![IRB agrees to joint Rugby World Cup TV bid](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=808)
IRB agrees to joint Rugby World Cup TV bid
The International Rugby Board has agreed to a joint bid by New Zealand broadcasters to screen 2011 Rugby World Cup games, John Key says.
The International Rugby Board has agreed to a joint bid by New Zealand broadcasters to screen 2011 Rugby World Cup games, John Key says.
Maori Television may run advertising-free coverage of the Rugby World Cup games to woo viewers from its rival commercial broadcasters.
The exact cost to the Govt of its bid for the World Cup rugby rights won't be known until the bid is accepted but is "considerably under $5m", John Key said today.
The opening ceremony and opening match of the 2011 World Cup will screen live on both TVNZ and Maori TV, with live matches on four networks, if the Govt backed bid is successful.
NZ taxpayers will "not be paying over the odds" to see free-to-air 2011 Rugby World Cup games, John Key says.
Maori Television has again lost out, as the chance to broadcast the 2011 Rugby World Cup is kicked back and forth between channels.
Maori TV, TVNZ and TV3 are still trying to hash out a deal for a single Maori TV led bid to be made for Rugby World Cup broadcasting rights.
John Key says his Govt handled the rights issue poorly and Maori TV's bid deserves to be backed.
John Key says he's unaware of any iwi pledging cash to help Maori TV boost its Rugby World Cup TV rights bid.
Maori TV will continue to fight for the rights to the Rugby World Cup, saying the Govt's backing of TVNZ's bid is an affront to Maori.
The Beehive's decision to virtually order TVNZ to gazump Maori TV's Rugby World Cup bid has soured the Maori Party's relationship with National.
Remember the utter shambles as the All Blacks bombed out of the last Rugby World Cup because they could not organise a simple drop-goal?
The Govt has scuppered Maori TV's bid for exclusive free-to-air rights to screen the Rugby World Cup by putting up enough money for TVNZ to outbid it.
TVNZ has resubmitted what the International Rugby Board calls a compelling bid for the free-to-air rights for the Rugby World Cup.