Strange scheduling by Sky, I was of the impression they'd be happy to screen this fixture half a dozen times a season at least. Phil Clarke will be gutted though I expect it'll get a mention should Wigan lead at any point

Well spotted

They’d rather show Leeds in a relegation match, proof if any were needed how much a SL-less Leeds would impact with regards to Sky and any future tv deal.

First time it has ever happened in Super League, apparently.

Relegation scrap far more interesting than watching saints put 40 points on wigan

Relegation scrap also more important than the 19th Super League meeting between two teams in less than five years.

Nothing to do with the diminishing quality and boring forward driven game we have, then. We've been of reduced interest to Sky for some time now, which is not all about how good or bad Leeds have been.

The two form sides in what could potentially end up being the Grand Final game or 9th vs 11th? It’s a ridiculous choice by sky, the idea that Leeds have to be on because they’re in danger of going down is also ridiculous.

Think of it as a bonus, you can watch your game, record the TV game and watch it later.

Well they certainly are not interested in promoting our game for both parties. If SKY insist on showing basement games from now on with poor standards of play then could SKY be devaluing our next TV deal.

It’s a good idea. Does the average joe really want to see Saints steamroller yet another supposed top team? They are more likely to tune in and stay tuned in to watch 2 teams fighting for their super league safety

TBF the decision was made a few weeks ago before Wigan found form which MIGHT make that game closer than it looked a few weeks ago. On the other hand Leeds have found form which MIGHT make their game less close than it was looking a few weeks ago.

Imagine Sky picking Cardiff v Newcastle instead of Man City v Man Utd. Hilarity.

Not quite the same as Newcastle aren’t the big city biggest attendance name in the game. More like them showing Msn It’d vs Bournemouth instead of Liverpool vs Chelsea

Relegation = Sudden Death

Top of the table is just qualifier for an end of season play off.

With their recent signings it is unlikely that Leeds will go down but they have provided some comic relief before the serious business starts

Does anyone really care.

Those who want to watch the game will turn up and watch the game.

Its never a sell out like good Friday so there will be plenty of space for those who want to watch.

It is usually one of the stand out fixtures of the season and it's a reasonable assumption that the standard of the rugby between two sides near the top of the table will be better than watching a bunch of rejects and journeymen flounder around for 80mins.
I'm sure there will be some elderly or disabled fans who will be disappointed it isn't being shown.

A recent report said there is about 500 tickets left

Id rather not watch us get a tonking from Saints to be honest although, should a miracle happen and we win, id be disappointed I didnt see it

Pretending they're only showing it because it's Leeds is a bit silly. They probably would've chosen London v Hull KR over it as well.

For years we've had fans on this board arguing that we need P&R because "jepoardy" pulls in the viewers. That mentality leads to decisions like this.

In general its also those same fans who argue that we need loop fixtures for clubs to survive and again, it leads to decisions like this. Why would Sky be interested in the 19th (and a pretty inconsequential) meeting between these teams in five years?

The Wigan-Saints is of very little consequence in the scheme of the season. St Helens will probably win the game, they will almost certainly win the LLS and the top seed in the play-offs. Nothing that Wigan do is likely to put that in any real jepoardy and they themselves will probably finish in 3rd-5th irrespective of the result on Friday. The result at Headingley has much greater consequence for both teams and generates a much more interesting story for Sky to tell.

If we work on the basis that forums like this are representative of the fan base, and that the prevailing view is that we need the 'jepoardy' of P&R, then Sky are giving the fans exactly what they've asked for.

Sky aren't stupid. They know which games put bums on sofas and I suspect that the only people with any real problem with this are all currently sat within a ten mile radius of Billinge Lump. That's how significant it is.

The only people who want to watch Wigan are the Wigan fans, I'd much rather watch a game that has something riding on it, not just the procession to Old Trafford play off places.

Who cares apart from saints and wigan armchair fans, we've seen this game 11 times a year for the last 50 years and its boring now get something with some meaning on to the whole game rather than a top team w@nkfest

The Man UTD/Man City comparison does not work because :

A) They only face against each other twice in the league, and then the fixtures are towards separate ends of the seasons.

B) The Manchester derby generally has a bearing on the league title.

Personally I wish we had more televised rounds with different teams on SKY other than the big four.

The basement game between Leeds and Hull KR should have been scheduled for Thursday night and the top games for Friday night.

Robert Elstone is trying to rebrand Superleague as an exciting quality game and promoting the top players in the process, if SKY suddenly changed tact and do the opposite then they are not giving our game what it deserves. The Warrington v Saints was a great advert for rugby league and I see know reason why the Saints v Wigan game won't be the same.

Not much of a competition though is it if the same four teams are shown every week. Otherwise why don’t we just rebrand it as the Big Four League with guests.

Robert Elstone has a responsibility to all of Super League, doesn’t he?