Super League broadcast plans for 2024 become clearer as new streaming platform is confirmed

It’s now been made official that a new Super League streaming platform will be in place come the start of next season, with the plans of how every game is going to be broadcast becoming a little clearer.

First reported by Love Rugby League back in July, Sky Sports and RL Commercial announced a three-year extension to their rights deal in October, running until the end of the 2026 season.

That new deal – dubbed ‘transformational’ will see every Super League game broadcast live, meaning there will be a video referee in place at all six games in every round of fixtures.

In a press release sent around this morning on the back of the fixture release, it’s now been confirmed that the six games will be split between Sky Sports and a new streaming platform, described as ‘Sky Sports and Rugby League’s own’.

It’s not yet known whether any other broadcasters will hold rights to show Super League live in 2024. Channel 4 have done so for the past two years, and RL Commercial Director Rhodri Jones told Love Rugby League in an exclusive interview earlier this year that they wanted games to continue being screened on free-to-air television.

Super League broadcast plans for 2024 become clearer as new streaming platform is confirmed

Before this morning’s full fixture release, club’s last night were allowed to reveal their first home game of the 2024 season as well as their first away game, in addition to who they would be facing in ‘Rivals Round’ (Round Six).

From that, we knew that the opening game of the Super League season was going to be a Hull derby at the MKM Stadium between Hull FC and Hull KR on Thursday, February 15.

As expected, that’s now been locked in as the first ‘exclusive’ live game of 2024, with the latest press release which confirmed that reading as follows: “Sky Sports will show the Hull derby and the Leeds Rhinos versus Salford Red Devils clash as their exclusive Round One fixtures.

“For the first 15 rounds of the season, with the exception of Rivals Round, Sky Sports subscribers will have exclusive access to two matches per week.

“The remaining four matches of each round will be shown live on Sky Sports and Rugby League’s own streaming platform – with further details to be announced early in the New Year.

“As in previous years, Sky Sports will make exclusive selections from Round 16 and beyond as the season progresses, which will include a number of additional Thursday night fixtures.”

From what we understand, the new streaming platform will operate in a similar fashion to OurLeague. If the game they wish to watch isn’t chosen as an ‘exclusive’ live fixture and accordingly isn’t shown on Sky Sports’ main channels, supporters will be able to pay a fee to watch that specific game.

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