February 22, 2025 • 10 mins
Sky TV has reclaimed the rights to screen international cricket matches played in New Zealand in a six-year deal starting in late 2026.
The pay-TV operator, which lost domestic rights to Spark Sport in 2020, has clinched a new deal which gives it the rights to screen Black Caps matches again.
New Zealand Cricket CEO Scott Weenink joined Piney to discuss the deal - and explain why the certainty is better for Kiwi cricket.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The big news on Friday for New Zealand cricket fans.
New Zealand Cricket and Sky have agreed terms on a
six year deal from the summer of twenty twenty six
twenty seven onwards, which we'll see the Black Caps and
White Ferns home internationals return to Sky Sport for the
first time since twenty twenty. New Zealand Cricket CEO Scott
(00:33):
Winning is whether Scott thanks for joining us to wrap
some context around it for us. First of all, how
good an outcome is this for New Zealand Cricket.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
It's an excellent outcome. To have some certainty around the
short to midterm commercials on our domestic broadcasting arrangement is
very good news for New Zealand Cricket. Sky is obviously
a very very capable broadcaster and has a lot of
experience in broadcasting cricket, so that's also great. And there's
(01:04):
also the free to wear element to to the Dell,
which which is great tour. That means we're still going
to be able to really drive fan engagement through a
free to wear product.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
I want to get into the nuts and bolts of
the deal in the moment in terms of the free
to wear component and other things. But how important is
broadcast revenue to New Zealand crickets balance sheet?
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Very important. It would be great to keep all of
our cricket on freezewear, but the reality is we need
to have some broadcast revenue to be able to pay
our professional players, the Black Cats, White Ferns and our
major association players, but also to invest in the community
game to ensure that we're able to bring through the
(01:50):
next generation of black Cats and White Ferns. If we
didn't have that rene, you know, our whole commercial model
would risk.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
It's such a balancing act for you, though, isn't it.
We spoke last year, Scott and you talked about the
important of having cricket on free to air TV, even
when a pay per view broadcaster has the rights. So
we will see some international cricket on free to air
TV under this new.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Deal, yes, we One of the one of the one
of the toughest negotiations to be fair was ensuring that
at least one international of h T twenty series would
be shown on free to Wear along with the Super Smash,
So this Super Snash was carved out, and we also
agreed that you know, one international per series would be
(02:40):
carved out. So that creates what we think is a
really nice package of freeware product that that you know,
other broadcasters in TV here or other free toware broadcasters
will be interested in. So it's it's it's a really
difficult balancing act and credit to Skye being sared to
(03:00):
do it because they they also see, you know, the
benefits of partnering together to really drive cricket because ultimately
that benefit to them are So it.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Does, it does, But I guess you're right from the
point of view they want it all behind a payball
so they can drive subscriptions. You probably want it all
on free to wear so you can drive viewer engagement.
So what are those conversations like.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, look, but I mean, you know, social Maloney is
ultimately a cricket fan. Her husband and two boys, but
three boys all play cricket, So so she was delighted
from that point of view of you know, getting cricket back,
but also driving it. Look at balancing that because you
need to make sure that you're not impacting the financials
by providing too much free to wear, So it is
(03:47):
it is a difficult balance, but you know it's happy
for you where ultimately we think we'll drive you know,
subscribing numbers in the Sky as well.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
So when you're coming up with the free to wear component,
do you work with Sky on that in terms of
their Sky Open channel or with a free to provider
like TV and Z.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
So so that's open to negotiation. So what we were
essentially to have is a package that is the soup
Smash and those one game to big series that will
be offering to TV and Z or to Discovery and
look ultimately not in this is those then you know
(04:33):
it might be ended up on the Sky channel and
then it's about us, you know, working together the Sky
to really drive engagement and participation on that channel. So
that might be we'll have our advertising models so that
we're out a lot harder.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Do you think TV and JET are keen to extend
their partnership with you?
