Sommet Sports, a new digital free-to-air channel in New Zealand, has acquired the broadcast rights to the remainder of the 2013 MotoGP motorcycling championship, according to the Fairfax news agency.
Sommet’s July 14 launch coincides with MotoGP’s German Grand Prix and the broadcaster will offer live coverage of the remaining races, along with highlights.
Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand had previously held the rights to MotoGP, but has been struggling to reach a new deal with the championship’s commercial rights holder Dorna Sports.
This has meant the first seven stages of 2013's 18-round series have failed to receive television coverage in New Zealand.
Sommet has said it will broadcast all previous rounds of this year’s MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3 races.