BBC striking Super League TV deal is the "full shebang" for our growing sport
It will be brilliant to see Betfred Super League shown live on the BBC for the first time this evening.
It’s a great deal for both parties to have so many live games - 15 per season - starting with Castleford and Wigan. That greater exposure to a less niche audience is just what rugby league needs to grow. Sky Sports have been a fantastic partner over the last 30 years. But it is a niche channel: you have to pay to watch it whereas the BBC (I know there’s the licence fee involved) has a chance to catch the more casual viewer.
The issue we have in rugby league is getting new people involved and watching. Having Super League on the BBC creates that quality opportunity for that: people at a loose end on a Saturday might just stick it on and realise it’s a hell of a game worth watching more of. As a partnership it works exceptionally well.
The Challenge up has had great exposure over the years on the BBC but this takes it to another level. We’ve also had Super League highlights packages on before but it’s not been on at a great time and regionalised. However, this - live Super League games on a Saturday evening at 5.30pm - is the full shebang.
Ordinarily, I’d have been working for the BBC on tonight’s first game and I would love to be at Wheldon Road. But I’d already strapped myself into the hurt locker again to run the Seville marathon this weekend. I’ll be really interested to see how the coverage goes - and also for Wigan v Penrith in the World Club Challenge next Saturday when I will be back.
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As for Super League, I see champions Wigan as favourites but just ahead of a chasing pack consisting of St Helens, Leeds, Warrington, Catalans, Hull KR and Leigh. They will all fancy their chances of making the Grand Final - and winning it. As well as the BBC debut, we also see Sam Burgess make his bow as a Super League coach on Saturday night.
Betfred Super League 2024 is up and running and here's some of the stars of the competition (PA)He takes his Warrington side to Catalans so it’s really come full circle: Dragons boss Steve McNamara gave Sam his Super League debut as a Bradford player back in 2006. Now they’re facing each other as coaches. I was really pleased that day Sam made his debut for Bulls. I was in the Leeds side he played at Headingley but I’d known him having left Bradford the year before.
He was in the Academy and had a sparkly eye and big smile about him. It was great to see him, then, as a 17 year-old already fulfilling his potential. He didn’t look out of place; that was my overriding thought from his debut - this kid’s going to be a superstar. He’s been more than that. He’s been the best player of his generation.
From my experience, teams play like their coach’s traits and behaviours. And Sam, as skilful as he was, was highly competitive, exceptionally tough and competed for everything. I expect Warrington to be that. And if you said one thing Warrington have lacked over the last few years since the retirements of people like Adrian Morley and Ben Westwood it is some of that toughness, resilience and willingness to compete. Sam will instil that but people need to give him time as well; he’s a great long-term bet for Warrington.
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