TV rights in New Zealand

[Captain Apollo]

Even bigger news for NZ (source: https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/06/23/arl-sky-new-zealand-agree-to-long-term-tv-deal/) -

ARL, Sky New Zealand agree to long-term TV deal​

Author: NRL.com Timestamp: Wed 23 Jun 2021, 09:00 AM

State of Origin fixtures and a selection of premium NRL matches will be available on free-to-air TV in New Zealand for the first time in a new broadcast rights deal between the ARL Commission and Sky New Zealand.

As part of the deal that will extend to the end of 2027, selected games during Anzac Round and Magic Round will be available on free-to-air television.

The deal ensures all NRL Telstra Premiership and NRLW games will be broadcast live in New Zealand.

The enhanced agreement involves a new level of collaboration with both the ARLC and Sky NZ working closely alongside New Zealand Rugby League to co-invest in initiatives to grow rugby league.

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said the deal showed the game was developing in New Zealand.

"This is an exciting deal for rugby league fans in New Zealand and highlights Sky NZ’s ongoing commitment to growing our game," he said.

"It ensures every premiership and NRLW game will continue to be broadcast live, along with the finals series and State of Origin.

"Sky’s increased commitment for the duration of this deal will assist in expanding our reach in New Zealand, including coverage of our emerging development competitions.

"There’s around one million Kiwis who follow rugby league and partnerships like this play a vital role in growing our fan base and ensuring even more coverage of one of the world’s most entertaining and exciting competitions.

"We have some of the best athletes in the world and a growing number of those players are from New Zealand.

"This deal also highlights the importance of the New Zealand Warriors. Despite the Warriors not having played in Auckland for over a year, Sky were committed to not only extending their deal, but significantly broadening it."

Sky New Zealand Chief Executive Sophie Moloney said the partnership was more than a broadcast deal.

"Through our partnership we have committed to working even more closely with NRL and NZRL to grow the game of Rugby League in New Zealand, like the roadshow we have on this weekend in Christchurch with the Warriors and NZRL," she said.

"We’ll do everything we can to attract and develop the next generation of league fans and players from grassroots to high performance. It’s this which is vital to the future of the game.

"We also commit to making some important matches available free-to-access. That way we can ensure as many Kiwis as possible can enjoy the wonderful game of rugby league."

 

[flippikat]

No details on what the deal is worth, but it looks like Sky have been spooked into moving fast.

The free-to-air component is going to be interesting - "selected games during Anzac Round and Magic Round will be available on free-to-air television" sounds good, but the devil will be in the detail.

How many games, and crucially what will the delay (if any) be?

 

[Western_Eel]

Thats because Sydney is full of tourists, go to any town in western Sydney and they're everywhere

 

[Vee]

The free-to-air component is going to be interesting - "selected games during Anzac Round and Magic Round will be available on free-to-air television" sounds good,

Doesn't sound much good to me. One game from each and nothing else?

 

[flippikat]

Doesn't sound much good to me. One game from each and nothing else?

"Selected games" could mean a number of things.. but yeah, most likely 1 Origin game, one ANZAC game, maybe a couple during Magic Weekend.. what they do with the delay & adverts will matter too.

It was astonishing to see Origin 1 on TV3 live AND commercial free during play.. that's practically unheard of in the current landscape.

I wouldn't be surprised if future Free To Air games have adverts inserted during breaks-in-play.. and I could grudgingly accept a delayed kickoff of half an hour or an hour if Sky insist.. but any more of a kickoff delay than that will shunt the FTA coverage into a graveyard slot for night games.

 

[Matua]

Does Prime no longer operate in NZ? Why would Sky let TV3 show games when they could be on Prime?

I assume the ARL must have lowered the price a bit for Sky to allow FTA coverage of some matches (I assume this means live and not delayed).

 

[Foreign Legion]

NZRL announce a long-term partnership with Sky and the NRL through to the end of 2027 - New Zealand Rugby League

23 June 2021 NZRL announce a long-term partnership with Sky and the NRL through to the end of 2027.More than a broadcast deal, it’s a partnership with a focus on nurturing and growing the game at all levels. New Zealand Rugby League and NRL action will be live on Sky for many years to come. Today

nzrl.co.nz

 

[Ramsay Snow]

Good point, always amazed when I walk through Sydney city and how little NRL club gear you see being worn.

Does Prime no longer operate in NZ? Why would Sky let TV3 show games when they could be on Prime?

I assume the ARL must have lowered the price a bit for Sky to allow FTA coverage of some matches (I assume this means live and not delayed).

Gave it to them for free, why would they pay for it?

 

[colly]

Sky moved quickly to renew rights to one of its most important properties after Spark Sport, the streaming platform, last week secured exclusive domestic rights in New Zealand to this year’s Rugby League World Cup, and there were reports that it was also targeting the NRL.

