The UK-pay TV broadcaster, Sky Sports has secured the media rights of the top-tier rugby league in the United Kingdom, the Super League.
The newly unveiled three-year deal between the two bodies will enable Sky Sports to broadcast every single game of the men’s tournament, which also includes playoffs and the grand finale.
Along with the traditional Magic Weekend games of the men’s Super League, the channel will also livestream the grand finals of the Women’s Super League and the Wheelchair Super League.
In spite of the agreement, Rugby League Commercial (RLC), the joint venture entity in charge of rugby league rights distributions, will continue to be able to distribute the league via various platforms, such as free-to-air broadcast chances and a dedicated streaming platform.
Rhodri Jones, Managing Director, RLC, said, “To have all six fixtures in every round of the men’s Super League televised will offer major new opportunities for RL Commercial and our clubs, as well as allowing supporters to watch many more matches – and also making it possible for us to have video referees at all matches, a truly significant development for the Super League competition.”
He also added, “To have all six fixtures in every round of the men’s Super League televised will offer major new opportunities for RL Commercial and our clubs, as well as allowing supporters to watch many more matches – and also making it possible for us to have video referees at all matches, a truly significant development for the Super League competition.”
He also stated, “Sky Sports also share our optimism about the potential for growth of the Women’s and Wheelchair Super Leagues in the next three years, so they also form an important part of the new deal.”
Sky Sports is the most popular subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland, a collection of British sports channels run by the satellite pay television corporation Sky Group (a division of Comcast).