Super League’s big chance to pass screen test and attract wider audience – Ben Mckenna

Super League’s new broadcast deal with Channel 4 is one of the best opportunities the sport has had to showcase itself for decades.
BIG ATTRACTION: Catalans Dragons' Matt Whitley (centre) is tackled by St Helens' Jonny Lomax (left) and James Roby during the Betfred Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford Picture: Martin Rickett/PABIG ATTRACTION: Catalans Dragons' Matt Whitley (centre) is tackled by St Helens' Jonny Lomax (left) and James Roby during the Betfred Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford Picture: Martin Rickett/PA
BIG ATTRACTION: Catalans Dragons' Matt Whitley (centre) is tackled by St Helens' Jonny Lomax (left) and James Roby during the Betfred Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford Picture: Martin Rickett/PA

The agreement for 10 fixtures from British rugby league’s top division to be broadcast on free-to-air television represents an encouraging step in getting new eyes on the game.

Super League reported record viewing figures in 2021 with the beginning of the season played behind closed doors meaning more games being shown than ever before as the viewer numbers broke the 200,000 mark.

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Rugby league on free-to-air television is nothing new, although it is a first for Super League in its 26-year history.

GREAT VIEWING: Leeds Rhinos players mob Brad Dwyer as he celebrates scoring his side's first try against Hull FC in July. 
Picture : Jonathan GawthorpeGREAT VIEWING: Leeds Rhinos players mob Brad Dwyer as he celebrates scoring his side's first try against Hull FC in July. 
Picture : Jonathan Gawthorpe
GREAT VIEWING: Leeds Rhinos players mob Brad Dwyer as he celebrates scoring his side's first try against Hull FC in July. Picture : Jonathan Gawthorpe

The BBC broadcast the Challenge Cup every year but, with only a handful of games shown, it is not consistent enough to capture a new audience.

This year’s Betfred Challenge Cup final between Castleford Tigers and St Helens, which was televised live on BBC One in July, attracted a peak audience of 1.1m, highlighting the greater potential of free-to-air television.

Now imagine the ability to reach that type of audience on a more consistent basis?

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The chance to be broadcast on Channel 4 is genuinely huge for the sport. I grew up in Northern Ireland, where rugby league fans are extremely few and far between.

BIG CHANCE: Castleford Tigers' Niall Evalds evades Hull FC's Marc Sneyd to score in August this year. Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeBIG CHANCE: Castleford Tigers' Niall Evalds evades Hull FC's Marc Sneyd to score in August this year. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
BIG CHANCE: Castleford Tigers' Niall Evalds evades Hull FC's Marc Sneyd to score in August this year. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

It was not until I moved to Yorkshire and lived around the sport that my interest was sparked in it.

With Super League behind Sky Sports’ paywall, it was hard to see it on the off chance let alone watch it if trying to seek it out.

Bringing the competition onto Channel 4 – who have impressively stepped up their sport coverage in recent years – will give the sport’s profile a huge boost across the UK.

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At its best, rugby league is one of the most breathtaking and exhilarating sports to watch. Getting more people to see it is crucial. During the remarkable 2020 Grand Final – when St Helens dramatically defeated Wigan Warriors with Jack Welsby’s late try, pictured, – former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew tweeted: “Watching this rugby and these lads are quite simply hard as nails. Seriously powerful and talented athletes who can’t half shift.

DRAMA: St Helens Jack Welsby, left, celebrates scoring the winning try during the Betfred Super League Grand Final at the KCOM Stadium. Picture: Martin Rickett/PADRAMA: St Helens Jack Welsby, left, celebrates scoring the winning try during the Betfred Super League Grand Final at the KCOM Stadium. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA
DRAMA: St Helens Jack Welsby, left, celebrates scoring the winning try during the Betfred Super League Grand Final at the KCOM Stadium. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA

“They get smashed and I mean SMASHED [sic] and just crack on – fella [sic] is covered in blood and he’s not phased in the slightest. Closest thing I’ve seen to actually fighting in team sports this, brilliant viewing.”

This season, when fans were allowed back in stadia, Bellew was spotted watching St Helens.

With Super League now on Channel 4 for 10 fixtures next year, there is a greater chance of people like Bellew becoming converted to the sport. If more eyes are on the game, then there will be more commercial interest which will only serve to benefit Super League and its clubs.

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Granted, Channel 4’s agreement with Super League will not transform rugby league into one of the country’s most popular sports overnight.

It will simply provide the chance for more people to witness the sport and let them decide for themselves if it is something they want to keep watching.

That is not so easy when the entire competition has been behind a subscription service since its formation in the mid-90s. More eyes on the sport also means more eyes on the players.

Few – if any – Super League players would be considered household names outside of the sport’s heartlands.

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For any young fan of football, rugby union or cricket, part of that love comes from having players they want to be like.

Rugby league players have no problem being looked up to by the younger generation on their doorstep but struggle to have an impact across the nation that other sports stars do. With more people seeing players in action, it could encourage more young kids outside of the heartlands to start picking up a rugby ball and wanting to play the 13-a-side code.

It can not only help players on these shores become more well known, increased viewing figures could see Super League become a more attractive destination for players from the NRL.

In a World Cup year, Channel 4’s agreement has come at an ideal time. There was much anger and frustration when Australia and New Zealand pulled out of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup for Covid-19 related reasons.

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The competition will now take place in the autumn of 2022 but the one-year delay could prove beneficial as more people have a chance to become acquainted with the game.

A new-found interest in the sport could see more people turning out for the Rugby League World Cup. The competition is set to be taken to places like London, Newcastle, Coventry and Middlesbrough, locations which are all outside the traditional areas of the sport.

England could become more well supported as fans watching on Channel 4 may want to get behind their country when they hear there is a World Cup on their doorstep. It could be hard to tangibly measure the success of Channel 4’s relationship with Super League with clubs receiving significantly less central funding from Sky Sports’ new broadcast deal.

However, the sport has a brilliant opportunity to get into homes it may never have reached. That will give players, clubs and sponsors more exposure than they have had previously. This can all be viewed as a positive.

Rugby league is referred to as the greatest game by those who love it most – now others have the chance to see why.

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