Leeds's Red Button Win Over Bradford Shows Stakes Are High in Super League's Sky Talks

Leeds Rhinos beat Bradford Bulls 42-12 on Sunday at Headingley Stadium in West Yorkshire, closing out a big weekend of rugby league called Rivals Round. Nearly 17,000 fans came out to watch the two old rivals play in the sunshine. The win helped Leeds stay near the top of Super League with seven rounds left in the regular season. But the most important story of the weekend had less to do with what happened on the field and more to do with what is happening off it — a major TV deal that could change how fans watch the sport.

Super League is in the final stages of making a new TV deal with Sky Sports. According to The Guardian, the deal could be finished within 10 to 14 days. The hope is that Sky will offer more money than before. However, the new deal may only include two or three games shown on main TV channels each week, instead of all seven games like in the current deal. That would mean some games might be harder for fans to find and watch.

Super League planned Rivals Round — a weekend where the biggest local derbies all happen at the same time — to fall right now on purpose. League officials wanted as many fans as possible in the stands so the sport would look exciting to TV bosses. The plan worked. Nearly 85,000 fans attended the seven games across the weekend. That was the highest total for a single round all season, and the sixth-highest in Super League history.

Even so, there was a strange detail in the Leeds vs. Bradford game. It was only shown on Sky Sports' red button — a secondary channel — instead of a main Sky Sports channel. The current deal only requires two of the seven weekend games to be shown on main channels. For a match that drew 17,000 fans to the stadium, many felt it deserved a bigger TV platform.

If the new deal only covers two or three games per round, Super League will have to decide what to do with the rest. One option is to stream the other games on its own platform, called SuperLeague+. But running those streams costs money, which could reduce how much cash the clubs actually receive from the deal. Another option is finding another broadcaster willing to show those extra games — but that is seen as a tough sell.

At the top of the standings, Leeds look strong with a chance to win their first league title since 2017. Wakefield Trinity, who were playing in the second division just two years ago and haven't won a league title since 1962, are sitting in second place. Wigan Warriors are close behind. That mix of big clubs and surprise teams is exactly the kind of story Super League wants to highlight when talking to broadcasters.

Jake Connor was the star of the Leeds win over Bradford. He finished with four assists and several brilliant moments to help his team pull away. Connor is expected to play for England at the World Cup this autumn, and he is the kind of player that both loyal fans and new viewers enjoy watching. After the final whistle, dozens of young Leeds fans crowded around him asking for photos.

Below Leeds, Wakefield, and Wigan, four teams are fighting for the last three playoff spots. St Helens, who currently have no head coach, are in that group and are trying to keep their record of always reaching the playoffs. The end of the season promises to be exciting on the field. The bigger question, though, is whether the people running Super League can deliver a TV deal that gives fans the best possible chance to watch it all.