Focus On ... TV Games

Focus On ... TV Games

That dreaded writers block struck this week and I’ve been struggling for a topic to blog about so please forgive me if this week’s feels a bit rushed.

I didn’t want to solely focus on Castleford Tigers winning the League Leaders Shield.  However I will offer my hearty congratulations to them for their first ever first place finish.  It’s an incredible achievement to win it so convincingly having played fantastic rugby league throughout the year from Round 1 to now, barring one or two off days, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching them when they’ve been on TV.  To clinch the shield and still have four rounds to spare is some achievement.

Away from all that I got thinking about the matches that are shown on TV, predominantly Sky Sports, and whether each team gets a fair crack at the viewings each season?  I don’t claim to know how the TV revenue is shared out between the clubs as I’m no expert on that (maybe it would be naive of me to think it’s shared equally) but I felt it was an interesting question to raise.

Looking back to when the Super League fixtures were announced, and therefore the first batch of TV games, back in October 2016 here’s what each club was allocated (both home and away) from most to least...

Wigan Warriors - 14

Catalans Dragons - 13

Warrington Wolves - 13

Leeds Rhinos - 12

St Helens - 12

Castleford Tigers - 9

Leigh Centurions - 9

Wakefield Trinity - 9

Widnes Vikings - 7

Hull FC - 6

Huddersfield Giants - 5

Salford Red Devils - 4

Now, take off one game each for the Magic Weekend, when all six games from that round are shown live, that’s quite a disproportionate amount of club’s matches shown on television particularly if you’re a supporter of Widnes, Hull, Huddersfield or Salford.

The Warriors have enjoyed the most air time during the regular season and the Saints were live on Sky Sports no less than six times in the first seven rounds!

But at the other end of the spectrum, Salford only had one home match chosen for live viewing and that was their Round 7 fixture against St Helens.  And since the Magic Weekend in May we didn’t see them again until Round 2 of the Super 8’s – and they’ve had a great season compared to last year.

I’ll admit that the Sky Sports allocators don’t have a crystal ball to see how well teams will do the following year so they have to ‘play it safe’ early on by choosing matches involving teams that are expected to be challenging for honours towards the end of the season, otherwise no one would switch on to watch.  And ultimately that’s the aim, not just for Sky to bring the money in, but for rugby league fans who enjoy showcasing their sport to viewers who wouldn’t normally consider watching our code of rugby.

But I do think they could find a better way to share out the air time so the clubs aren’t so disproportionately varied.  Sky did well to schedule all 12 teams to be shown at least once over the first two weekends but maybe next season they could look at introducing a format which sees no team on TV in more than two consecutive weeks?

And following the split into the Super 8’s and Qualifiers, where we get to watch another three or four matches shown live each weekend, here’s how the allocation has worked so far...

Leeds Rhinos - 4          

Castleford Tigers - 3          

St Helens - 3          

Wakefield Trinity - 2          

Wigan Warriors - 2          

Hull FC - 1          

Salford Red Devils - 1          

Huddersfield Giants - 0          

Catalans Dragons - 4

Leigh Centurions - 3

London Broncos - 2

Warrington Wolves - 2

Featherstone Rovers - 1

Halifax RLFC - 1

Hull Kingston Rovers - 1

Widnes Vikings - 1

So, once again Hull, Salford and especially Huddersfield fans who can’t get to games must feel slightly aggrieved and wonder if and why they’ve been forgotten about.  However, there are still three further rounds to be allocated in the Super 8’s so we’ll have to wait and see what happens there.

I can’t help thinking that it’s unfairly balanced in the favour of the so called ‘big teams’.  If we look at Leeds and Wigan, after Round 27 they’ll have both been on TV a total of 16 times!  Catalans must have all of their home games shown live on French TV so there must be some deal with Sky Sports which enables them to show all those matches as well.  Each time Catalans have been at home on a Saturday evening the match is shown on Sky so by the end of the season they’ll have been on TV at least 17 times in total.

In my lifetime the Premier League has arrived and with it millions of pounds in TV revenue which Sky Sports forks out for with bigger and bigger deals each season – heck, the Premier League now has its own channel.  This means rugby league has to play second or even third fiddle to other sports.  Hopefully, now that football has its two channels, cricket and Formula 1 also having their own spaces, maybe rugby league can start forcing their way into the public eye a bit more and earning a more money for the sport from the guys who really matter.

I’m sure Sky are already planning what to do with rugby league next year, and let’s face it, it would be a miracle if anything is changes so soon.

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Amateur Focus - Part 4

Amateur Focus - Part 4

We’re just weeks away from the end of season play-offs in the professional leagues and the same can be said for the National Conference League as well.  There are just three or four rounds to go in the top three divisions and places for the last few spots is really hotting up with two teams already guaranteed to change leagues next season.

