The Indigo Group Premiership enters its final round of the regular season this weekend as the top four get set to battle it out in the play-offs. However, clubs received communication from the WRU on Wednesday that all three play-off games would be moved to Sunday’s for 5.15pm kick-offs, with S4C dictating the moves. Last Word understands that the TV deal is worth as follows….
Sunday kick-offs ahead for Indigo Group Premiership play-offs
Clubs now know that their semi-finals will be kicking off at 5:15pm on Sunday 14th, with the winners battling it out at the same time a week later.
This raises the question of worth to the clubs, as TV dictation usually only appears at a professional level, where broadcast deals run into the millions. However, for smaller community-based clubs, the loss isn’t quite as astronomical, but just how much do they get?
The clubs miss out on supporters through the gate, which also affects bar takings for those with their own clubhouse.
Only the home club gets compensated financially for the games, with 18 Indigo Group Premiership games broadcast live this year, plus Swansea’s game against Aberavon being put on a delay broadcast due to the death of the Queen earlier that day.
For each game, S4C takes care of the £25,000 costs per game for exclusive broadcast coverage, a source within the WRU has told Last Word. Now, it’s fair to say the clubs don’t see all of this figure themselves, but their compensation falls around £2,000 per game according to the clubs we spoke to.
Put over the 19 games that have been covered this year it amounts up to £475,000 a season, an impressive amount for the semi-professional league.
3️⃣ more transfers for you tonight!
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— Robert Rees (@Rreesrugby) May 2, 2023
2022/23 televised games
The list of games broadcast this season has seen some clubs manage to grab more than one appearance on the telly, but no side has yet achieved more than two home games, although this is likely to change with Merthyr and Llandovery both on two games hosted this season, with Cardiff on one. Two of these will add to their tally before the season closes.
This list of games broadcast this season;
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Newport v Llandovery
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Ebbw vale v Pontypridd
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Pontypridd vs Newport
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Llandovery v Cardiff
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Merthyr v Aberavon
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Llandovery v Merthyr
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Llanelli v Ebbw Vale
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RGC v Merthyr
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Cardiff v Swansea
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Llanelli v Llandovery
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Merthyr v Carmarthen Quins
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Carmarthen Quins v Pontypridd
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Ebbw vale v Llandovery
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Bridgend Ravens v Merthyr
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Newport v Cardiff
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Swansea v Aberavon (Not broadcast live due to death of Queen)
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Pontypridd v Cardiff
*Llandovery v Aberavon postponed due to weather, so wasn’t televised.
*Ebbw Vale v Aberavon wasn’t televised due to bad weather postponement.
Premiership play-off picture
The highest seed will host the games.
So, it’ll be;
- 1st v 4th (Newport)
- 2nd v 3rd
The highest seed of the two finalists will host the game.
Newport host Llandovery on Saturday evening whilst Cardiff entertain Merthyr earlier that afternoon.
The table currently sits with Cardiff at the top on 85 points, followed by Llandovery on 83 and Merthyr on 82.
