Sky Sports+ will launch this week, so we’ve put together an explainer of everything you need to know about the new streaming service, including how you can access it and how it will affect rugby league.
What is Sky Sports+?
Essentially, a streaming platform which Sky have created so that they’re able to show more live sport.
As well as having more coverage than ever before of Super League, with every game shown live, the broadcaster has also ramped up their coverage of the EFL (English Football League) and tennis, with customers reportedly able to watch 50% more sport live via the help of Sky Sports+.
Highlights include:
- Four times as many EFL matches, with all 72 teams featured more than 20 times per season
- Every match from the men’s Super League
- Coverage from the ATP and WTA Tours as well as US Open Tennis
- PGA Tour golf
- Exclusive access to Sky’s sports documentaries
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When does Sky Sports+ launch?
This coming Thursday – August 8.
How can you access Sky Sports+?
There are numerous ways, as we’ll detail here.
Firstly, on Thursday, TV channel ‘Sky Sports Arena’ will actually rebrand to Sky Sports+. You can access this on Sky channel 412, or 410 on Sky Glass, and via channel number 508 if you’re a Virgin Media user.
The ‘Sky Sports+’ channel will have some main broadcasts on there, but the majority of content – if you are accessing it on your TV – will come via a click of the red button.
Alternatively, the Sky Sports app will become the home of sports streaming via mobile devices.
Streams on Sky Sports+ will be accessible via event centres in the app, which will have undergone a revamp to improve usability before Thursday’s big launch.
Please note that content on Sky Sports+ will NOT be available on Sky Go. If you are a Sky Go user, you need to use your login on the Sky Sports app to watch games.
Notably, older Sky (HD) boxes and Virgin boxes will NOT be able to show any content which comes via the Sky Sports+ red button – only those shown live on Sky’s main TV channels.
Sky customers need Sky Q or Sky Glass, while Virgin Media customers need a 360 box or access to Virgin Media Stream.
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How will it affect rugby league?
Sky will still be showing all six Super League games each weekend, but now, only two per round will be shown on the broadcaster’s main channels.
The other four will come as ‘streams’ via Sky Sports+, accessible – as mentioned above – via the red button and Sky Sports app.
This is why over the last few weeks, you’ve seen Sky make ‘exclusive’ picks up to and including Round 23.
If a game is an ‘exclusive pick’, it just means that it’ll be on a main TV channel, rather than behind the red button/in the app.
Exclusive picks will have the half-an-hour pre-match build-up slot which we’ve seen already this season, with the others expected to go live five minutes before kick-off as they have been doing already in 2024.
The two main broadcast games, or ‘exclusive picks’ will either be on the Sky Sports+ TV channel, Sky Sports Action or Sky Sports Mix. These can still be watched on the go via the Sky Sports app as has been the case for a number of years.
Notably, NRL and NRLW Coverage will not be shown on Sky Sports+. Games from Down Under will still be shown exclusively on Sky Sports Action & Sky Sports Mix.
It’s also worth noting that all six games later this month at Magic Weekend are being shown on Sky Sports Action, NOT Sky Sports+.
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Will Sky Sports+ cost you more money?
No, as long as you have a full Sky Sports subscription already, it comes at no extra cost.
If you don’t have the Sky Sports subscription, and aren’t able to get one, you can now purchase a NOW TV Sports day or month membership.
This includes every Sky Sports+ stream and on demand catch-up content. For the first time ever, NOW TV users will also be able to pause and rewind live sports content for the first time.
How does Round 21 in Super League look now from a broadcast point of view?
This weekend’s Super League action is the first time that we’ll see Sky Sports+ come into play in the rugby league world.
Accordingly, we thought we’d give you a run through of how it looks from a broadcast point of view, and hopefully provide you with a flavour of what things are likely to look like from now on.
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Thursday, August 8
- EXCLUSIVE PICK: Salford Red Devils v St Helens (8pm KO – Sky Sports+ Main Channel)
Friday, August 9
- Huddersfield Giants v Catalans Dragons (8pm KO – Sky Sports+ via the red button)
- Hull KR v Castleford Tigers(8pm KO – Sky Sports+ via the red button)
Saturday, August 10
- EXCLUSIVE PICK: Leeds Rhinos v Wigan Warriors (3pm KO – Sky Sports Action)
Sunday, August 11
- Leigh Leopards v Hull FC (3pm KO – Sky Sports+ via the red button)
- London Broncos v Warrington Wolves (3pm KO – Sky Sports+ via the red button)
With thanks to Rugby League on TV
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