PREMIER DIVISION

Siddal remain top of the Premier Division with three rounds to go.  A run of six consecutive victories following a minor slump of just one point from two games during Rounds 13 and 14 sees them lead the table with 33 points from 19 matches and are assured of their play-off spot.

Joining them in the top six will be Thatto Heath Crusaders, Rochdale Mayfield and Wath Brow Hornets.  Second placed Thatto have had an excellent season following promotion last year and are still in with a shout of the minor premiership sitting just three points behind Siddal.

Mayfield are the final team who have a very slim chance of claiming top spot, being just five points behind Siddal, but their next game is away to the table toppers and that could seal their fate in a game brought forward from Round 22.

Wath Brow continued their good season and secured their play-off place following a narrow victory at Skirlaugh over the weekend.

Just behind them are four teams who mathematically have a chance of making the top six.  West Hull are in pole position with 22 points – four points ahead of Kells and Myton Warriors with Kells sitting sixth on points difference.  Kells also have a game in hand which could aid their chances of a debut in the play-offs.  Egremont Rangers can also still make the play-offs if they can win all their final three matches.

No team is relegated yet but defeat for Leigh Miners Rangers at home to Egremont at the start of September could spell the end for the 2015 trebble winners.

DIVISION ONE

The first club who will change leagues at the end of this season is Underbank Rangers who moved two points clear at the top of Division One at the weekend.  This was due to Hunslet Club Parkside’s match against bottom of the league Blackbrook being postponed but their victory sealed one of the two automatic promotion spots to next season’s Premier Division.

Parkside remain second, seven points ahead of Milford Marlins, and with five games still to play it’s surely only a matter of time before they secure promotion.

The Marlins are the only other side to have secured at least a play-off spot at the end of the season and, barring an incredible run of results going their way, could still claim second place.  However, they can no longer claim the title what with being nine points behind Underbank with just eight left to claim.

Incredibly, every team sitting fourth to 11^th can still claim the remaining play-off spots as they are split by just ten points.  York Acorn are fourth on 20 points, three points ahead of Lock Lane and Normanton Knights, the other two sides currently occupying the play-off places.

Ince Rose Bride are one point behind in seventh but Shaw Cross Sharks, Hull Dockers and even Hunslet Warriors and Featherstone Lions, who occupy two of the three relegation spots, can also mathematically qualify.

Sitting bottom of the league are Blackbrook who were unable to raise a team for their game at Parkside so time will tell as to what that means to the final league table.

DIVISION TWO

Moving down a division this league is still wide open at the top of the table.  No less than five teams can still claim the title and/or automatic promotion.

As it stands Oulton Raiders are top with 29 points from 19 matches.  A point behind them is Thornhill Trojans, who have also played 19 matches, and Wigan St Judes are third – a further point (and game) behind.

Those three are guaranteed at least a play-off place and the next two clubs are also in with a shout if each one can claim a grandstand finish.  Bradford Dudley Hill are six points behind the Raiders with as many points to claim and Cumbrian side Askam sit fifth on 22 points with five games left!

The next three clubs are all still fighting for a place in the top six.  East Leeds sit four points clear of Saddleworth Rangers and Crossfields having played a game more.

Moving into the bottom four, one relegation spot has already been taken by Salford City Roosters who have done well to keep going have won just one game in 19.  Further up the table Leigh East are ninth with 12 points.  Millom sit tenth, a point and two games ahead of Drighlington.

DIVISION THREE

After the resignation of Rylands Sharks last week their expunged results have caused major changes to the league table.  And after Elland resigned a few weeks ago each side have played anything between 16 and 18 matches and six teams can still finish as champions!

League leaders West Bowling have 30 points to their name (from 17 games) and are the only side guaranteed at least a play-off spot. Second placed Woolston Rovers are six points behind, 24 from 18, and have benefitted the most following Rylands departure by soaring up the table.  But they can still mathematically be caught by ninth placed Oldham St Annes who have 14 points from 16 games!  Eastmoor Dragons are third, level on points with Rovers but have two games in hand.

Dewsbury Moor Maroons and Stanningly are fourth and fifth respectively with 22 points.  Stanningly have played a game less with 16.  Then there’s another drop of two points to Gateshead Storm in sixth after 17 games.

The league gets further complicated from seventh down, where we see Barrow Island.  With 15 points from 18 matches, and a better points difference to Clock Face Miners (who also have 15 points, but from 17 games) they can’t actually claim automatic promotion anymore, unlike the two sides below them!  The Miners are eighth and St Anne’s have 14 points from just 16 games.

