Super League games set to kick off at 7.45pm rather than 8pm after concerns about matches dragging on
Impact on families with young children and media coverage behind the scheme
SUPER League stars may have to be earlier risers as night games are set to move to 7.45pm kick-offs.
Complaints that matches are finishing too late have even reached the game’s top brass.
Often matches that kick off at 8pm do not end until after 10pm.
And concerns that is too late for families with young children and it diminishes the coverage of the competition have led to action being taken.
SunSport understands broadcasters Sky, whose deal effectively keeps Super League going, have agreed to bringing forward kick-off times by 15 minutes.
Now talks are being held with clubs, many of whom have Friday night as their slot, to do likewise for non-televised games.
A proposal to move matches to 7.30pm was knocked down over concerns that could have a detrimental effect on people getting to a game after finishing work.
But the 7.45pm idea looks set to go ahead from next year.
Crowd figures are a keenly monitored by Super League chiefs, who are keen to grow the game.
However, over the opening 23 rounds of the season, nine of the 12 teams registered increases on their average from 2016.
But talks are still ongoing over ways of growing them again, including making the problematic Thursday night matches local derbies.
