Featherstone Rovers: YouTube documentary Pit to Pitch released as rugby league fans gain 'unprecedented' insight to club

Thousands of people have watched the first episode of Pit to Pitch, which was released on YouTube on Tuesday.

The fly-on-the-wall series, which is free to watch, allows supporters to hear from the players, coaching staff and club insiders at Millennium Stadium as they share their thoughts on the pre-season just gone, squad goals and challenges ahead for the Betfred Championship side.

The club’s CEO Martin Vickers says: “Featherstone Rovers are the heartbeat of the town and the surrounding area and the documentary demonstrates the passion, togetherness and the determination of the team that is a mirror image of that community, and indeed the game of rugby league. Faced with off-field challenges and an indifferent season on the pitch (last year), the series tracks, through the eyes of the team, the club and the fight back from such adversity. For all sports fans it’s a gripping watch and hopefully the series will bring to life some of the heroes of the club on and off the field.”

Featherstone finished sixth out of 14 in last year’s Championship table – the second tier of rugby league – earning 28 points after 14 wins and 12 lossses.

The first episode of Pit to Pitch, which is shot mainly by videographer Mike Jerrold, showed the West Yorkshire side’s successful pre-season games against Dewsbury Rams, Goole Vikings and Huddersfield Giants, with the squad “pushing themselves to the limit” ahead of the main campaign. More episodes will come out at key moments throughout the season and fans will get a mixture of match analysis, behind-the-scenes moments and “emotional insights,” says the club.

Head Coach James Ford says: “This series is about showing the reality of professional rugby league—what happens in the dressing room, the sacrifices made, and the determination needed to push for success. It’s a great way to connect with our supporters and share our journey in a way that’s never been done before.”

Chairman Paddy Handley adds: “Following the positive response the club received from its promotional shirt launch, which focused on the heritage of Featherstone Rovers, it was agreed that board member James Lunn should commission a fly on the wall documentary taking in not just our fans but the wider family of rugby league, on a journey of the rebuild of the Featherstone Rovers ‘blue wall’. Cameras have been given unprecedented access to every area of the club to show a real and accurate view of the season ahead.”

Documentaries have in recent years become a popular way for sports clubs to connect with supporters. In 2018, As Good As It Gets? explored Leeds Rhinos’ “golden generation” and their efforts for a historic treble in 2015. Meanwhile, in football, series such as Take Us Home: Leeds United and Sunderland 'Til I Die have captivated fans.