 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Languages | English, Māori (special events) |
| Picture format | 1080i (HDTV)16:9 |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Sky Network Television |
| History | |
| Launched | 18 May 1990 |
| Links | |
| Website | Official Site |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Sky Go | skygo.co.nz |
| Sky Sport Now | skysportnow.co.nz |
Sky Sport is a group of sports-oriented television channels operated byNew Zealand'ssatellitepay-TV company,Sky.
Sky Sport 1 is the original Sky Television sport channel in New Zealand. It was first introduced in 1990 as Sky Sport on the SkyUHF service. When Sky Sport began it operated between the hours of noon and around midnight, and occasionally screened live sports events outside these hours. By July 1991, Sky Sport commenced 24-hour transmission with a direct feed ofESPN at certain times during the week.[citation needed]
A sister channel,Sky Sport 2 was launched in 1997 when Sky introduced a nationwide analoguedirect broadcasting via satellite (DBS) service, followed by a third channel,Sky Sport 3 in 2003 andSky Sport 4 in 2013.[citation needed]
On 1 August 2019, Sky launched five more Sky Sport channels, numbered from 5 to 9. Additionally all the channels were re-aligned to be sport-specific, and aSky Sport News channel was launched providing the latest news and updates from across all sports. However, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, the Sky Sport News channel was rebranded asSky Sport Select, a combination of sports news and general sporting coverage.[citation needed]
Ten main channels comprise the Sky Sport service[1]
| Channel | Name | Content |
|---|---|---|
| 050 | Sky Sport Select | A mix of international sporting news supplied byFox Sports News and general sport coverage. |
| 051 | Sky Sport 1 | Rugby union coverage and a mix of other sports. |
| 052 | Sky Sport 2 | General sport coverage. |
| 053 | Sky Sport 3 | Cricket coverage and a mix of other sports. |
| 054 | Sky Sport 4 | Rugby league coverage and a mix of other sports. |
| 055 | Sky Sport 5 | Motorsport coverage and a mix of other sports. Includes content fromRed Bull TV. |
| 056 | Sky Sport 6 | Golf coverage, 24 hours a day. |
| 057 | Sky Sport 7 | Association football coverage, 24 hours a day. Previously known as Sky Sport 7beIN Sports from 2019-2023. |
| 058 | Sky Sport Premier League | Premier League coverage, 24 hours a day. Includes coverage of all matches and Premier League-related content (e.g. match previews, highlights, documentaries). |
| 059 | Sky Sport 9 | General sport coverage. |
All Sky Sport channels are broadcast in1080ihigh definition.
Additional Sky Sport channels are launched in order to broadcast major events such as theAustralian Tennis Open and theOlympic Games.
Sky owned Outside Broadcasting Limited from 2010 to 2021, providing outside broadcast facilities for Sky Sport coverage with eight broadcast trucks and fly away kits. These traveled the length of New Zealand and overseas to covered events for Sky Sport since its arrival into New Zealand in 2001. These trucks were also contracted out to other television networks likeTVNZ andMāori Television. On 12 August 2020, Sky announced it had sold Outside Broadcasting to NEP New Zealand, part of American production companyNEP Group. As part of the transaction, NEP will be Sky's outsourced technical production partner in New Zealand until at least 2030.[2] The sale was cleared by theCommerce Commission on 5 February 2021.[3]
On 14 August 2019, Sky launched Sky Sport Now, featuring online live streams for all 10 Sky Sport channels, highlights, on demand, match statistics and points tables. Three passes are available for purchase: a week pass, a month pass and a 12-month Pass. Pay-Per-View events can be purchased separately when they become available. Sky Sport Now is available via web browsers as well as oniOS,Android andPlayStation 4 devices.[citation needed]
On 27 October 2020, Sky announced that its Sky Sport Now streaming service would be bundled with Spark Sport for a NZ$49.99 monthly subscription from 16 November 2020 onwards.[4]
From 2019 until 2023, matches aired on beIN Sports platforms were also available on Sky Sport due to a four-year partnership contract.[5]
Leagues
Domestic cups
International club competitions
International matches
International tournaments
International tournaments
