BBC2 Floodlit Trophy

The BBC 2 Floodlit Trophy (also known as the BBC 2 Television Trophy) was a competition for British rugby league clubs held between 1965 and 1980. It was designed specifically for television, and the then director of BBC2, broadcaster David Attenborough, was instrumental in its creation. When the competition was first mooted not many clubs were equipped with floodlights, but the tournament caused no fewer than twenty-one clubs to install them.

The tournament was not Rugby League's first foray into evening television; the 1955–56 season saw a tournament titled the Independent Television Floodlit Trophy. Eight clubs participated in a series of games played at football grounds in the London area, with Warrington eventually running out 43-18 victors over Leigh.

The tournament was played during the early part of the season. Each week one match would be played under floodlights on a Tuesday evening; the second half of this match that would be broadcast live on BBC2. Non-televised matches were played at various times, depending on clubs' commitments in more prestigious tournaments. Despite the title many matches did not take place under floodlights; clubs such as Barrow and Bramley (for example) did not possess adequate lighting.[1]

The first season, 1965–66, eight clubs - Castleford, Leeds, Leigh, Oldham, St. Helens, Swinton, Warrington and Widnes took part.[2] Seven of the eight teams had floodlights and Leeds installed theirs the following season.

The four-tackles-then-a-scrum rule[3] was first introduced in the competition's second season, in October 1966, before being implemented in all competitions by December.

Castleford won the trophy in the first season, 1965–66 and won the trophy the most times, on three more occasions 1966–67, 1967–68 and 1976–77.

Despite disagreements over shirt sponsorship in the early 1970s, Rugby League remained a mainstay of BBC Television during the 1970s, and 1980s, although the commitment to the Floodlit Trophy decreased before financial cutbacks at the BBC lead to its cancellation after the 1979-80 competition.[4] In the last final, Hull F.C. beat local rivals Hull Kingston Rovers.

List of finals
YearSeasonWinnersScore Runner-upVenueDate
19651965–66 season Castleford 4–0 St. HelensKnowsley Road, St. HelensTuesday, 14 December 1965
19661966–67 season Castleford 7–2 SwintonWheldon Road, CastlefordTuesday, 20 December 1966
19671967–68 season Castleford 8–5 LeighHeadingley, LeedsSaturday, 16 January 1968
19681968–69 season Wigan7–4 St. HelensCentral Park, WiganTuesday, 17 December 1968
19691969–70 season Leigh 11–6 WiganCentral Park, WiganTuesday, 16 December 1969
19701970–71 season Leeds9–5 St. HelensHeadingley, LeedsTuesday, 15 December 1970
19711971–72 season St. Helens 8–2 Rochdale HornetsKnowsley Road, St. HelensTuesday, 14 December 1971
19721972–73 season Leigh 5–0 WidnesCentral Park, WiganTuesday, 19 December 1972
19731973–74 season Bramley 15–7 WidnesNaughton Park, WidnesTuesday, 18 December 1973
19741974–75 season Salford 0–0 WarringtonThe Willows, SalfordTuesday, 17 December 1974
(replay) Salford 10–5 WarringtonWilderspool, WarringtonTuesday, 28 January 1975
19751975–76 season St. Helens 22–2 DewsburyKnowsley Road, St. HelensTuesday, 16 December 1975
19761976–77 season Castleford 12–4 LeighHilton Park, LeighTuesday, 14 December 1976
19771977–78 season Hull Kingston Rovers26–11 St. HelensCraven Park, HullTuesday, 13 December 1977
19781978–79 season Widnes 13–7 St. HelensKnowsley Road, St. HelensTuesday, 12 December 1978
19791979–80 season Hull F.C.13–3 Hull Kingston RoversThe Boulevard, HullTuesday, 18 December 1979
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References
  1. "Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A Social and Cultural History by Tony Collins".
  2. "BBC Floodlit Trophy by Neil Dawson - wire2wolves.com". Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  3. Trible 13 Rugby League blog
  4. "Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A Social and Cultural History by Tony Collins".
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