C4 coverage of other sports is fantastic (though they’re not sports I’d watch). I’m really looking forward to seeing how this is both presented and recieved. It could, and I hope, be massive for our game.

The premier sports coverage of the championship was superb IMO. BBC CC coverage is always spot on too. We’ve got 4 different avenues (5 if you include BeIN) to now watch RL. The signs for growth are good.

I think years ago there was a consensus that 'only the BBC do sport properly', But those days are long gone. Channel 4, ITV, and Channel Five have all produced good sport viewing recently. I'm a big fan of the snooker,and IMO Eurosport has easily eclipsed the BBC in its coverage.

just looked at the schedule for Saturday 12.00 - 14.45. So good 30 mins pre match and 40 mins or so post game. Really looking forward to see how well they present it.

what will be interesting (and dont know if they can measure it) is the size of the non traditional RL audience that tunes in to C4.

Are there any clashes with 6 nations this weekend, which could have an impact on the neutral audience that may tune in?

Wales v Scotland 2.15 so no clash unless you're desperate to watch the 6 nations build up

Not sure if anyone is watching the Fev Vs Leigh game on Premier Sports, but I'm pleasantly impressed with the coverage. For a smaller station & 2nd tier RL, it isn't that bad.

Also very happy that Lam is now Leigh's problem. They look like us last season - poor d, no bodies in motion in attack and zero options on the last.

Another big game for Lam, another defeat. A lack of discipline can be added to your list. The conditions are woeful, so it’s difficult for anybody to play rugby but still. The issue Leigh will have with Lam and judging him is that they’ll win a lot of games by 40-50 points because the quality of their players is far better than most other teams but can they win big games under Lam? There’s no evidence he is able to get his teams to do that.

James McDonnell being flogged at prop has been amusingly familiar. He must felt naked Lammy last week not having a young Wigan forward to put in the middle. He’s done well though McDonnell bar his brain fade.

No but it clashes with BT Sport 1230 kick off. I’d love to know if channel 4 had any other slot options. Seems very short sighted to come up against premier league football.

Is it? We can’t avoid every sporting fixture, and that’s assuming every available football fan both has BT and wants to watch the match. Personally I think you’re looking too much into it. This season isn’t about out numbering football viewing figures, but about increasing RL viewing figures across the board and increasing interest. C4 will be a slow burner rather than an immediate hit and we as a sport should have the vision and trust to let it burn. We’ve been far too hasty to extinguish the slow flame in the past much to our detriment.

Agreed, but I also don't think attracting new eyes to the product should be seen as the be all and end all, or at least not at this stage.

For many years, we saw RL perform well above its station in regards to viewing figures for Sky. Whilst it's a very small and highly personal sample to corroborate this, I know plenty of people who watched RL on sky on a Friday night, but would never go to a game. They enjoyed it on TV and that's where their association with RL starts and ends. What C4 need to do is get those eyes tuning into their station & see that jump in viewing figures. That then increases the appeal of having RL on your network as it brings in eyes. Once more stations realise that, then RL is no longer under the boot of Sky and their demands.

Yep, completely agree with that.

You can’t I agree, but they could have tried to avoid one of the biggest which is the Saturday 1230 slot.

Happy with the coverage so far.

Agreed. Sam & Pryce on analysis are great and Adam Hills comes across as genuinely funny Vs the forced humour on Sky.

Really hope we get a home 12:30KO too.

Seen enough already. Phase Sky out.

might be my virgin HD channel but the picture looks very poor

Good stuff so far

Commentary is much better than Tez..

Good advert for first game on C4. Great atmosphere at Headingley. Looks like Leeds will have a few missing for game against us next Friday

Who where the Commentary givers?

Mark Wilson main commentator. Kyle Amor was excellent summarising.

Same here.

Mine too on Virgin put mine on 4 HD a slightly better picture

I figured they had to be better than Sky surely, and they passed that low bar with ease. Helped by a decent contest in the first game. Onwards and upwards!

There was mention upthread of televising Championship games. I don't know if it's a one-off, but Dewsbury/Widnes is on FreeSports (which is a free channel for everyone) at 10.30 tonight. Freesports is basically the freebie bit of Premier Sports, it seems. I mostly watch it for the pool on Monday nights.

Watching it right now. Played on a mud-heap, but a pretty entertaining effort from both sides.

Widnes even have a kicker who can get them from the touch-line.

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