season is finally up and running.
The Championship has kicked off (see our detailed match reports in this week’s League Express) and now, thanks to pay television channel Premier Sports’ involvement, comes the first of a season-long run of Monday-night matches – York versus Featherstone.
With Featherstone versus Leigh (and Brian McDermott versus Adrian Lam) the follow-up fixture on Monday, February 7, there’s plenty of interest as the second tier takes centre stage before Super League starts with the Grand Final repeat between St Helens and Catalans Dragons on Thursday, February 10.
Emma Jones, an increasingly familiar face when it comes to sports coverage, will present the Premier show, with Mark Wilson commentating and Kevin Brown, Leon Pryce and Jodie Cunningham among those who will provide expert comment and analysis over the coming months.
Channel 4’s ten free-to-air Super League games start on Saturday week, February 12, with Leeds versus Warrington, and it’s going to be interesting to see how they and Premier compare to each other, Sky and the BBC.
The Sportsman website is also in on the act, with their agreement to live stream 20 matches across a range of competitions, including the Challenge Cup, League 1, Women’s Super League and Challenge Cup and the wheelchair game.
While the widespread coverage has been welcomed by many, it wouldn’t be Rugby League if there weren’t a few gripes, one of which is having those Championship games on Mondays.
With twelve out of the 14 clubs part-time, it’s argued by some that it’s unfair to players and coaching staff who have jobs, as well as supporters, especially those of the away sides.
Having said that, some readers will recall the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy, which in an era when every club was part-time, took place on Tuesday nights, and helped spread the appeal of the game beyond its traditional hot spots.
The competition, which ran for 15 years from 1965 to 1979, is put in the spotlight in the new issue of the returning Rugby League World magazine, which also has club-by-club previews for Super League and the Championship (League 1, which starts on the weekend of March 26/27, will be in the next issue).
Along with League Express, it’s the perfect read to get up to date on what’s gone on over the closed-season, from Barrow Raiders to York City Knights and all the clubs from the top two divisions in-between.
Click here to order a copy or take out a subscription.
The above content is also available in the regular weekly edition of League Express, on newsstands every Monday in the UK and as a digital download. Click here for more details.