Channel 4’s Super League coverage shortlisted for award
Picture by Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com
Channel 4’s coverage of Super League in 2022 has been shortlisted for a British Sports Journalism award.
Live Super League appeared on terrestrial television for the first time, with 10 live games shown during the season.
Their fresh approach drew much praise from rugby league supporters. Australian Adam Hills was the host, while pundits like Sam Tomkins, Danika Priim and Kyle Amor added to an engaging match day coverage. Mark Wilson carried the mic in the commentary box, with the Channel 4 live game usually being broadcast early on a Saturday afternoon.
That started with Warrington’s opening day victory away at Leeds on February 12, which drew more than half a million viewers.
All 10 games drew six-figure viewing figures through to the final game shown, the play-off semi-final between St Helens and Salford that was watched by 283,000.
It’s first game of 2023 between Hull KR and Wigan on Saturday attracted a peak audience of 495,000, which followed the broadcast earlier in the day of World Club Challenge between Penrith Panthers and St Helens, which attracted a peak of 290,000.
Super League will go up against ITV Sport’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, BBC Radio 5 Live’s coverage of the Women’s Euro 2022 final and the Men’s T20 World Cup final on Sky Sports’ cricket.
Amor tweeted on news of the award shortlist: “It’s been amazing working for IMG and Channel 4 to help showcase our great game and its athletes. In fact, I think it’s bloody awesome for rugby league to be mixing it amongst these nominees.”
According to the British Sports Journalism awards website, the broadcast event coverage is an “award for coverage of an event which, in the opinion of the judges, has made the biggest impact in the past year.”
“Judges will be looking at how entries use original journalism and innovation to bring events to their audience in a unique and captivating way.”
The awards take place at a glittering ceremony in Westminster on Monday March 6.
Live Channel 4 Super League coverage in 2023
February 26 – Castleford v St Helens – 1pm
March 25 – Leeds v Catalans – 1pm
April 1 – Warrington v Hull – 1pm
May 13 – St Helens v Salford – 1pm
Viewing figures for live Channel 4 Super League games in 2022
February 12 – Leeds v Warrington – 531,000
February 19 – Hull v St Helens – 515,000
March 19 – Warrington v Wakefield – 198,000
April 24 – Wigan v Salford – 213,000
May 21 – Hull KR v Catalans – 207,000
June 4 – Castleford v Wigan – 302,000
August 7 – St Helens v Castleford – 259,000
September 10 – Huddersfield v Salford – 189,000
September 17 – St Helens v Salford – 283,000
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