Dewsbury Celtic, Stanley Rangers and Waterhead Warriors will battle it out to avoid the wooden spoon with four points separating those three sides – The Warriors a game ahead of both with 17.

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Focus On - Challenge Cup Semi's and Final Venues

Focus On - Challenge Cup Semi's and Final Venues

There’s been a lot of talk in recent weeks about the venues chosen for the two Challenge Cup Semi Finals and, even before that, whether the Final should be moved away from Wembley Stadium and London.  This is something I’ve thought about and would like to give my two penn’orth.

I must admit I was a little bit surprised when the venue for the Leeds v Hull match was announced, which I went to (please see blog posted last weekend!), as the RFL opted for a venue which seated 15,000 spectators.  At first I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get tickets for this game and social media was rife with complaints and raised eyebrows from both sets of fans thinking they wouldn’t be able to get tickets.

I get that it was probably the only all-seater, neutral venue between the two clubs available that weekend, but surely they knew that Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium could have been comfortably filled by each set of supporters?

Even the other Semi Final venue, Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium, can only seat around 15,000 spectators, but that seemed less of a problem as only 10,796 spectators attended from both clubs.

One side of the Halliwell Jones is all standing anyway so that answers the opinion that we don’t need all-seater stadiums even at this stage of the competition.

So why don’t the RFL look elsewhere for their venues.  Maybe for the Leeds v Hull match, Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium, which holds just under £25,000 spectators, which meant more fans from either club being able to buy tickets for the match.

I suppose it all depends on who’s using the stadium that weekend, particularly if it’s council owned or shared with a football club, which the John Smith’s is.  And they would have to wait to see which clubs got through to each semi before confirming the venues.

Another, bigger stadium that could have held the Wigan v Salford semi is St Helens’ Totally Wicked Stadium and that is only a bit further down the road from Warrington.

Last season the Leigh Sports Village was used for the semi between Warrington and Wakefield which raised a number of disgruntled voices about the RFL choosing a venue in a town that has no train station so more people had to drive there.

My point in all this is that if the RFL were able to search out and use bigger venues then maybe any Challenge Cup magic that might be slipping away could be rekindled.

Elland Road in Leeds has been used in the past for Challenge Cup semi finals and there’s the option of Anfield or Goodison Park in Liverpool for the ‘Lancashire’ venue, all of which hold between 37,000 and 54, 000.

As the current timing of the semi finals is outside of the football season maybe the RFL could look at hosting semi final double-headers in a larger stadium in cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield or Leeds.  Don’t all shoot me at once but at a push they could even be taken outside of the heartlands!  Now I think a double header would be brilliant and fans would make a real weekend of it, particularly neutral fans who may opt to watch both matches.

The down side to that is that some fans may feel disgruntled by having to pay out for another weekend away considering we already have the Magic Weekend in Newcastle and the cup final weekend in London.

On the other matter I would just like to say to the RFL “PLEASE DON’T MOVE THE FINAL AWAY FROM LONDON OR WEMBLEY?!?!”  The Wembley weekend is engrained into the rugby league psyche and has been for decades.  During the early years of this century many supporters agreed that having the final outside of London was just not the same, even if we did find a decent alternative in Cardiff.

There is no other stadium in Britain that can hold as many people as Wembley Stadium.  Yeah, it might not get filled to capacity, what with having to make room for the big screen and allowing spaces for neutral fans.  Last season’s final attracted a crowd of 76,235, but I wouldn’t bet against this years’ being an 80,000+ sell-out as Hull and Wigan are two very well-supported clubs.

When the Challenge Cup came back to London in 2008 it was a fantastic atmosphere and you could tell supporters were delighted to be back in the capital.  Since then it has been a regular fixture with fans of all clubs enjoying their annual pilgrimage down south every August bank holiday, regardless of whether they supported either of the competing teams.

And you only have to look at the Hull FC fans last year after they finally broke their hoodoo and won the final at Wembley.  There were tears of joy and disbelief all around me and that’s what it means to every supporter.

Even I get emotional when I think about my home town club, Barrow Raiders, finally reaching Wembley and playing in the Challenge Cup Final.  Admittedly, that unfortunately won’t happen any time soon but it’s good to dream isn’t it?  And that goes for any supporter across the country from Workington to Toulouse – everyone dreams of reaching Wembley!

I would put the Challenge Cup alongside other sports’ major knock-out tournaments such as the FA Cup and Wimbledon, which always have those you-had-to-be-there moments, and for me it just wouldn’t work anywhere other than at Wembley.

So, as I said above, please keep the Final at Wembley for years to come.  The shine might have gone off the competition’s early rounds in recent years but it’s probably the biggest, most anticipated, match in the rugby league calendar and it needs to stay where it is.

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