Leeds Rhinos willing to play behind closed doors - but it's not a 'satisfactory solution'

Playing behind closed doors will not solve Super League’s problems, Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington says.
Konrad Hurrel scores the final try in Rhinos' win over Toronto last month, their final game before Super League's shutdown. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.Konrad Hurrel scores the final try in Rhinos' win over Toronto last month, their final game before Super League's shutdown. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Konrad Hurrel scores the final try in Rhinos' win over Toronto last month, their final game before Super League's shutdown. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.

But he admits it may become necessary if the sport is to meet its broadcast commitments during the coronavirus crisis.

Rugby league at all levels has been suspended since March 16, just seven rounds into the Betfred Super League campaign.

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Five weekends of Super League have been lost since then, plus one round of the Coral Challenge Cup.

Gary Hetherington.Gary Hetherington.
Gary Hetherington.

Leeds, who were due to play host to Salford Red Devils tomorrow, had two games in hand before the shutdown and are facing a backlog of 24 league matches, plus at least one Cup tie, if a full season is completed.

Super League’s Magic Weekend, scheduled for May 23 and 24 at Newcastle, has been “postponed”, but the competition’s chief executive Robert Elstone insists it could still be held later in the year - which suggests there is no desire to cut the number of matches.

Former Rhinos forward and now Sky TV pundit Barrie McDermott this week predicted Super League and the RFL will wait to see what football - and in particular the FA Premiership - does before confirming their plans.

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Nothing has been finalised, but there is mounting speculation the round ball game could resume in June, with matches played behind closed doors.

Some die-hard Rhinos fans made it to Perpignan in March, but it is unclear if the team will visit France this year.Some die-hard Rhinos fans made it to Perpignan in March, but it is unclear if the team will visit France this year.
Some die-hard Rhinos fans made it to Perpignan in March, but it is unclear if the team will visit France this year.

Rhinos’ game at Catalans Dragons on March 14 was set to go ahead without a crowd, but was postponed after Leeds declined to travel.

At the time, Catalans estimated the lock-out could cost them around £150,000.

Behind closed doors fixtures would enable Super League to meet the terms of its contract with Sky and increase the chances of a full season being played, but clubs already in financial hardship would be deprived of vital matchday income.

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One suggestion is for Sky to televise two games per week as normal, with the rest being made available to supporters on a pay-per-view basis, which would generate some income for clubs.

The governing bodies are also considering double-headers as a way of cutting down matchday costs and Hetherington said: “If it [playing behind closed doors] is a necessity to service our contractual commitments, then that has got to be factored in.”

But he pointed out: “Unlike for example the NRL, who are almost entirely dependent on their broadcast income, we in the UK are very dependent on our matchday income.

“Playing behind closed doors doesn’t generate any matchday income at all, so clearly that is not a satisfactory solution to our problems.”

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The Leeds chief added: “Having said that, if it means delivering to our broadcast partners and putting the game back in front of a television audience, we have got to be prepared to do that if need be.

“These are unprecedented times and we have no experience to fall back on. Clearly it is desperate times for everybody in the game, the players who are sat at home unable to train properly and all the fans who are desperately missing the game.

“We share with our members and fans the frustration of not being able to go to games. That is part of the frustration of being in lockdown.”

The dilemma facing Super League and the RFL has been complicated by the situation in France where the government has announced there will be no sports events before September.

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Catalans have 11 home league fixtures still to play, including the rearranged meeting with Rhinos and Leeds’ ‘loop’ game in France, which was due to be staged in Toulouse at the end of May. Toulouse Olympique had won all their five league games before the shutdown and are top of the Betfred Championship.

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