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I hope. So, yeah, the the numbers for super Smash
have been extraordinary this year and that's been a combination
of a fantastic product that Penians there has put together,
Whisper but also the quality of creative and such that
you know, people have really engaged with deportments. But also
(05:21):
you know that having you know, one game from the
series on free to air is a pretty compelling opportunity
for a free to provide a lot of TV in
ded and but you know, we we as part of this,
we have been in discussed with TV and DEAD about
what they you know, what they would like to have
going forward.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Is there any way for you to to quantify the
positive effect to the game of having international cricket on
free to wear over the last couple of summers?
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Probably, I think if we if we've got an actually involved,
I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
We probably well, I don't think we want to do
that today, but.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
You know there will be absolutely will be some way
of doing that. I mean, just just at a really
high level. When you know, when we showed a T
twenty on Spark, I think there was about one hundred
and fifty thousand average previously on TV and there sorry
on Sky was remember two fifty three hundred. You know,
(06:23):
where we're getting viewership numbers of you know, over a million,
you know, one to two million watching our T twenty.
So in terms of eyeballs significant and then of course
that the drives advertising revenue, et cetera. So well, someone
much more than me will be able to actually, you know,
(06:44):
try and re number on that.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeah, and I think we can anecdotally anyway we can say,
can't we that it's been extremely positive. You know, the
more people who can watch it, the more people who
will engage with it. Anyway, we move on from the
free week component. We look forward to seeing how that
plays out in terms of the contract length, Scott, six years.
That's a decent contract length. Were always keen on that
(07:05):
sort of term, Yes, I was.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Actually we when we signed up with Sony to show
for our Indian broadcast deal, it was six years and
essentially that takes in two India tours. So I was
came to match those up because what that does essentially
gives us certainty of income to enable us to invest,
but it also gives your your partners in this case, Sky,
(07:34):
the opportunity to invest in the partnership. So yeah, look,
Sky would have probably liked the longer one, but six
years out about white class.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
So skytou can on longer than six years?
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Yeah, because I mean for them, you know again it's
certainty of content, so it enables them to invest and
enables their investors to look at what is the content
that they have come down the track. So therefore to
determine you know, the value of Sky of the business and.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
In terms just clarify for us the nature of when
the black Caps and White Ferns play overseas. That's different again,
isn't it It is?
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yes, Sky currently hold the rights for the ICC, so
whenever the black Caps are watching in an icy ICC
tournament they will it will be shown on Sky and
I think they have that out to twenty twenty eight
and then Sky will separately negotiate with other member boards.
So as I understand it, they're currently in negotiations with
(08:36):
Cricket Australia to show any of the cricket bats in Australia,
including Black Caps and White women in the same But
he said another.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Boards all right, So just to wrap this up, it's
a good outcome for New Zealand cricket in terms of
your balance sheet and the balance you've struck, you feel
it's also a good outcome for New Zealand cricket fans.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Scott, Yes, I do, Yeah, I absolutely do, because you know, Sky,
Sky's almost like a utility in New Zealand. You know,
most people have it, and so you know, the reaction
to it being back on Sky has been positive. But
also I think us balancing up, you know, having them
free to wear and means, you know, we're really going
(09:16):
to continue to have the best of both will not
not quite the same state that we've had recently, but
still are similar opportunity for fantasy free to wear. But
also see you know, some pretty compelling, uh and well
produced cricket on Sky.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Indeed, do you think the black Caps can win the
Champions Trophy?
Speaker 3 (09:37):
I'm just going to go and touch this wooden the
three next to me. Look, they are playing some outstanding cricket,
you know, but you know there's some incredibly strong teams.
I sort of watched England Australia over night and that
was quite scary see the quality of some of the
batting there. But absolutely we can you know they're playing
(09:59):
with The black Caps are playing playing very very well.
They look very composed. The great balance and the team
at the moment. So yeah, we were one more game
and we're into the semes and then anything's gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
I guess indeed, as we saw from the White Ferns
last year. Of course, Scott Scott, great to chat, Thanks
for wrapping some context around this new broadcast deal for us.
