Major broadcast change with BBC to share coverage of popular sport with Sky Sports

THE BBC have confirmed a major broadcast deal to show live rugby league from next weekend.

The new Super League season kicks off on the middle weekend of February.

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Wigan Warriors will kickstart BBC Sport’s live Super League coverage[/caption]

And BBC Sport will have coverage of Castleford Tigers and reigning champions Wigan Warriors on February 17.

The match takes centre stage with coverage starting from 5pm on the Saturday afternoon on BBC Two.

Seven days later, Wigan are back in action in front of the Beeb cameras in their World Club Challenge against their Australian counterparts, NRL winners Penrith Panthers.

The public broadcaster have won the rights to show 15 live rugby league games per year until 2026 – after beating Channel 4 to the three-year contract.

Ten of those will be on terrestrial TV – plus the BBC’s Challenge Cup coverage – with the other five only available via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

Fans can also expect highlights of every Super League, including the Grand Final at Old Trafford on October 14, and Women’s Super League match online.

BBC Radio 5 Live also have weekly commentaries of matches while the BBC Sounds Rugby League Podcast returns.

Philip Bernie, Interim Director of BBC Sport says: “Nothing beats live sporting action and this new deal will deliver so much for rugby league fans to enjoy.”

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One fan wrote on Twitter: “This is going to be HUGE. Rugby League on the BBC!”

Another said: “Outstanding!”

A third added: “Think this wraps up how well the RFL have done in the preseason with Super League+ , new graphics engagement etc, for all the stick they get, this is a massive positive

And a final user replied: “Brave le Beeb!”

The BBC’s matches will go alongside Sky Sports’ coverage of the top tier of rugby league.

From the upcoming 2024 season, Sky will show every Super League game with six fixtures per matchday.

Elsewhere, the player of the match award for the Grand Final has been renamed after Rob Burrow.

Leeds Rhinos legend Burrow, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019, won the Harry Sunderland Trophy in 2007 and 2011 – the first man to collect it twice.

That includes the mouthwatering curtain raiser on February 15 which sees Hull FC take on Hull KR.

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The BBC have won the rights to 15 live matches in 2024[/caption]