Private investment group Coliseum Sports Media is interested in acquiring domestic rights for the New Zealand national rugby union team, the All Blacks, according to the Matheson Sports Media news agency.
Coliseum is also interested in rights for the Super 15 club tournament, which features teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
Coliseum chief executive officer Tim Martin confirmed that he has met with senior New Zealand Rugby Union officials to discuss the matter.
“There are no rugby rights available until 2015,” Martin said. “On one hand that seems like a while away, but on the other hand it seems like tomorrow. The reality is rugby is a battleground now. And we are, like everyone else in this business, interested in acquiring the rights to the All Blacks and Super 15.”
In June, Coliseum outbid incumbent rights-holder, pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand, and online platform Sommet Sports for the rights in New Zealand to English Premier League football for three seasons, from 2013-14 to 2015-16.
Under the deal, Coliseum will show all games online and public-service broadcaster TVNZ will broadcast selected matches and weekly highlights on television. Martin suggested that Coliseum could adopt a similar partnership with TVNZ in a bid for rugby rights.
He added: “Anyone who has been following (the Coliseum Sports) story knows of our relationship with Television New Zealand. And, obviously, TVNZ has all the capabilities that we don't have. We complement each other."