Sky Sports +
From Thursday 8th August the way you view Rugby League via Sky Sports will change. In the last off season Sky signed a deal with Super League to increase match coverage from 2 games a week to show all 6 every weekend.
Despite every match being on TV since the start of the season, it was always the long term intention that the deal would still see Sky showing it's 2 main matches on TV every weekend, like they've done for years, but the extra four games would be on shown on a new streaming service from Sky. The matches were only on TV because that new service wasn't ready to launch, until now. The new service launches on Thursday and thus the extra four matches will be made available via a stream rather than being on a Broadcast Channel.
On that day Sky Sports Arena will rebrand to Sky Sports + on Sky Channel 412 (410 on Sky Glass) and Virgin Media Channel 508. This will be the place to find the channels content. Sky Sports + will have a main broadcast channel in place of Sky Sports Arena (which will feature some Super League matches) but the majority of its content will be via the red button. There you will find lots of streaming content like extra EFL Football matches, Tennis action and the four "extra" matches of Super League.
So in an nutshell - every weekend you will generally get Sky's two main pick broadcasts on TV and the other four will be brought to you via streams using the Red Button on the Sky Sports + Channel.
Sky's two main broadcasts being shown on TV will either on the Sky Sports + (main broadcast channel), Sky Sports Action or Sky Sports Mix. Magic Weekend for example will be shown on Sky Sports Action.
In the first weekend of coverage you will find matches in the following way.
Thursday 8th August
8pm Salford v St Helens (on Sky Sports + Main Channel - which was Sky Sports Arena)
Friday 9th August
8pm Huddersfield v Catalan (Sky Sports + via Red Button)
8pm Hull KR v Castleford (Sky Sports + via Red Button)
Saturday 10th August
3pm Leeds v Wigan (Sky Sports Action)
Sunday 11th August
3pm Leigh v Hull (Sky Sports + via Red Button)
3pm London v Warrington (Sky Sports + via Red Button)
All six matches from Magic Weekend are on Sky Sports Action.
NRL and NRLW Coverage will not be shown on Sky Sports +. You will still find these matches remaining across Sky Sports Action & Sky Sports Mix.
Things to Note.
Sky Sports + is not costing extra. It is being made available via your current Sky Sports Subscription.
You will not be able to record Sky Sports + Red Button/Streaming content. You will probably be able to watch these on demand but I'm not 100% sure on that.
If you watch via Now TV you will receive all Sky Sports + Content.
Sky Sports + content will not be available on Sky Go. Instead you will need to use your Sky Go log in on the Sky Sports App to watch matches on your phone or tablet. The app is expected to have a significant update before launch date.
Older Sky (HD boxes) and Virgin Boxes will not be able to receive the matches being made available via the Red Button Streaming - only the matches on main broadcast TV. Sky customers will need Sky Q or Sky Glass. Virgin Media customers will need a 360 box or Virgin Media Stream.