‘News to me’ – Derek Beaumont responds to Super League broadcast reports as 2026 options outlined

Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont has responded to reports that Super League could be looking for a new broadcast partner in 2026.

Super League will look different in 2026 due in part to the league’s expansion from 12 to 14 teams and that changes a number of things with loop fixtures removed, but one extra game per week.

In fact, over the course of the regular season, an extra 20 games will be played by merit of 26 rounds of seven, as opposed to 27 rounds of six games.

With Super League now gaining 20 games over the course of the season but importantly one extra game per round, questions have emerged over where and how that seventh game will be broadcast with Sky Sports currently airing six games per round, including two ‘exclusively’.

Those exclusive picks do eventually make their way onto Super League’s streaming platform Suepr League+, but they’re delayed and amid uncertainty over where the seventh game will be aired, Derek Beaumont has pointed to Super League+ as an answer.

Seventh Super League game ‘not Sky’s to show’, argues Beaumont

Reports emerged from CityAM that the RFL have started to look elsewhere for where this seventh game is aired, with Sky Sports reportedly unwilling to pay an extra £500,000 to broadcast those games.

That’s something that Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont was asked about given his prominence in the sport and vocal nature on all matters rugby league.

In a lengthy statement, Beaumont tried to address that, first stating that Sky’s reported worries over airing an extra game was “news” to him, but he quickly added: “It’s not theirs to show anyway.”

Posting on his social media, Beaumont explained: “Think about it, their contract gives them a certain number of games. They have to provide the production of them, which is widely criticised when not the main event.

“So they don’t have to pay to produce the (extra) game, Rugby League Commercial do and we need cameras for the video ref and captain’s challenge so would be burdened by that. That’s their start position of negotiating and playing hard ball.

“We have our own platform we show all live games, except their two main picks which they get exclusive.”

Plans for 2026 Super League coverage aired

Beaumont went on to explain the ‘positive starting position’ that Super League find themselves in, explaining that they’re now able to ‘ test the water’ in terms of what number of fans can be attracted to watch rugby league on a platform other than Sky Sports, that offers something Sky would not offer – the seventh game.

“It is a risk to break completely free from SKY so whilst under the comfort of their contract in 2026 we can dip our toe in and find out”, Beaumont said by suggesting more comprehensive coverage including watching the Match Review Panel and disciplinary matters.

Arguing that the extra game each round likely means a third intriguing match-up, Beaumont said that Sky, who get the priority pick, would likely be leaving a great game on the table, which Super League would then make their exclusive game.

“Whichever two they pick, they are missing out on a big one”, argued Beaumont, as he began to list risks for Sky compared to Super League with a major one being another broadcaster entering the mix.

The Leigh owner explained: “In summary the risks to SKY are bigger than those to RLC, unless they don’t want the game in 2027 onwards or only at a continued under valuation. In which case, knowing that now is the most valuable information we can gain from any of this, so we aren’t dragged to the 11th hour weak and vulnerable, which has been allowed to happen time and again and we can start to prepare now for going alone or another broadcast partner.”

Beaumont noted that he believes Sky would want to keep rugby league coverage and he hailed them for helping to sustain the sport at the elite level for the last 30 years, before calling for a ‘sensible solution’ of all parties meeting to discuss.

Derek Beaumont’s full statement can be read here.

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