Sky NZ takes NRL association beyond a decade in five-year renewal | Featured News| News | Sportcal

how much $$$$ ? anyone know

 

[Perth Red]

Sky moved quickly to renew rights to one of its most important properties after Spark Sport, the streaming platform, last week secured exclusive domestic rights in New Zealand to this year’s Rugby League World Cup, and there were reports that it was also targeting the NRL.

Sky NZ takes NRL association beyond a decade in five-year renewal | Featured News| News | Sportcal

how much $$$$ ? anyone know

They haven’t released value of the sky deal since the 2013 deal. in the rush to extend I wonder if nrl explored the competitive tension spark is creatng and considered opening the rights up for bidding? Or if Vlandys has again signed us up to his news ltd mates without looking to maximise value of ptv/streaming Rights?

 

[Brick Tamland]

Listening to Big Sports Breakfast interview right now with Slothfield. He's claimed that he's spoken to V'Landys who gave all the credit for the new NZ deal to Abdo.

Slothfield mentioned it's a 70% increase on the previous deal, and the new deal will be worth $160m over 5 years

 

[Matua]

They haven’t released value of the sky deal since the 2013 deal. in the rush to extend I wonder if nrl explored the competitive tension spark is creatng and considered opening the rights up for bidding? Or if Vlandys has again signed us up to his news ltd mates without looking to maximise value of ptv/streaming Rights?

News Corp doesn't own any of Sky NZ.

TBH, I'm always suspicious of the dollar figures that Sky pay for the NRL. I think Sky like to have it more for legacy than anything else, as it saved the company back in the early 90s, but the reality is that it isn't the main driver of subscribers and hasn't been since 1996.

 

[Perth Red]

Listening to Big Sports Breakfast interview right now with Slothfield. He's claimed that he's spoken to V'Landys who gave all the credit for the new NZ deal to Abdo.

Slothfield mentioned it's a 70% increase on the previous deal, and the new deal will be worth $160m over 5 years

if true that’s a great increase on the previous $20mill a year deals. Fair play to Abdo if correct.

 

[Perth Red]

News Corp doesn't own any of Sky NZ.

TBH, I'm always suspicious of the dollar figures that Sky pay for the NRL. I think Sky like to have it more for legacy than anything else, as it saved the company back in the early 90s, but the reality is that it isn't the main driver of subscribers and hasn't been since 1996.

fair enough, thought it was same as sky uk.
previously it’s been regularly touted as being worth $20mill a year since 2013 but never seen any confirmation of that.

 

[Chief_Chujo]

Pretty good effort. Getting more for League in NZ than Union gets for their rights in Aus

 

[NRLMad]

TV DEAL FUELS NRL’s $160M ALL BLACKS BLITZ

The NRL has a new $160 million war chest to launch an all-out assault on the New Zealand All Blacks as a result of a monster new television deal.

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has landed a 70 per cent TV rights increase across the ditch as a result of a bidding war between the incumbent network Sky TV and telco/streaming company Spark.

The five-year broadcast deal – which now includes games on free-to-air – has gone from $94 million to more than $160 million over five years.

It has the added benefit of contra advertising that the NRL plans to use on a pathways and participation blitz in a country that has been dominated by rugby union and the All Blacks forever.

“If rugby union fans start watching our game of rugby league I’m not sure they’ll go back to union,” Abdo said.

NRL boss Andrew Abdo. Picture: Sam Ruttyn
“This is an exceptional result for our game. We will invest aggressively in New Zealand pathways and go head to head with rugby union.

“Part of it is contra which gives us the ability to use all of Sky channels to promote the game, especially in pathways and participation.

“Plus for the first time we can get our major events like the Anzac Day game, an Origin match and a finals game on free-to-air in New Zealand, not just Pay TV. It’s massive for us.”

The NRL also has rugby league guru Phil Gould working in a development role in New Zealand for the Warriors to try to lure players to NRL before they go to rugby union.

Source - daily via Twitter

 

[flippikat]

Now is the time to strike against RU.

NZR & RA are in a real confused mess, trying to cobble some new competition together now South Africa have walked, and the standard will be dire unless NZ allows it's fringe players to play "on loan" to Aussie teams. No way RA can fill 5 decent teams with Aussie RU players only.

 

[ayatollah_murdoch]

This sounds very similar to AFL post Suns and GWS. We are not going to do ourselves any favours with that rhetoric.
We'd be lucky to have 2nd spot to RU in NZ. Leave that crap about all blacks out of it.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Now is the time to strike against RU.

NZR & RA are in a real confused mess, trying to cobble some new competition together now South Africa have walked, and the standard will be dire unless NZ allows it's fringe players to play "on loan" to Aussie teams. No way RA can fill 5 decent teams with Aussie RU players only.

Mate, all sounds very positive. I'm loving the talk from the NRL that they are actually going to invest the money back into growing the game in NZ. I never thought I'd hear an NRL CEO say that.

 

[Matua]

“If rugby union fans start watching our game of rugby league I’m not sure they’ll go back to union,” Abdo said.

Does this dude really believe this kind of rubbish? Most league watchers in NZ are rugby watchers anyway.