New Zealand

Online subscription service Coliseum Sports Media has acquired rights to French top-tier rugby union league the Top 14 in New Zealand and will exploit the property via a new direct-to-customer platform.

Digital services company Spark New Zealand has agreed a deal to offer discounted coverage of the North American National Basketball Association (NBA).

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand has struck a deal in principle to renew a media rights contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU), the national governing body of rugby union, and its Sanzar partners in the southern hemisphere.

Online subscription service Coliseum Sports Media continued to shake up the previously moribund New Zealand market with the acquisition of the US PGA Tour this month.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand will target more domestic sports content after signing a series of domestic rights deals in recent days, according to spokeswoman Kirsty Way.

Golf’s PGA Tour has linked up with online subscription service Coliseum Sports Media to establish a new direct-to-customer service in New Zealand.

Sky New Zealand is considering offering “season tickets” that would allow viewers to watch individual sports or competitions online without purchasing a full subscription with the pay-television broadcaster.

A petition has been launched by internet provider Orcon calling for the New Zealand Rugby Union to stream live coverage of all national team All Blacks games online in the country.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand will not renew a rights deal for coverage of various golf events.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand has paid a significantly increased fee to hold on to New Zealand’s domestic cricket rights, facing one rival bidder and the threat of new market entrants.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand has signed a six-year extension to its rights agreement with New Zealand Cricket, the governing body for the sport in the country.

New Zealand public-service broadcaster TVNZ has said it will not televise the Wimbledon tennis championships this year due to the event clashing with football’s ongoing Fifa World Cup.

A-League football club Wellington Phoenix has agreed a rights deal with pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand for its Football United Tour event.

Digital free-to-air channel Sommet Sports will launch a channel on pay-television operator Sky New Zealand and digital-television service Freeview in April.

Australian free-to-air channel NITV, which is operated by public-service broadcaster SBS, has acquired rights for the ANZ Championship, the top netball division in Australia and New Zealand.

Free-to-air broadcaster Maori TV has acquired rights for the 2014 ANZ Championship, the top-tier netball tournament in Australia and New Zealand.