Sky bidding for English football rights

Football fans reckoned Sky scored an own goal two years ago when it lost the contract to show top-flight English matches. Photo / AP

Pay TV operator keen to bring popular offering back to its stable from internet-based rival Coliseum.

Sky Sport has launched a bid to snatch exclusive NZ rights to screen live English Premier League football from Coliseum Sports Media.

Football fans reckoned Sky scored an own goal two years ago when it lost the contract to show top-flight English matches, forcing them to turn to internet-based provider Coliseum.

Coliseum chief executive Tim Martin told the Weekend Herald bids to screen EPL matches from next season here have already been tabled, with his company vying to hold on to the rights for another three years.

But Sky confirmed it wants EPL games back in its sports stable.

"A number of viewers said they were disappointed when we lost out the last time," Sky NZ spokeswoman Kirsty Way said. "We are definitely interested now the rights are up for grabs again.

"We have a lot of history there and we will do our best to get them back."

As well as presently screening EPL matches - which cost $199 a year or $19.90 monthly for its Premier League Pass - Coliseum also holds the rights for the French Top 14 Rugby competition in New Zealand, as well as PGA, LPGA and the European Tour golf among others.

Sky still has rights for rugby, cricket and league in New Zealand.

Shares in the dominant pay TV operator took a huge hit in October, ending nearly 15 per cent down after a negative profit forecast.

The company warned its annual profit would fall by up to 11 per cent as the business deals with rising costs and the challenge of online competition from streaming services such as Netflix and Lightbox.

Sky TV is a big company, still worth more than $1.7 billion, and it still makes a lot of money.

Coliseum is in the final year of its three-year deal to screen the EPL and Mr Martin said it is determined to keep providing the service.

"There is heaps of interest in acquiring the rights - from Sky, companies in the United States and other countries," he said.

"This is not necessarily just a local stoush any more and there could be multiple international players involved.

"The English Premier League does weird things to people if they want it. It is top-shelf content and there will be some cavalier deal-making going on all over the world to secure it."

Mr Martin said Coliseum had tabled a direct bid for the rights but if someone else was successful there was also the possibility of leasing the NZ rights from the winner.

"In fact, there could be a possibility of getting more than two bites at it."

Mr Martin insisted if Coliseum lost out it would not be a disaster for the company.

"The EPL has been a great product for us and has really put us on the map in New Zealand," he said. "But it is not part of a bundled offering and we have diversified into other sports."

Mr Martin said the bidding process had now closed with the results expected before Christmas.

"We would love to hang on to the EPL but not at any price," he added. "We are pretty relaxed about it."