Rugby: TV3 and Prime enter screening war

The tit-for-tat rugby war between Sky and TVNZ entered another phase yesterday with TV3 and Prime emerging as competitors for the right to show free-to-air coverage next season.

At present, TVNZ has the rights to screen delayed coverage of All Blacks, Super 12, Tri-Nations, and NPC matches under a deal believed to be worth around $17 million to Sky.

But the contract runs out at the end of the NPC in late October and Sky chief executive Nate Smith said the station was open to selling next year's delayed coverage to another broadcaster, such as TV3 or Prime, as well as TVNZ.

"I think it's safe to say we will have a free-to-air partner," said Smith, but who that is and what the coverage will be is dependent on negotiations over the next few months.

Sky and TVNZ fell out over coverage of this year's World Cup, with the result that matches will be shown only on TVNZ.

Asked whether the World Cup spat was likely to spur Sky to seek another partner, Smith said: "It certainly doesn't make us less keen ... it also depends on how much people [other broadcasters] are willing to spend."

TV3 managing director Graeme Hunter said his channel would be interested if the price was right, sentiments echoed by Prime Television general manager John Spencer.

"It all boils down to costs like anything. We are very interested and obviously we'll put our hand up," said Spencer.

Neither men would reveal how much they would be prepared to pay.

TVNZ said they were still interested in buying the rights.

Prime reaches about 65 per cent of New Zealand households free-to-air, and 100 per cent of Sky subscribers with a satellite dish.

TVNZ and Sky were earlier understood to have reached an understanding over World Cup coverage where TVNZ would have shown live only the All Black games, semifinals and finals. Sky would have shown the minor games.

TVNZ now plans extensive World Cup coverage without Sky getting replay rights.

Sky had planned to develop a rugby channel on its digital service around the World Cup and had advertised that, but it was later withdrawn. - NZPA