20 live Championship and League 1 games confirmed for broadcast
The RFL has revealed the Championship and League 1 games it will broadcast via the OuRLeague app up until the end of May.
The first game sees Toulouse take on York at their new home, the Stade Ernest Wallon.
There will also be games broadcast from the Challenge Cup, Women’s Super League and Challenge Cup, and the 1895 Cup, which will be confirmed at a later date.
Mark Foster, the RFL’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We’ve worked hard through the autumn, especially with our broadcast partners Sky Sports and the Championship and League 1 clubs, to find the best way to build on the progress we made with Our League last season.
“So we’re excited to be able to announce such a comprehensive and attractive package of fixtures for the first five months of the 2020 season from January to May, covering six competitions also including the Betfred Women’s Super League, the Coral Women’s Challenge Cup, the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup and kicking off with the Coral Challenge Cup.
“The Toulouse-York match is a great way to start – the teams who finished second and third behind Toronto Wolfpack last season, who are both confident of challenging for promotion again in 2020, and with the added attraction of Toulouse’s move to the renowned Stade Ernest Wallon.
“That game will be played in Toulouse’s usual Saturday evening slot which makes sense with Sky Sports showing the Betfred Super League double header from Emerald Headingley the following day.
“But where possible we want fans to know that Sunday night is Our League night, starting the following weekend with Featherstone’s home opener against Halifax, and continuing with a series of attractive Betfred Championship fixtures which underline what a great competition it’s going to be again in 2020.
“Playing the big games on a Sunday evening, we avoid clashes with Sky Sports’ extensive coverage of the Betfred Super League. We think it’s the perfect time for us to show the quality of the Betfred Championship to a wider audience, and we’re grateful to our broadcast partners and to the Championship and League 1 clubs, who will be contributing a small percentage of their central distribution for the 2020 season to allow all this to happen.
“We also saw last season a growing audience for the Our League coverage of the Betfred Women’s Super League and Coral Women’s Challenge Cup, and we’ll be providing further details of that when the BWSL fixtures are announced next weekend.”
Betfred Championship
Saturday February 1 – Toulouse Olympique v York City Knights (5pm GMT)
Sunday February 9 – Featherstone Rovers v Halifax (615pm)
Sunday February 16 – Whitehaven v Oldham (615pm)
Sunday March 1 – Swinton Lions v Leigh Centurions (3pm), Dewsbury Rams v Widnes Vikings (615pm)
Sunday March 8 – Bradford Bulls v Sheffield Eagles (615pm)
Sunday March 22 – York City Knights v Featherstone Rovers (3pm)
Sunday March 29 – Oldham v York City Knights (3pm), Batley Bulldogs v Bradford Bulls (615pm)
Easter Monday (April 13) – Whitehaven v Leigh Centurions (3pm)
Wednesday April 15 – Widnes Vikings v Bradford Bulls (730pm)
Sunday April 19 – Halifax v Widnes Vikings (615pm)
Sunday April 26 – Leigh Centurions v Toulouse Olympique (3pm)
Sunday May 3 – York City Knights v Widnes Vikings (615pm)
Sunday May 17 – Bradford Bulls v Leigh Centurions (615pm)
Betfred League 1
Sunday February 16 – Workington Town v London Skolars (3pm)
Saturday February 29 – London Skolars v North Wales Crusaders (3pm, Allianz Park)
Sunday March 8 – Rochdale Hornets v Keighley Cougars (3pm)
Sunday May 17 – Barrow Raiders v Newcastle Thunder (3pm)
Friday May 22 – Newcastle Thunder v Doncaster (tbc)