Sky Sports Launches SKY TRY Initiative

Sky Sports and the RFL have partnered to launch SKY TRY, a new initiative to attract an extra 100,000 people to rugby league each year.

SKY TRY is a seven year partnership with the RFL, which aims to increase the number of viewers, spectators and participants in rugby league. A major part of this is the Sky Grass Roots programme which aims to make rugby league more accessible to primary and secondary school students.

Primary Rugby League: A six week coaching programme targeting 8-9 year olds. At the end of each term there will be a festival linked to a game day experience inviting local community clubs and participating primary schools.

Local School Competition: Increased opportunities for secondary schools to play rugby league and workshops for teachers and community coaches that assist in further development and sustainability of the sport.

Play Touch: A six week touch workout project aimed at increasing participation amongst Key Stage 3 and 4 girls.

Making games bigger:Increase the number of spectators at club matches and events by inviting participants of the Sky Grass Roots programme to take part in the day.

Alongside SKY TRY, this season Sky Sports will show more games than ever before with over 100 live fixtures including the First Utility Super League's Magic Weekend and Grand Final. All six games in the Summer Bash will be shown plus other selected fixtures from the Kingstone Press Championship. There will also be action from the Challenge Cup and the new World Club Series where the three best teams from the Super League take on three of the top teams in the NRL of Australia.

Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports, commented: Sky Sports is delighted to have this opportunity to invest in the development of rugby league via the SKY TRY initiative which I am sure will have a long and lasting impact on the sport.

Our partnership in rugby league extends beyond broadcast rights because here at Sky we are committed to making a difference at every level of sport.

The rugby league club foundations are well placed to deliver the SKY TRY programme across the UK because of their local connections and we are aware that they are already producing outstanding results.

SKY TRY will allow the Foundations to build on the great work they are already doing and Sky Sports will do what it can to play a full role in what I am sure will be a sporting success story.

Sky Sports will show every Super League team at least twice before Easter during our schedule of Thursday and Friday Night games as well as Catalans Dragons home matches on Saturdays. Viewers will also be able to catch up on the week's action and news in weekly rugby league programming including Boots n All and Super League Full Time.

Sky Sports News HQ will bring news, interviews and features from across the leagues on channel 401 and across its digital portfolio that includes Sky Sports apps and skysports.com

For further information, please contact:

Sky Sports PR

020 7032 1445

www.skysports.com

About Sky

Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company. The group serves 20 million customers across five countries: Italy, Germany, Austria, the UK and Ireland. We offer the best and broadest range of content, deliver market-leading customer service and use innovative new technology to give customers a better TV experience, whenever and wherever they choose.

Sky has annual revenues of over £11 billion and is Europe's leading investor in television content with a combined programming budget of over £4.6 billion. The company employs 31,000 people and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY).

For more information visit www.sky.com/corporate

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