Spark Sport
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TVNZ and Spark have won the broadcasting rights for the RWC. Yes, it’ll be free to air but I’m not looking forward to the execution. Any organisation that thinks Toni Street is a news anchor is deluded I’m afraid.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12033269
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https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/103126229/TVNZ-and-Spark-win-Rugby-World-Cup-rights
I hope it's better than the shambles of the CG! However they've promised no adverts during the games, seven matches free to air (including first and the final) and the rest streamed for money. They better have the streamed matches available in HD, I cancelled my Rugby Channel sub because the SD is so all in my new TV, and the 720 ( I guess) from the Sky Go app is also crap on any big screen.
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Not many people seem that chuffed about this, considering TVNZ's coverage of the Comms Games. Why didn't Sky TV and Vodafone make a similar bid?
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Reading a bit closer only 7 matches will be free to air, some will be delayed and the rest will be streamed by Spark at additional cost.
Honestly though, I’m really not looking forward to what TVNZ thinks the public wants from a sports show. I can’t believe they thought Streety and Sam the Weatherman were the first choices for anchoring the Comm games. Well actually I can, because they also believe their own bullshit about Hillary Barry being the mother of the nation. They seem to value style over substance more often than not, so look for lots of “colour” and stories about feelings.
On the other hand they are practically guaranteed to cast a female anchor because diversity so @Mokey dust off your CV.
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I really think that is a leap too far for most.
My guess is the aside from one or two there games most kiwis will only watch the FTA stuff.
Will be interesting to see what happens at venues like bars and pubs. Most aren't set up to cast streams onto their TVs.
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@jc said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:
On the other hand they are practically guaranteed to cast a female anchor because diversity so @Mokey dust off your CV.
Do it @Mokey, for the love of God play the gender card and anchor this for the good of the game and the NZ public. Toni Street and Sam the Weatherman hosting the CGs is one thing, but rugby is sacred, that would be too much to take.
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Next year's World Cup isn't the only global tournament secured by the TVNZ-Spark partnership, with the 2021 Women's World Cup, 2018 Sevens World Cup, and 2018 and 2019 U20 tournaments also to be free to air.Kenrick also said that the televised live coverage would differ from that of this year's Commonwealth Games. "The Comm Games has been brilliant - we've had a great opportunity to learn by getting back into live sport in a big way." "One of the lessons for us is about the placement of ads. I can tell you there will not be ads during live games of the Rugby World Cup. -
@sneakdefreak said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:
Not many people seem that chuffed about this, considering TVNZ's coverage of the Comms Games. Why didn't Sky TV and Vodafone make a similar bid?
Sky is basically haemorrhaging money and subscribers. Because there has to be those 7 free to air games, same as last time, it wasn't worth them doing it. If they were allowed to put the entire RWC on Sky/paid only, then they would have bid and won IMO. But they're not allowed to, the final has to be free to air, waste of time for a struggling paid TV service
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Looking forward to the RWC final with Toni Street referring to Kieran Read as Richie McCaw and asking how Daniel Carter’s preparation being ( while showing a shot of Beauden Barrett warming up)
Then doing a live cross to Sam Wallace walking around Toyko interviewing the locals -
I am pretty disgusted by this decision - that covers other tournaments too. Sky coverage has been excellent for past tournaments and I enjoy watching non-NZ matches. I expect a lot of kiwis will want to watch the Pacific Island matches too.
But, I can't be bothered with live-streaming to my laptop. Is it all about forcing kiwis to explore this option? -
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Unless you're referring to pre-game and post-game 'shows', then SKY was never going to do the coverage of the 2019 RWC. The host broadcaster* provides a feed of the matches to the various right-holding broadcasters around the globe who beam it into your living room.
With TVNZ only showing seven games live, they're hardly going to throw the presenters at it that they did for the Comm Games, where they had 11 days of non-stop coverage over four feeds that they needed to package.
The real concern is how will Spark present their coverage given they have absolutely no history in broadcasting and production. They will have every All Black game, and every playoff game. Who will anchor their coverage? Which former Internationals will be their studio experts? Will SKY allow their contracted former ABs jump ship for six weeks?
*The Host Broadcaster is Japan and given they don't have a sophisticated rugby broadcasting pedigree they are no doubt going to dip into experts broadcasters and producers from England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand... therefore some of the SKY crew. But that would be the case whether SKY, TVNZ, Three or Trackside won the rights.
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@stargazer said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:
My internet connection is slow and I don't have unlimited broadband. There's a higher price tag for many people than just paying for the package that Spark is going to offer.
Yup. For those of us without a landline and outside main centres, live streaming isn't exactly a great option.
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Don't forget TV3 won the 2007 world cup (that's from memory) -- we got to see Mehrts as a colour commentator in the studio, and it was quality
As someone said, Sky would just be rebroadcasting with their own commentary. All the pictures will be from the local broadcaster. That said, they are the best in the world at rugby pictures I reckon, so could have a line on supporting the local broadcaster with tech and people on the ground ...
Edit: https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/tv3-wins-broadcast-rights-rugby-world-cup
article from 2005 -
2007 TV3 had Hamish MacKay as the lead commentator. Is he around somewhere else these days? As nzzp notes, they had Merts, as well as people like John Hart - there's no real shortage of ex-Rugby players who can provide colour commentary from the studio - lots of guys who turn up on "The Breakdown" etc occasionally, who can only be under casual/freelance type contracts with Sky.
More concerned with who they'll have actually calling the match. I fear they'll go with the "experience" of John McBeth and we'll get something from the 1980s.
Biggest concern though is quite what the streaming experience will be out in the sticks.
On the plus side, I imagine the games will be played to cater for the big NH audiences so probably not kicking off till around midnight NZ time, so I'm unlikely to watch too much live. If we assume the ABs games will play live on TVNZ (and others will be delayed) that side of things might be OK.
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A combo of John McBeth and Keith Quinn
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@nzzp said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:
Don't forget TV3 won the 2007 world cup (that's from memory) -- we got to see Mehrts as a colour commentator in the studio, and it was quality
As someone said, Sky would just be rebroadcasting with their own commentary. All the pictures will be from the local broadcaster. That said, they are the best in the world at rugby pictures I reckon, so could have a line on supporting the local broadcaster with tech and people on the ground ...
Edit: https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/tv3-wins-broadcast-rights-rugby-world-cup
article from 2005TV3 in 2007 did already broadcast the FTA rugby under the then deal. They had some expertise at taking a sky feed and doing something with it.
Modern TVNZ is a hollow shell.
I suppose they've had had America Cup, that's the only stuff I can think of that they've done during the last 25 years. They have no expertise anymore.
