TVNZ set to announce further deals after snapping up NFL rights

New Zealand public-service broadcaster TVNZ has acquired rights for the North American NFL American football league and expects to announce further coverage deals in the coming weeks, according to director of content Jeff Latch.

Details of TVNZ’s NFL deal have not been fully disclosed, but the broadcaster will show coverage of the new 2015-16 season on Freeview television channel 13 as well as online.

TVNZ has recently acquired rights for the AFL Australian rules league, Wimbledon tennis and golf tournaments for men and women, as well as a package for football’s English Premier League.

Latch told the Fairfax news agency that the broadcaster now has a “quite powerful” selection of sports rights.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand also shows the NFL in the country.

“There's real opportunity in free-to-air television,” Latch said. “I would be disappointed if we couldn't make more announcements in the coming weeks.”