Our sport on the BBC is a huge boost

IT will be brilliant to see Betfred Super League shown live on the BBC for the first time this evening.

It’s a great deal for both parties to have so many live games – 15 per season – starting with Castleford and Wigan.

That greater exposure to a less niche audience is just what rugby league needs to grow.

Sky Sports have been a fantastic partner over the last 30 years. But it is a niche channel.

You have to pay to watch it whereas the BBC (I know there’s the licence fee involved) has a chance to catch the more casual viewer.

The issue we have in rugby league is getting new people involved and watching.

Having Super League on the BBC creates that quality opportunity for that: people at a loose end on a Saturday might just stick it on and realise it’s a hell of a game worth watching more of. As a partnership, it works exceptionally well.

The Challenge up has had great exposure over the years on the BBC but this takes it to another level.

We’ve also had Super League highlights packages on before but it’s not been on at a great time and regionalised. However, this – live Super League games on a Saturday evening at 5.30pm – is the full shebang.

Ordinarily, I’d have been working for the BBC on tonight’s first game and I would love to be at Wheldon Road. But I’d already strapped myself into the hurt locker again to run the Seville marathon this weekend. I’ll be really interested to see how the coverage goes and also for Wigan v Penrith in the World Club Challenge next Saturday when I will be back.

As for Super League, I see champions Wigan (top) as favourites but just ahead of a chasing pack consisting of St Helens, Leeds, Warrington, Catalans, Hull KR and Leigh. They will all fancy their chances of making the Grand Final and winning it.