Rugby League Commercial (RLC) has unveiled its new global, direct-to-consumer streaming service, SuperLeague+. The platform marks the next phase of IMG's long-term strategic partnership with RLC to reimagine the sport in the UK. Powered by IMG sister company Endeavor Streaming, it will help drive the sport's digital transformation, diversify its media strategy and reach new audiences worldwide.
Launching on 23 January, ahead of the 2024 Betfred Super League season, SuperLeague+ will stream all 167 matches from the competition live internationally, starting on Thursday 15 February with the season opener, one of the sport's classic derby fixtures between Hull FC and Hull KR.
In the UK and Republic of Ireland, domestic fans will be able to watch 106 Betfred Super League games live on the service, with the remaining 61 games to be made available delayed and on-demand. Live coverage in the UK will kick off on Friday 16 February when reigning World Club Champions St Helens take on newly promoted London Broncos, and 2023 Betfred Challenge Cup winners Leigh Leopards play the Huddersfield Giants (both 8pm UK kick off).
The service will also feature exclusive fan content, including Betfred Super League highlights, archive content, dedicated club sections, and original programming such as Player Features, Super League Stories and the Out of Your League podcast.
Rhodri Jones, Managing Director of RL Commercial, said: "The launch of SuperLeague+ marks the start of a new era for the Betfred Super League and for British Rugby League. Thanks to the groundbreaking deal agreed with Sky Sports last year, all six matches in each of the 27 weekly rounds of the men's Super League through the 2024 season - a total of 162 games - will be broadcast on a variety of platforms. Sky Sports will retain exclusive live coverage of two fixtures in each round and our new OTT platform, SuperLeague+, will offer live coverage of the remaining matches.
"This live coverage of more than 100 weekly-round fixtures will be augmented by on-demand, delayed coverage of Sky's selections for fans in the British Isles. Meanwhile, SuperLeague+ will offer live coverage of all matches in every round for international subscribers. SuperLeague+ will also offer a range of original programming and archive matches and features - meaning that with Sky Sports also showing more Rugby League in 2024, including selections from the Betfred Women's and Wheelchair Super Leagues, fans will have more ways to watch more matches than ever before."
Peter Bellamy, Chief Commercial Officer at Endeavor Streaming, said: "For the first time, Betfred Super League fans around the world can watch live coverage of their favourite teams from one destination. With our world-class streaming technology and fan engagement expertise, we're able to help the sport expand its international reach and connect directly with its global fanbase to drive even deeper engagement."
Hosted on Endeavor Streaming's end-to-end streaming solution, Vesper, SuperLeague+ will offer an enhanced viewing experience through features such as multi-view, which enables fans to switch between live games that are being played concurrently. The RLC will also utilise Endeavor Streaming's fan support services, offering fans a dedicated helpdesk for SuperLeague+ users throughout the season.
Through single sign-on, members of Our League, RLC's membership platform can also seamlessly access the service which will be available on web at
www.superleague.co.uk/superleagueplus, and via the SuperLeague+ app on iOS and Android devices, as well as Connected TV platforms (Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV).
In addition, Endeavor Streaming will provide flexible, out-the-box monetization tooling to offer fans a range of subscription and Pay-Per-View packages based on their location. Fans can purchase an Annual pass for £129.99 or rolling monthly subscriptions for £19.99 per month, with Pay-Per-View match passes available from £6.99 per game. Betfred Super League season ticket holders can also enjoy an annual subscription at the discounted price of £99.99 when purchased via a redemption code provided by their club.
It is the latest development in IMG's digital transformation work with Rugby League Commercial and follows recently announced partnerships with digital asset management solution, ScorePlay, and fantasy gaming provider, Voono, to enhance the sport's digital strategy and attract new, younger audiences.
The launch builds on Endeavor Streaming's experience building innovative streaming services and fan-engagement platforms for some of the world?s biggest rightsholders including World Rugby, New Zealand Rugby, Tottenham Hotspur, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Women?s Soccer League (NWSL) and the English Football League (EFL).
www.superleague.co.uk
www.totalrl.com
www.zerotackle.com
