YORK City Knights' big opening game of the Betfred Championship season against Toronto Wolfpack is set to be broadcast live via Sky Sports.

The Rugby Football League has agreed a new deal with Sky to broadcast more Championship and League One matches, with Championships play-offs and the 'Million Pound' promotion game to be shown on television and other league games broadcast via the Our League web and app platforms.

Additionally, moneybags outfit Toronto have secured a separate deal with Sky to produce all of their games in the UK and Canada. As such, all the Wolfpack's matches will be available on Sky Sports - starting with their opener against newly-promoted York at Bootham Crescent on February 3. Whether it will be on TV or other platforms is to be confirmed.

The new broadcast agreements were announced at today’s RFL season launch at the De Grey Rooms in York - round the corner from Bootham Crescent.

Knights boss James Ford said: "I think it's good for rugby league outside of Super League in that it brings further exposure. It helps those clubs promote themselves and their partners, and it will hopefully help to increase the number of kids playing or aspiring to play the game."

On the Knights' opener, he added: "It's a fantastic challenge. There are lots of ingredients that make this an event and this (being screened live) is another.

"My players look forward to being on Sky and York itself loves an event. I'm sure a big crowd will turn out to support this one."

The first live Our League match will be the League One opener between Newcastle Thunder and Doncaster at Kingston Park on Saturday, February 16, which will be followed by the Toronto v Widnes Championship fixture on Sky Sports.

The Our League platforms will also show matches from the Coral Challenge Cup, the Women’s Challenge Cup, the 1895 Cup and the Women’s Super League.

Our League will also carry a magazine show dedicated to the Betfred Championship and League One, featuring a compilation of the best action and focusing on the biggest personalities and talking points in the game.

“This is fantastic news for all the fans and clubs of the Betfred Championship and League One with both competitions being broadcast more than ever before,” said Mark Foster, who heads the RFL’s commercial department.

“It couldn’t have happened without the co-operation and support of Sky Sports and the Toronto Wolfpack and we wish to thank both organisations for helping us to tell the story to millions in the UK and around the world of what will be a fantastic 2019 season for the Betfred Championship and League One in 2019.

“We saw with the reaction to Sky Sports' live coverage of the Million Pound Game between the Wolfpack and London Broncos in Toronto last autumn what a massive boost that was to the profile of the Betfred Championship.

“So we are delighted that Sky Sports are committed to showing this year’s Million Pound Game to determine who earns promotion to the Betfred Super League in 2020.

“And with Our League now able to extend last season’s coverage of Betfred League One into the Betfred Championship, members will be able to follow the story of the season with live matches every week and also the magazine programme which we believe the competitions deserve.

“With the Summer Bash in Blackpool, and the 1895 Cup, there’s so much to relish in 2019 – starting with the first round of seven matches in the Betfred Championship on Super Sunday, February 3, and now featuring live coverage of the York-Toronto match.

“We are proud of the development of the Our League Membership Scheme and its digital platforms, which now has almost 90,000 members just over a year after its launch. It also allows us to provide regular coverage of the Women’s Super League and the community game – so members can look forward to a feast of Rugby League this year.”