Kiwis could get free access to All blacks tests. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Kiwis could get free access to All blacks tests. Photo / Brett Phibbs
The country could see a return to live and free television coverage of All Blacks rugby tests under the Labour-New Zealand First government.
NZ First sports and recreation spokesperson Clayton Mitchell told NewstalkZB's Tony Veitch his party's policy was discussed in the coalition talks, albeit in confidence. He said the prospect of Kiwis getting free access to "games of national significance" was "still on the table".
In March, Mitchell submitted a private member's bill to Parliament aimed at amending the Broadcasting Act to incorporate that premise.
National and Labour voted against the bill which would have included coverage of international rugby, league, netball, cricket, major events such as the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, and NRL or Super Rugby finals featuring New Zealand teams.
Mitchell was asked why the bill didn't go through.
"It's not because it's not a great idea or because people don't want this," he said.
"I think the vast majority want to see these games live and free like we once used to enjoy, but it was more about 'how can we afford to do it?'.
"We don't know how much goes from [current rights holders] Sky Television to pay for these rights and I can only assume that as we progress this government through, we'll have more access to that information from the government benches."
In January, NZ First leader Winston Peters told Newshub: "I'm not going to say we're going to try to implement it - we will implement it."
He said about 1.2 million people could not afford Sky.
"They're the mothers and fathers who put young kids on sports fields all round this country."
Mitchell suggested it would be "some nice cream on top of a big dollop of icecream" in relation to their other policies.
Clayton Mitchell, NZ First sports and recreation spokesperson. Photo / George Novak
He said his party's principle was based on value over cost.
"If you think purely about the cost, we can't afford it. But we need to start thinking about what value that is going to bring to our country? How's that going to lift our culture? How will it help participation rates? And how will that stop child obesity. That's the conundrum.
"We're a country built on sport. Many people have been involved for their entire life, even if it's just an interest, but a lot are stepping away because they don't have access."
The discussions come after Friday's announcement that New Zealand Rugby and Sky Television will livestream the All Blacks end-of-year tour matches against the UK Barbarians and a French XV for $24.99 per game on AllBlacksTV.com.
The move is designed to adapt to customer demands and improve coverage of the national rugby side for more than seven million website and social media followers outside New Zealand.
Three years remain on the broadcast deal between NZR and Sky.
NZR chief executive Steve Tew told Veitch it was about putting a price into the market and seeing the response.
"I suffered the frustration [of not seeing the All Blacks versus Argentina] when I was in Florida," he said.
"No matter what I did, I could not find a way of watching our guys play unless I could find an ESPN3 feed, and I couldn't find a pub that did.
"We've negotiated with guys who have backed these games in markets we haven't sold the broadcast rights to, and can do that through this mechanism. While we're doing it, we thought we'd throw it open to those people who don't have a Sky subscription."
Sky chief executive John Fellet concurred.
"We are pleased to be providing our world class broadcast product on a livestreaming platform to get the All Blacks in front of their fans regardless of where they live."
