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The England v New Zealand series this autumn was a hit with viewers.
The England v New Zealand series this autumn was a hit with viewers. Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images
The England v New Zealand series this autumn was a hit with viewers. Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images

Rugby league should never forget the power of free-to-air TV

This article is more than 5 years old

If the sport wants a mainstream audience, it has to prioritise its relationship with the BBC and coverage of the England team

By Gavin Willacy for No Helmets Required

Does rugby league take the BBC for granted? And are the RFL flogging a dead horse with the Challenge Cup? I left Parliament mulling over those questions after seeing a fascinating presentation by three of BBC Sport’s leading figures last week.

The Beeb showed 57 hours of league this year and broadcast 50 live commentaries on national radio. They account for 78% of all rugby league viewing on TV, with over seven million people watching more than 15 minutes of rugby league on BBC this year compared to two million on Sky. They are essential to the game retaining its status in the mainstream media.

Alongside director of sport Barbara Slater and rugby league correspondent Dave Woods, lead editor Alastair McIntyre – who also edits Sports Personality, Wimbledon, the London Marathon and the Olympics – admitted that the audience for this year’s Challenge Cup was the lowest on record. Just 4.5 million watched the seven ties on BBC TV, down from 7.9 million in 2011.

“Domestic rugby league on the channel is declining with all audiences for live games below the timeslot average,” reported McIntyre, a St Helens fanatic. “For context, the 8.5 million people who view rugby league on the BBC this year is the same as the number who tuned in to watch the NFL last season.”

Saturdays and BBC1 coverage guarantee the biggest audiences and yet that combination for the final drew just 1.3 million on the one Saturday of the year when half the population has gone away or out for one last bite of summer. McIntyre told MPs and Lords that the Beeb had been requesting to move the Challenge Cup final back into early summer for the last five years, especially away from August Bank Holiday which is the worst for viewing figures in the whole year! The RFL have finally listened.

Consequently almost as many people watched the Super League semi-final highlights on BBC1 on a Saturday lunchtime – long after the games happened – as tuned in for the Challenge Cup final showpiece.

The cup crowds don’t help. Empty stands turn off TV viewers, thus devaluing the event for the broadcasters in negotiation and decreasing income from the RFL. An outsider would wonder why they are obsessing with the Challenge Cup when the FA Cup final has lost its magic and rugby union long since gave up on their domestic cup.

Instead, the RFL should be putting their chips on England. Year on year, the BBC get almost as many viewers for the handful of international matches as they do the whole domestic season, double in World Cup years. More than 4 million watched the three England v New Zealand Tests this autumn. “Internationals offer an opportunity to bring a much bigger audience to rugby league,” said McIntyre. “These games also cut through beyond the traditional heartlands of the game, with a bigger proportion of the audience coming from outside the North.”

McIntyre reported that 8% more people in the south watch internationals compared to domestic matches and 6% more ABC1s - the socio-economic population advertisers want to reach. The only places where numbers drop for England matches are, understandably, on BBC Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

And yet England have played just 23 times in five seasons since the 2013 World Cup, and two of those games were not even on telly! Instead, the Super League clubs voted for three extra home games each – which brings negligible income for many clubs – rather than expand the international calendar. This short-sighted, narrow-mindedness encapsulates the game’s attitude.

McIntyre and Slater were also positive about the share of female viewers (four in 10) and young people, although pensions remain the biggest audience. Online viewing is double what it was two years ago. Best of all, we like Chappers, Tanya, Nobby and the team. The audience approval rating for rugby league is the highest of all BBC Sport output, better even than Wimbledon.

The governing body and clubs need to do all they can to keep the BBC onboard: yes, work harder to sell tickets for cup ties but also give the Beeb what they want, when they want it. When the BBC’s domestic rugby league contract ends after 2020, they may well offer a considerably lower fee or even walk away from the sport entirely. If they did, would ITV or Channel 4 even be interested given that they now show rugby union? We have been warned.

Foreign quota

Just when you thought the RFL had no feet left to shoot, Toronto Wolfpack have been kicked out of the (still unsponsored) Challenge Cup. Terrified of a repeat of the 40,000 empty seats when Catalans won the cup last August, the RFL have used a loophole to treat overseas teams – who are not RFL members and are invited into the competition – differently.

They were told they must stump up for any shortfall in ticket sales if they reach the final and Toronto refused. It’s assumed Toulouse have too as they are not entering either. Imagine if the Dragons had declined to defend their title! Surely the RFL should have taken out insurance against certain teams (not just the overseas clubs but the likes of Salford, Huddersfield, London etc) getting to Wembley. For more listen to the Full Eighty Minutes.

Clubcall: Red Star Belgrade

The Wolfpack farrago rather overshadowed the announcement that Red Star Belgrade (and North Herts Crusaders) will make their Challenge Cup bow in the New Year. Rugby league comedy: it’s all in the timing. The biggest club in the well-established Serbian competition, Red Star have thrived in recent years and clinched the Balkan Super League having been runners-up last year. It will be interesting to see who turns out for them in the cup. A couple of their British recruits have already signed for League 1 clubs here but they are technically able to register any free agents to play for them in the cup. Could be some interesting guest appearances.

Goal-line drop-out

Ali McIntyre did confirm some positive plans for the 2021 World Cup. England games will be on Saturdays, with Australia and New Zealand on Sundays. The BBC want Wales, Ireland and Scotland (if they qualify) live on BBC2 in midweek. All other games will be on the red button and online. The Beeb’s live coverage starts with the draw on 27 November next year. Jamaica’s qualification also offers an opportunity for BBC Sport to improve their BAME figures for league which currently stands at between 3% and 4%, when the UK’s non-white population is 13%.

Fifth and last

There were some rugby league big-hitters in Westminster last week for the BBC Sport presentation to the All Party Parliamentary Group. Along with the RFL’s new media manager Andy Wilson – late of this parish – retiring Sky Sports rugby league svengali Neville Smith was deep in conversation with RFL general manager Mark Foster in the pub across the road from the Houses of Parliament. They will not have been short of things to discuss. And Theresa May thinks she has her hands full.

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