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Wigan Warriors Round 1 fixture away to Castleford Tigers on Saturday 17th February will now kick off at the later time of 5:30pm.

The Super League champions start their season on the road at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle in Round 1 of the competition. The game, which was previously scheduled to kick-off at 3pm, will now commence at the later time of 5:30pm.

Tickets for the fixture will go on sale in due course. For the full 2024 Betfred Super League fixtures, click HERE


https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/01/ ... amendment/

Is this match on sky

Suzieb wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2024 4:05 pm Is this match on sky

They all are.

It's down to the pub for me

This switch was anticipated the day the fixtures and tv schedules were announced.

I was looking forward to a 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon match but unfortunately it’s not to be. My concern is that with increased television coverage that people will opt out from going when fixtures are changed or are inconvenient.
More media coverage to spread the game has been needed for years but in my opinion it needs to be news not live games.

Just watching Sky Sports News and down the right hand side all the round one Super League games are being promoted. Dates, times, which channel etc. And guess what time they're saying Cas v Wigan is scheduled for? Yep, you guessed it 3pm. Piss up and brewery spring to mind. But I suspect this is going to happen more this season and it WILL have an impact on attendances.

PJC wrote: ↑Sat Jan 27, 2024 9:34 am I was looking forward to a 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon match but unfortunately it’s not to be. My concern is that with increased television coverage that people will opt out from going when fixtures are changed or are inconvenient.
More media coverage to spread the game has been needed for years but in my opinion it needs to be news not live games.

But news articles on games is not going to bring in sponsors or sponsorship for clubs or the RFL, live games brings in a captive audience for at least 80 minutes and with advertising around the ground and ad breaks it increases sponsor exposure, which in turn should/could increase revenue for clubs and the RFL.

If for instance a sponsor wants to advertise on a hoarding at the ground, in the past the sponsor may say that the club in question is only on TV x amount of times per season and therefore does not warrant x amount in sponsor money, now clubs can say, their advert will be seen on TV/streaming services every week therefore increasing the sponsors exposure nationally/internationally, which can only be good for the game and possibly the clubs.

I agree that there may be a reduction in people paying on the gate, at the moment it is hard to say what, if any, impact this will have on club revenues, but with the opportunity to incease or attract new sponsors with the increased exposure, hopefully clubs can counter any loss on the gate with an increase in sponsorship

THE first Super League free-to-air fixture has been revealed as Castleford Tigers’ home clash with Wigan Warriors has moved kick-off times.

The Round One fixture will still take place on Saturday 17 February, but kick-off is now 5.30pm instead of the previous time of 3pm.

Castleford and Wigan will likely line up on the BBC as part of the new free-to-air agreement which is set to be disclosed before the start of the Super League season.


Mail Sport prevously revealed that the BBC won the rights that will see at least 12 matches each season shown live on BBC Two on Saturday evenings – starting from February with Castleford’s home clash against Wigan.

Games will also be made available on the BBC iPlayer, whilst the BBC will cover two play-off games at the end of the season – much like Channel 4 did in 2022 and 2023 – as well as the World Club Challenge between Wigan Warriors and NRL premiers Penrith Panthers on 24 February.

The BBC has not broadcast live rugby league games – with the exception of the Challenge Cup – since the mid-1990s, but Mail Sport has revealed that the broadcasting giants have outbid Channel 4 to pick up the mantle once more.

Already, Channel 4 commentators Mark Wilson and Kyle Amor have moved to Sky Sports, with pundit Sam Tomkins also making the switch.

https://www.totalrl.com/first-super-lea ... ors-moved/

My understanding is that there has been no formal announcement by the BBC that they will screen the Penrith game. There's certainly no mention on the BBC RL website. For what that's worth.