NZME secures exclusive radio rugby commentary rights

The four-year agreement will cover all matches played by the All Blacks and Black Ferns. Photo / Dean Purcell

Continuing to cement its strong sport offering, New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME) has today announced an exclusive arrangement with Sky Sport that will see it continue to deliver rugby radio commentary across multiple platforms.

The four-year agreement will cover all matches played by the All Blacks and Black Ferns, as well as those played within the Super Rugby Pacific and Sky Super Rugby Aupiki tournaments. The rights will extend to Newstalk ZB and GOLD AM, as well as to its digital radio platform, iHeartRadio which will include commentary from the Alternative Commentary Collective.

Fans of New Zealand's provincial rugby competitions will also benefit from the new deal, with both the National Provincial Championship (NPC) and Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) included in the agreement.

NZME Chief Radio Officer, Jason Winstanley, says that in securing the exclusive radio rights to New Zealand rugby, NZME has ensured that its stable of sports channels will maintain its position as the home of sport in New Zealand.

"NZME is committed to providing world class rugby action to Kiwis, and this deal with Sky Sport further highlights our commitment. We have already heard some amazing action from the field in our radio coverage of both Super Rugby Pacific and Sky Super Rugby Aupiki and we look forward to bringing fans closer to the game through our continued coverage."

Adam Crothers, Sky's Head of Sport Partnerships, says: "There's no doubt rugby is a cornerstone sport for our customers, and while Sky offers multiple ways to enjoy every try, ruck and lineout, we're really pleased to add NZME to the mix to extend the reach of New Zealand's game. This agreement is an important part of our distribution strategy, which enables more New Zealanders to access the content they want."

The agreement will enable the delivery of both traditional commentary and alternative content in the form of The Alternative Commentary Collective, allowing NZME to cater to a wide-ranging audience.

Mike Lane, General Manager of the Alternative Commentary Collective, says the commentary team is looking forward to bringing their listeners along for the ride. "We'd commentate the opening of a window if we could, so being able to cover our national game and put our own spin on it is a real privilege."