BBC confirm double Super League broadcast pick: Two clubs to be shown on free-to-air

Ben Olawumi
Paul Wellens, BBC Sport

A snapshot of St Helens head coach Paul Wellens talking to BBC Sport ahead of a game in 2023

The BBC will show a game in both Round 23 and Round 24 of the Super League season, with four clubs to be shown live by the free-to-air broadcaster over the next two weekends.

Channel 4 had been Super League’s free-to-air channel for the last two years, before the BBC swooped in during the off-season and claimed those rights on a long-term basis.

A total of 15 (or less) Super League games are to be shown in each of the 2024, 2025 and 2026 seasons respectively as part of the BBC’s rights deal, including two play-off games come the end of the campaign.

It’s been a while since we last saw a game screened by them, but the next two free-to-air picks have now been made.

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Wigan Warriors‘ home clash with Hull FC this coming Sunday afternoon (August 25) is the BBC’s pick in Round 23. Kicking off at 3pm (BST), that game will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and the Red Button.

St Helens‘ second trip of the season to Huddersfield Giants on Sunday, September 1 will then be shown live on BBC Two as the broadcaster’s pick from Round 24.

With kick-off at the John Smith’s Stadium pushed back five minutes to 3.05pm (BST), the BBC’s broadcast will begin at 3pm.

Super League’s press release confirming the above states the following: “Broadcast details for Rounds 25-27 will be confirmed in the coming weeks, with BBC Sport also to provide live coverage of two matches from the play-offs on September 28 and October 5 as part of the three-year broadcast partnership from 2024-26.”

When a Super League game is shown on the BBC, it is still also shown by the game’s main broadcast partners Sky Sports.

Usually, any game that the BBC pick isn’t one of Sky’s ‘exclusive picks’, meaning it will be shown behind the red button on Sky Sports+.

While confirmation hasn’t been provided of that for the two games above just yet, it would appear that will be the case.

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