Former Super League official calls for huge scheduling change to ensure better coverage

Many fans were confused last week at the scheduling in Super League.

It was a bank holiday weekend so games could be spread out from Thursday all the way to Friday helping maximise TV audiences and also giving rugby league fans something to do across the bank holiday.

The best example would be what we saw in the Premier League with games on TV all weekend whilst there were three games played on the Monday.

However, five Super League games took place on Friday with one on the Thursday.

This week it is similar with one game on Thursday, one game on Saturday and then four on the Friday which will no doubt dilute the TV audience for the huge game between Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos with fans heading to their own team’s fixture.

In light of this, former Super League referee James Child has questioned this on social media.

“Exactly why a Super League round should be spread over a full weekend. Control the controllables,” he said as it was pointed out that very little had been on the BBC’s rugby league page since Friday’s games.

“If our primary competition is played over several days the BBC are duty bound to cover RL more frequently. Easy to complain, so the sport has to control what it can to maintain its spotlight.”

Every NRL game down under is played at a separate time so perhaps this is something Super League should consider.