Sky NZ seals deal for delayed rights to English clubs’ matches

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand has struck a deal to show matches featuring four English Premier League football clubs on a delayed basis.

Sky confirmed that it would show delayed Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City matches, while the identity of the fourth team will be unveiled before the start of the season in just over two weeks’ time.

The deal will run until at least the end of the 2013-14 season.

Under the terms of Sky’s deals with the television channels operated by the clubs, the broadcaster will be able to show games from the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup domestic tournaments, as well as the Uefa Champions League and Europa League European club competitions.

Sky’s acquisition of the rights was announced just weeks after the broadcaster was outbid by new media company Coliseum Sports Media for the live rights to Premier League matches.

Sommet Sports, a new digital free-to-air channel in the country, has also agreed a deal with Premier League club Chelsea to provide delayed coverage of the team’s games until the end of the 2013-14 campaign.