Really appreciate your time and we'll catch up again soon.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Bye a pleud you, Jason, Thanks for having me on, Thanks.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
For joining U, Scott Scott went it there, CEO of
New Zealand Cricket here on Weekend Sport.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The big news on Friday for New Zealand cricket fans.
New Zealand Cricket and Sky have agreed terms on a
six year deal from the summer of twenty twenty six
twenty seven onwards, which we'll see the Black Caps and
White Ferns home internationals return to Sky Sport for the
first time since twenty twenty. New Zealand Cricket CEO Scott
(00:33):
Winning is whether Scott thanks for joining us to wrap
some context around it for us. First of all, how
good an outcome is this for New Zealand Cricket.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
It's an excellent outcome. To have some certainty around the
short to midterm commercials on our domestic broadcasting arrangement is
very good news for New Zealand Cricket. Sky is obviously
a very very capable broadcaster and has a lot of
experience in broadcasting cricket, so that's also great. And there's
(01:04):
also the free to wear element to to the Dell,
which which is great tour. That means we're still going
to be able to really drive fan engagement through a
free to wear product.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
I want to get into the nuts and bolts of
the deal in the moment in terms of the free
to wear component and other things. But how important is
broadcast revenue to New Zealand crickets balance sheet?
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Very important. It would be great to keep all of
our cricket on freezewear, but the reality is we need
to have some broadcast revenue to be able to pay
our professional players, the Black Cats, White Ferns and our
major association players, but also to invest in the community
game to ensure that we're able to bring through the
(01:50):
next generation of black Cats and White Ferns. If we
didn't have that rene, you know, our whole commercial model
would risk.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
It's such a balancing act for you, though, isn't it.
We spoke last year, Scott and you talked about the
important of having cricket on free to air TV, even
when a pay per view broadcaster has the rights. So
we will see some international cricket on free to air
TV under this new.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Deal, yes, we One of the one of the one
of the toughest negotiations to be fair was ensuring that
at least one international of h T twenty series would
be shown on free to Wear along with the Super Smash,
So this Super Snash was carved out, and we also
agreed that you know, one international per series would be
(02:40):
carved out. So that creates what we think is a
really nice package of freeware product that that you know,
other broadcasters in TV here or other free toware broadcasters
will be interested in. So it's it's it's a really
difficult balancing act and credit to Skye being sared to
(03:00):
do it because they they also see, you know, the
benefits of partnering together to really drive cricket because ultimately
that benefit to them are So it.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Does, it does, But I guess you're right from the
point of view they want it all behind a payball
so they can drive subscriptions. You probably want it all
on free to wear so you can drive viewer engagement.
So what are those conversations like.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, look, but I mean, you know, social Maloney is
ultimately a cricket fan. Her husband and two boys, but
three boys all play cricket, So so she was delighted
from that point of view of you know, getting cricket back,
but also driving it. Look at balancing that because you
need to make sure that you're not impacting the financials
by providing too much free to wear, So it is
(03:47):
it is a difficult balance, but you know it's happy
for you where ultimately we think we'll drive you know,
subscribing numbers in the Sky as well.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
So when you're coming up with the free to wear component,
do you work with Sky on that in terms of
their Sky Open channel or with a free to provider
like TV and Z.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
So so that's open to negotiation. So what we were
essentially to have is a package that is the soup
Smash and those one game to big series that will
be offering to TV and Z or to Discovery and
look ultimately not in this is those then you know
(04:33):
it might be ended up on the Sky channel and
then it's about us, you know, working together the Sky
to really drive engagement and participation on that channel. So
that might be we'll have our advertising models so that
we're out a lot harder.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Do you think TV and JET are keen to extend
their partnership with you?
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I hope. So, yeah, the the numbers for super Smash
have been extraordinary this year and that's been a combination
of a fantastic product that Penians there has put together,
Whisper but also the quality of creative and such that
you know, people have really engaged with deportments. But also
(05:21):
you know that having you know, one game from the
series on free to air is a pretty compelling opportunity
for a free to provide a lot of TV in
ded and but you know, we we as part of this,
we have been in discussed with TV and DEAD about
what they you know, what they would like to have
going forward.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Is there any way for you to to quantify the
positive effect to the game of having international cricket on
free to wear over the last couple of summers?
