Floodlights in any sport add to the drama. The dark sky and surroundings focus attention even more on the floodlit action. Today’s sports fans take floodlights for granted, and sports clubs at every level have floodlights. This has not always been the case. The use of floodlights in rugby league did not become common until the mid 1960s, when the BBC2 Floodlight Trophy was launched. However, the origins of floodlight rugby date back to the 1870s, when electricity companies used the sport to try to gain publicity for their new product. This book, based on extensive original research, examines the developments in electricity that brought about these matches and explains how they were organised. It then brings the story up to date and looks at the development of the use of floodlights in modern rugby league from the 1930s through the 1950s and the 1955 ITV Television Trophy to the use of floodlights today. It also considers the relationship between rugby league and big business, and the issue of television coverage of the game. The book includes a foreword by Dave Hadfield and interviews with Neil Fox and Ray French. All rugby league and sports fans will find this book fascinating. SPECIAL OFFER £5.00 reduced from£11.95 ADD £5 POSTAGE FOR ORDERS OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM