Televised match list out! celtic & salford on more than widnes!!!!

[bulldog]

Seems we are the underdogs this year, celtic get 3 matches, salford 4 and widnes 2. Maybe could be a good thing as not many will turn up if its on the tele.
Sky to broadcast 27 Co-operative National League and Northern Rail Cup games in 2008

The RFL has today announced that Sky Sports will screen 23 live matches from The Co-operative National Leagues during 2008, and that the broadcaster has extended its coverage to include games from the knock-out stages of this season?s Northern Rail Cup.

Of the 23 live Co-operative National League matches Sky Sports will broadcast this year, 18 will be from the regular season, three will be play-off matches and their coverage will culminate in the Grand Finals double header to be played on Sunday 28 September.

The first game to be broadcast live will involve newly relegated Salford City Reds away at Leigh Centurions in Round 1 of The Co-operative National League One.  Kick off is 6.00pm.

Additionally, having only shown the Northern Rail Cup Final live from Blackpool in recent years, Sky Sports will this year also screen one fixture from each knockout round of the competition.  This will include a game from the last 16 on 6 April, a quarter final on 22 May, a semi final on 12 June and the final, live from the west coast, on Sunday 6 July.

Nigel Wood, the RFL?s Chief Executive, said: ?It is fantastic for the development of Rugby League that Sky Sports has decided to extend its coverage of The Co-operative National League clubs by this year broadcasting games from the knockout stages of the Northern Rail Cup.

?Last year was the first time that Sky had screened Co-operative National League games live on a Thursday night and it proved extremely successful. Many teams used innovative marketing methods to attract their biggest crowds of the season for the TV cameras and hopefully this will continue in 2008 when a total of 27 games will be shown.?

Towards the end of 2007, the RFL secured a TV partnership with Sky Sports that ensures that Co-operative National League games will continue to be showed during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons.

At present Sky has only confirmed Co-operative National League fixtures up until Round 14 of the competition. The remaining live fixtures will be confirmed later in the season and are likely to feature some of the key battles as the season reaches a climax.

The confirmed fixtures are as follows:

Kick off time 7:30pm unless otherwise stated

Thursday March 20                 Leigh v Salford                        18:00   
Easter Tuesday March 25     Barrow v York                         Kick Off T.B.C
Thursday March 27                 Featherstone v Sheffield
Thursday April 10                    Dewsbury v Batley
Thursday April 24                    Salford v Whitehaven
Friday May 2                             Celtic v Featherstone
Thursday May 15                     Salford v Celtic
Thursday May 29                     Whitehaven v Salford
Thursday June 5                     Batley v Dewsbury
Thursday June 19                   Widnes v Salford       
Thursday June 26                   Celtic v Widnes
Thursday July 10                     Halifax v Leigh
Thursday July 17                     Oldham v Doncaster
Thursday July 24                     Sheffield v Featherstone
 

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[LeedsViking]

I can't believe they've switched our away tie at the Crusaders to a Thursday night...  that'll certainly be one I have to miss now, and bang goes a weekend on the ale in Bridgend 

[alanC]

The cynics amongst us would say that we are playing the two new franchise teams one after the other just as it is getting announced ,  coincidence???

[bulldog]

The cynics amongst us would say that we are playing the two new franchise teams one after the other just as it is getting announced ,  coincidence???

Ermmm!! is there a plot unfolding here?

[alanC]

It could be that they think we might have a competetive team by then

[Wanderer]

... or that we'll be one of the franchise teams!

[DLM]

Celtic on a thursday night is an awful decision 

DLM

[greggs69]

I agree Celtic on a Thursday night is a shocking decision, but look at poor old Fev', they have a longer trip to make and theirs is a week night too!!!

[WTID]

yes but featherstones is on a fridat...i doubt many people will be able to get the day of work ( or in my case college) for the game. i suppose ill have to work round the mother

[roxie]

best news ive had all day my daughter gets married on the 28th so couldnt go but now i can (go the wedding as well)

[trashcansinatra]

Celtic on a Thursday is a nightmare for the hardcore away support. But, on the other hand, I seem to remember a lot of the hard-core on here calling for a complete boycott of Celtic matches anyway.

So ultimately they've done the majority of Widnes fans a favour by having the match that is most difficult for us to get to on the telly!

[vikings 4 ever]

The Celtic V Widnes game was always likely to be a televised game, so hence there was always was a good chance it was going to be on a Thursday night. Celtic fans could argue how are they going to be able to get to Salford on a Thursday night. For a personal view point, I am glad of less tv games, there are very few teams who will bring a few fans to the HS and by putting these games on a Thursday night kills any chance of a good turnout. The only games I expect a decent away turn out will be against Salford and Leigh - One of which has been switched to a Thursday night anyway. Not sure whether the club will see it as a positive though, with not as much publicity this season.

[ODviking]

I don't think Celtic will be too happy about that either. One of the biggest away travelling support in the league not coming, hence fewer people through the turnstiles and less money on one of their bigger games. Not good.

[lazo]

Once again we travel to aussie crusaders ( is there any truth in the rumor that superleage is expanding to adelade as they dont have an NRL franchise) on a week day only ground i haven't been to to see a league game but have seen international games there. think we should start a new slogan "aint Sky brilliant"  roll on a setanta sunday coverage live national league

[Steve Fox]

Think it's great news myself.

Will put a big dent in Celtic's average crowd for the season.