Whitehaven and Barrow will be looking forward to more television exposure next season through a new deal with Premier Sports.
It gives even more incentive to both Workington Town and Doncaster to win Sunday’s League One play-off final at Derwent Park to make the Championship for 2022.
The Betfred Championship will have a new home from 2022, as the RFL today confirmed an extensive two-year broadcast partnership with Premier Sports.
Under the partnership, Premier Sports will provide live and exclusive coverage from the start of the season in early 2022 to the Play-Offs in the autumn culminating in the Million Pound Game – and including every match of the Summer Bash, featuring all 14 clubs in a single venue on the same weekend.
With one game from every regular round, that means more than 30 Betfred Championship fixtures.
The deal also includes coverage of seven Betfred Challenge Cup ties through the spring, as Premier Sports have secured secondary rights to the competition – including two of the quarter finals.
Premier Sports’ Betfred Championship matches will be shown in a regular Monday night slot which will include an extended 45-minute build-up to allow reflection and analysis on the previous weekend of Rugby League action.
Michael O’Rourke, the Premier Sports founder and joint CEO, said: “We are delighted to be covering the Rugby League Championship once again and taking coverage to another level with the pick of each round’s fixtures on a Monday night.
“We look forward to bringing viewers a terrific line-up of top presenters and pundits to review each weekend’s talking points before showcasing the game of the round live.
“We believe this, alongside Challenge Cup matches, the Summer Bash and the Million Pound Game, will come together to make a really strong offering for Rugby League supporters.”
Ralph Rimmer, the RFL chief executive, said: “This is such an exciting and positive announcement for the Betfred Championship clubs, and for the sport as a whole.
“Premier Sports have been excellent partners for the sport in the past, with their coverage of the Championship and also the 2013 World Cup, and it’s great to have them back in Rugby League.”
Whitehaven firmly established themselves in the Championship this season with a superb effort to finish sixth while Barrow won the League One titleto regain theirplace in thesecond tier.
Now it remains for Workington to reclaim their place in the Championship with one last big effort against Doncaster on Sunday – and Cumbria will have all three professional teams playing in the same League competition.
