SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

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SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

Post by josie andrews »

28-year partnership between Super League and Sky Sports runs until end of 2023 season.

Sky Sports to exclusively show 66 live matches per season.

Sky’s coverage will include flagship events Dacia Magic Weekend, Play-Offs and the Betfred Super League Grand Final.


Super League (Europe) can today, 28 April, announce that it has extended its broadcast rights deal with Sky Sports for a further two seasons, taking the ongoing partnership to 28 years. The extension sees the broadcast partner for UK & Republic of Ireland continue its long-standing relationship until the end of the 2023 season.

Sky Sports will continue to show the biggest Betfred Super League games with 66 live matches exclusively per season - including flagship events Dacia Magic Weekend and the Betfred Super League Grand Final.

The new agreement will see Sky Sports have the first pick of games in each of the regular season rounds as well as first pick in each of the Play-Off weeks, meaning fans can expect to find the biggest clashes each week live and exclusive on Sky Sports.

Sky Sports will also work with Super League to reach new audiences and will make some of this season’s fixtures available via free-to-air Sky platforms.

On the announcement, Super League executive chairman Ken Davy said: "It's great to be able to extend our excellent partnership with Sky Sports. Sky have been with us from the start of the competition, back in 1996, and are now an integral part of the Super League family. Together out partnership has seen Super League achieve record viewing figures in recent years.

"We've worked closely throughout the current pandemic and every step of the way Sky have been immensely supportive. Together we have managed to give fans an exceptional amount of coverage during these unprecedented times.

"We're truly grateful for Sky Sports comprehensive Super League coverage, capturing so many iconic moments for over 25 years. Their coverage of Jack Welsby's unbelievable last minute try to win the 2020 Betfred Super League Grand Final for St Helens will remain in the memory of fans for many years to come.

"Super League looks forward to working with Sky Sports on the exciting free-to-air opportunity, growing our audience and allowing more fans than ever before to see our great game."

Sky Sports Managing Director Rob Webster said: "We’re delighted to be continuing our rights deal with the Betfred Super League to 2023. It is a testament to the quality of the competition and our coverage that sees our partnership move beyond a quarter of a century.

"The Betfred Super League continues to produce fantastic drama on the pitch and is an essential part of our offering to Sky Sports customers. We look forward to bringing our viewers more magic moments from the competition in the years to come."

https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/1 ... sky-sports
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Re: SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

Post by Blackpool_Pie »

Super League has agreed a new television rights deal with existing holder Sky Sports until the end of the 2023 season.

Sky will show 66 live games per season, including the Magic Weekend, play-offs and the showpiece Grand Final.

The new deal gives the broadcaster first pick of games during the regular season as well as the play-offs.

"Our partnership has seen record viewing figures in recently," said the league's executive chairman Ken Davy.

"We've worked closely throughout the current pandemic and every step of the way Sky have been immensely supportive.

"Together we have managed to give fans an exceptional amount of coverage during these unprecedented times."

The agreement will see Sky, who have held television rights to the competition since it started in 1996, extend their partnership to 28 years.

Part of the new deal will also see Sky make some of this season's fixtures available via the broadcaster's free-to-air platforms.

Analysis

BBC Sport rugby league correspondent Dave Woods

The fact that the new contract has finally been confirmed will be a welcome relief for the Super League clubs. But, as widely predicted, it does involve a drop in TV revenue.

The current contract - which is up at the end of this year - has been worth an estimated £40m per year.

No figures have been made public for the new deal, but it's believed to be in the region of between £25m - £30m a year in 2022 and 2023.

That clearly means less money for the Super League clubs to share among themselves, but there will also be deep concerns for the wider game.

It's unlikely that much, if any, of the money will drip down to support clubs in the Championship or League One. There is talk of a separate deal for the lower league clubs with a different broadcaster, but it would be fanciful to suggest that such a deal would yield any significant income.

The Super League clubs had also originally hoped to sell a separate package to a different broadcaster, that would involve 10 live Super League matches broadcast throughout the year with a weekly highlights programme.

As yet there is no news about that package.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/56915807
Blackpool_Pie
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Re: SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

Post by Blackpool_Pie »

Absolute pants down job from Sky. The sport is in deep trouble
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Re: SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

Post by Caboosegg »

It's depends the first pick of 66 games give the small glimmer of hope that the rfl can explore other revenues for the other matches such as the our league app or bbc.

Then again it might not mean that and then 66 games only been shown and no opportunity to show the others elsewhere would be a kick in the teeth.
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Re: SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

Post by nathan_rugby »

Blackpool_Pie wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 12:41 pm Absolute pants down job from Sky. The sport is in deep trouble
Why?
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Re: SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

Post by jaws1 »

nathan_rugby wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:10 pm
Blackpool_Pie wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 12:41 pm Absolute pants down job from Sky. The sport is in deep trouble
Why?
Super League wont lose out if this is true https://forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php ... 1557b75f58 .
BBC to show matches as well
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Re: SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

Post by fozzieskem »

While streaming is the future I highly doubt that the likes of Amazon prime have rugby league anywhere in its sights and why would they,the sport they have gone for has world wide ready made appeal it seems to me,likewise with BT if they wanted the sport they’d have come for it by now surely?

I read that it may well be the BBC get a Saturday afternoon game and that exposure for the sport is certainly one it needs at a national level even if it doesn’t cover the shortfall.

The sport has to be careful here the economic crap storm that will hit because of Covid will arrive soon enough and people will look at “luxuries” that they can afford to do without so if the sport comes out with differing subscription packages it may well find the audience simple isn’t there.
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Re: SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

Post by Mike »

Will the salary cap limit be relevant anymore for some clubs, or will income be a more important constraint on their spending? Afterall, the cap was originally setup to stop clubs going bust.
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pedro
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Re: SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

Post by pedro »

jaws1 wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:25 pm
nathan_rugby wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:10 pm
Blackpool_Pie wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 12:41 pm Absolute pants down job from Sky. The sport is in deep trouble
Why?
Super League wont lose out if this is true https://forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php ... 1557b75f58 .
BBC to show matches as well
the game is bigger than SL, sky are killing the sport
nathan_rugby
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Re: SUPER LEAGUE EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SKY SPORTS

Post by nathan_rugby »

Mike wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:45 pm Will the salary cap limit be relevant anymore for some clubs, or will income be a more important constraint on their spending? Afterall, the cap was originally setup to stop clubs going bust.
Wasn’t it set up to even the playing field and stop “richer” clubs attracting the best players with the highest wages and therefore creating a gap between the teams?
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
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