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Probably, I think if we if we've got an actually involved,
I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
We probably well, I don't think we want to do
that today, but.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
You know there will be absolutely will be some way
of doing that. I mean, just just at a really
high level. When you know, when we showed a T
twenty on Spark, I think there was about one hundred
and fifty thousand average previously on TV and there sorry
on Sky was remember two fifty three hundred. You know,
(06:23):
where we're getting viewership numbers of you know, over a million,
you know, one to two million watching our T twenty.
So in terms of eyeballs significant and then of course
that the drives advertising revenue, et cetera. So well, someone
much more than me will be able to actually, you know,
(06:44):
try and re number on that.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeah, and I think we can anecdotally anyway we can say,
can't we that it's been extremely positive. You know, the
more people who can watch it, the more people who
will engage with it. Anyway, we move on from the
free week component. We look forward to seeing how that
plays out in terms of the contract length, Scott, six years.
That's a decent contract length. Were always keen on that
(07:05):
sort of term, Yes, I was.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Actually we when we signed up with Sony to show
for our Indian broadcast deal, it was six years and
essentially that takes in two India tours. So I was
came to match those up because what that does essentially
gives us certainty of income to enable us to invest,
but it also gives your your partners in this case, Sky,
(07:34):
the opportunity to invest in the partnership. So yeah, look,
Sky would have probably liked the longer one, but six
years out about white class.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
So skytou can on longer than six years?
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Yeah, because I mean for them, you know again it's
certainty of content, so it enables them to invest and
enables their investors to look at what is the content
that they have come down the track. So therefore to
determine you know, the value of Sky of the business and.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
In terms just clarify for us the nature of when
the black Caps and White Ferns play overseas. That's different again,
isn't it It is?
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yes, Sky currently hold the rights for the ICC, so
whenever the black Caps are watching in an icy ICC
tournament they will it will be shown on Sky and
I think they have that out to twenty twenty eight
and then Sky will separately negotiate with other member boards.
So as I understand it, they're currently in negotiations with
(08:36):
Cricket Australia to show any of the cricket bats in Australia,
including Black Caps and White women in the same But
he said another.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Boards all right, So just to wrap this up, it's
a good outcome for New Zealand cricket in terms of
your balance sheet and the balance you've struck, you feel
it's also a good outcome for New Zealand cricket fans.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Scott, Yes, I do, Yeah, I absolutely do, because you know, Sky,
Sky's almost like a utility in New Zealand. You know,
most people have it, and so you know, the reaction
to it being back on Sky has been positive. But
also I think us balancing up, you know, having them
free to wear and means, you know, we're really going
(09:16):
to continue to have the best of both will not
not quite the same state that we've had recently, but
still are similar opportunity for fantasy free to wear. But
also see you know, some pretty compelling, uh and well
produced cricket on Sky.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Indeed, do you think the black Caps can win the
Champions Trophy?
Speaker 3 (09:37):
I'm just going to go and touch this wooden the
three next to me. Look, they are playing some outstanding cricket,
you know, but you know there's some incredibly strong teams.
I sort of watched England Australia over night and that
was quite scary see the quality of some of the
batting there. But absolutely we can you know they're playing
(09:59):
with The black Caps are playing playing very very well.
They look very composed. The great balance and the team
at the moment. So yeah, we were one more game
and we're into the semes and then anything's gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
I guess indeed, as we saw from the White Ferns
last year. Of course, Scott Scott, great to chat, Thanks
for wrapping some context around this new broadcast deal for us.
Really appreciate your time and we'll catch up again soon.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Bye a pleud you, Jason, Thanks for having me on, Thanks.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
For joining U, Scott Scott went it there, CEO of
New Zealand Cricket here on Weekend Sport.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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