SKT Sky Network Television Limited.

[mistaTea]

As Crusaders season ticket holders, we've been offered a Super Rugby season (Feb to Jun) sub for all Sports channels for $160.
Not for me this year, but maybe next year..............
It's shows they're innovating.

Sh1t, that is a bloody good deal. Over 5 months that would only be $32/month or just over a dollar a day.

If they are making that offer to all season ticket holders it should drive subs up a lot I would think. Especially since it sounds like you get access to all 12 sport channels.

[Preston]

Hey MistaTea,

What are your thoughts around Spark Sport and their sport streaming service.

Reading their annual reports it becomes quite clear (imo) that they are not focussed at all on making Sport streaming a core part of their business. There was one note about it in one of the flashy slides, but no real financial information that I could find about how much money it actually brings in for them. Moreso it was classified under "other" (or did I miss it?)

You get the feeling that they know they're not a streaming service and that their shareholders would be asking some pretty serious questions if they started spending profit on rights. (which they have said in the report they won't pay over the top money for...do you want to be the best or just a pain in the ....?)

So given that the lightbox deal went through, do you think Sky might just buy Sparksports rights off them? Could be an easy out for Spark. Would poss need commercial commission approval I'm thinking? It just doesn't add up for me that Spark are into streaming sport.

cheers

Preston

[mistaTea]

Hey MistaTea,

What are your thoughts around Spark Sport and their sport streaming service.

Reading their annual reports it becomes quite clear (imo) that they are not focussed at all on making Sport streaming a core part of their business. There was one note about it in one of the flashy slides, but no real financial information that I could find about how much money it actually brings in for them. Moreso it was classified under "other" (or did I miss it?)

You get the feeling that they know they're not a streaming service and that their shareholders would be asking some pretty serious questions if they started spending profit on rights. (which they have said in the report they won't pay over the top money for...do you want to be the best or just a pain in the ....?)

So given that the lightbox deal went through, do you think Sky might just buy Sparksports rights off them? Could be an easy out for Spark. Would poss need commercial commission approval I'm thinking? It just doesn't add up for me that Spark are into streaming sport.

cheers

Preston

Certainly the new CEO Jolene Hodson appears to be a lot more muted about sports than Simon Moutter was. Their Head of Sport Jeff Latch still makes comments to the media every now and then that indicate Spark Sport is here to stay...but then I am not so sure as the language seems more muted than under previous leadership.

They will issue the first lot of financials as pertains to Spark Sport in their HY results. Then it will be interesting to see what their shareholders make of it. In terms of them saying they will not pay over the odds... well that is absolute bs. They paid way over the odds for RWC. And by the time they won domestic cricket, Martin had already said that anyone who outbids Sky 'will go bust'. A bit of hyperbole there from Martin...but what was clear was that Sky were going to bid until it hurt to keep key sporting rights. Cricket is one of those key sports...so the fact that Spark won it is a pretty good indication that they paid more than the rights are actually worth to get it.

It has never made sense to me that Spark have entered sports streaming. In such a small country like NZ... all this has a achieved is a transfer of wealth from both Spark and Sky shareholders to sporting bodies.

Whether or not the sale of Lightbox is a precursor to Spark finding an exit for their struggling sport service is anyones guess. Obviously Sky would be keen to do a deal, but it would come down to how much Spark expected for it.

Sky would only want to pay a 'fair price' for the rights they hold - but if Spark have paid over the odds for the sport they have, how much of the premium they paid are they willing to eat to ditch the service? Let's watch this space and see where Spark go to from here.

Weirdly, losing the domestic cricket rights will help Sky's finances a lot. It will probably offset the additional $$$ they have agreed to pay NZ Rugby... however it is unlikely they will lose many Sky Sport subs due to the domestic cricket loss because they still hold international cricket (which will feature the Black Caps) as well as all of the other sport.

As much as I would have much preferred Sky to keep domestic cricket...it may actually boost our earnings. I think we would only lose significant subs if we had lost all of the cricket, or the NRL, or the Rugby.

Rugby is locked in until the end of 2025, so is international cricket I think... and no doubt they are negotiating hard with NRL as we speak.

Sky sponsor the Breakers and Silver Ferns so basketball and netball are a given (and growing in popularity).

Personally I think Sky have snookered Spark here, but let's wait and see.

[mistaTea]

It has never made sense to me that Spark have entered sports streaming. In such a small country like NZ... all this has a achieved is a transfer of wealth from both Spark and Sky shareholders to sporting bodies.

I will add one more thought to my previous post...as the bit I am quoting above is not completely fair (it's not the full picture anyway).

Spark entering sports streaming gave Sky a massive kick up the ass. If it was not for Spark Sport we would almost certainly still have FANPASS.

So consumers can thank Spark for that as the competition has forced Sky to dramatically speed up the delivery of a modern sport streaming platform that can be subscribed to for a reasonable price.

[Preston]

I will add one more thought to my previous post...as the bit I am quoting above is not completely fair (it's not the full picture anyway).

Spark entering sports streaming gave Sky a massive kick up the ass. If it was not for Spark Sport we would almost certainly still have FANPASS.

So consumers can thank Spark for that as the competition has forced Sky to dramatically speed up the delivery of a modern sport streaming platform that can be subscribed to for a reasonable price.

cheers

[Bjauck]

If you only have sky for sport - why don’t you cancel your satellite sub and just subscribe to their streaming app - Sky Sport NOW ?

I have fibre so that’s what I subscribe to for my sport. Only costs $39.99/month (12 month contract) or $49.99/month if you don’t want to be locked into a minimum term.

A the moment the Satellite Sky Sport package costs $31.99/month and the sky starter plus sky sport package costs $57.98/month with the included use of the SkyGo app. So Sky Sport Now is not cheap despite just being internet only. I sometimes watch a couple of the sky starter channels too.

So there's still some way to go before my ideal pick and mix internet streaming only option.

[bull....]

this article says sky and spark will be cut out of sport soon

Premier League plans Netflix-style service - which would cut the likes of Spark and Sky out of the loop

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/...ectid=12307249

[mistaTea]

A the moment the Satellite Sky Sport package costs $31.99/month and the sky starter plus sky sport package costs $57.98/month with the included use of the SkyGo app. So Sky Sport Now is not cheap despite just being internet only. I sometimes watch a couple of the sky starter channels too.

So there's still some way to go before my ideal pick and mix internet streaming only option.

That is true if you do not have MySky. Most people with traiditonal Sky have MySky though as the ability to record and watch later is considered the minimum required functionality by many.

So a Sky Sport subscriber who has MySky is paying closer to $73/month.

[mistaTea]

this article says sky and spark will be cut out of sport soon

Premier League plans Netflix-style service - which would cut the likes of Spark and Sky out of the loop


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/...ectid=12307249

I am yet to find anything useful from the vast amouts of speculation Chris Keall pumps out and dresses up as 'news'.

[Bjauck]

That is true if you do not have MySky. Most people with traiditonal Sky have MySky though as the ability to record and watch later is considered the minimum required functionality by many.

So a Sky Sport subscriber who has MySky is paying closer to $73/month.

Yes, Mysky does add an extra service with an extra cost that would appeal to many. Both SkyGo and Sky Sport Now have access to the OnDemand sports catalogue. So mysky can be dispensed with provided you don't mind waiting until (and if?) your desired fixture appears in the catalogue - as with the Sky Sport Now.