Tuesday 17 September 2019 17:17, UK
Sky Sports has delivered another huge boost to Women's Rugby League by announcing live coverage of the Betfred Women's Super League Grand Final.
It will be the first Women's Super League fixture to be televised, and Sky's first live domestic women's match.
The news follows the recent announcement of Betfred as the first title sponsors of the Women's Super League, and the switch of the BWSL Grand Final to the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens on Friday October 11 - the night before the men's Betfred Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford.
The Women's Super League was launched in 2017, with Bradford Bulls the inaugural champions, beating Featherstone Rovers in the Grand Final, while Wigan beat Leeds in last year's Grand Final.
"We're thrilled to make this announcement, and look forward to Sky Sports providing their usual outstanding coverage of one of the game's newest events, said Ralph Rimmer, chief executive of the Rugby Football League.
"Women's Rugby League has made rapid strides in the last couple of years, and the development of the Women's Super League, now sponsored by Betfred, has been at the forefront of that.
"We've been able to tell that story through regular coverage on Our League, and this year we've also broadcast that Our League coverage through the Twitch platform which has taken our viewing figures beyond 200,000 for Women's Rugby League in 2019.
"The quality of Rugby League on the pitch is attracting bigger crowds and greater media profile off it, and having the Grand Final live on Sky will be a perfect reflection of that - especially coming on the Friday night before the climax of the men's Super League season at Old Trafford."
Castleford are aiming to clinch the League Leaders' Shield for the BWSL for the first time in their home match against York at the Mend-a-Hose Jungle on Tuesday evening.
If they do so, that would confirm the line-up for the semi-finals in the Top Four Play-Offs, with both games to be played on Sunday October 6. The League Leaders will be at home to Wigan, and as things stand, that would leave St Helens to host this year's Women's Challenge Cup winners Leeds.
"Sky Sports has enjoyed a huge summer of women's sport, with the Netball World Cup, The Ashes and most recently the Solheim Cup," Steve Smith, Director of Sky Sports Production, said.
"We are proud to add the Women's Super League Grand Final to our coverage, giving the event the platform it deserves. There is so much talent in the game, it's inspiring for the next generation and everybody else to watch."
