Spark Sport closure: TVNZ updates on transition, with one hiccup

England captain Harry Kane clashes with Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during the Euro 2020 final at Wembley in July in 2021 (the tournament was delayed a year due to Covid). Photo / Getty Images

Good news for anyone who wants to watch the Uefa Champions League final on Sunday, or the first Ashes test next week.

You can now sign up to Spark Sport for free, no credit card details required, to view any of its content (or, if you’re a past sub, reanimate your account).

The telco says all account data will be deleted when Spark Sport is closed on June 30.

After that date, Spark Sport content will transfer to TVNZ, minus one of its marquee competitions: Formula 1, whose rights have been nabbed by Sky TV. The pay-TV broadcaster earlier won back Rugby World Cup rights and English Premier League football.

TVNZ has just released more details on how it will present ex-Spark Sport content, with a new sports streaming hub on TVNZ+, along with plans to show “a huge range of key events” across its TVNZ1 and Duke channels.

The state-owned broadcaster says sports fans will have the choice to stream any given piece of content, or watch it on a broadcast channel.

As promised, all content will be free (Spark, which was keen to offload other costs associated with its streaming service, earlier said it is picking up the tab for rights through to 2028).

TVNZ sport and events GM Melodie Robinson said: “At the heart of this offering will be cricket: with Black Caps and White Ferns T20s on TVNZ 1 and ODIs and tests on Duke, along with the domestic T20 league, Super Smash. Fan favourites and major events with mass appeal, including men’s Basketball World Cup games, Super Bowl LVIII and Samoan Rugby Union tests will also play out on broadcast TV.”

The full list is below. For football fans, one name is conspicuous by its absence: Uefa.

Last year, Spark Sport expanded its deal with Uefa from the Europa and Champions Leagues to also include the Euro 2024 and 2028 competitions.

Now, Uefa content is in flux.

“We are still in discussions there and we hope to update viewers soon,” a TVNZ spokeswoman told the Herald this morning.

Spark shares were recently trading at $5.16. The stock is up 7.72 per cent for the year. With its FY2023 result, the telco recognised a $52 million one-off provision related to Spark Spark’s transition to TVNZ, which it said “includes ongoing obligations under content rights agreements that extend to FY28.”

Spark Sport rights moving to TVNZ from July 1

• NZ-based cricket: home internationals, all Super Smash matches, and domestic one-day finals
• England and Wales Cricket, beginning with the second Ashes test.
• NFL
• MotoGP
• World Rally Championship (WRC)
• WTA - tennis
• US Open Championship - tennis
• 2023 Suncorp Super Netball finals and Australian Diamonds netball matches
• International Basketball Federation (FIBA) matches
• Women’s Super League, FA Cup and Arnold Clark Cup Football
• Diamond League Athletics
• Ladies European Tour Golf
• United Rugby Championship
• Lakapi Samoa (Manu Samoa Rugby)