February 21, 2025 • 11 mins
Sky have signed a six-year deal to the home international television rights to cricket from the 2026-27 season.
Access arrangements for the domestic Super Smash competition will be released separately.
TVNZ will retain its incumbent broadcasting arrangements until the end of next summer.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good evening, Scott, Hi, Darthy, I trust you're well and
absolutely stoked at your new deal with Sky TV came
out today. Tell us all about that, the pleasure behind
it and I suppose the mechanics behind that deal.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Scott, Yes, thrilled, thrilled to close that deal overnight. You know,
Sky have been obviously a long term partner of New
Zealand cricket, previously a very experience experience broadcasts of cricket,
so we're really really comfortable from that point of view.
(00:49):
TV and Z have also been a fabulous partner and
we've really enjoyed and been appreciative of the free to
wear that Television New Zealand has provided. So as part
of this deal, one of the key elements was to
ensure there would continue to be free to wear aspects
to it. So each the first game of each T
(01:13):
twenty series will be free to wear, and we're also
going to continue to show Super Smash on free to wear.
So now we're really really delighted. You know, it's a
tough broadcast market, so to lock in a long term
deal at this stage gives New Zealand Cricket, you know,
some real certainty around commercials, but also reach ensuring we
(01:37):
maintain some free to wear.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
So how long is the deal for Scott?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
So we've got the remainder of this year and then
next season with TV and Z and then from twenty
six to twenty seven we will move to Sky for
the six years following.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Tell us about the Super Smash situation. So that's purely
going to be free to wear? Is it going to
actually be on the Sky platform as well? Just sharing
out and that's that's the whole comper in itself.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
No, So what we what we what we carved out
particularly was as I say, one T international T twenty
of each series together with the Super Smash that we
plan to package up together to then you know, to
then potentially provide to TV and Z or another free
(02:28):
to wear provider. So the Super Smash won't be shown
on Sky, it'll be a free to wear provider.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Right and you're not sure where that's going to go yet,
still negotiating. Is that open for everybody?
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Scott? Yes? Absolutely, yep. So this the deal with Sky
was purely we we agree it just before international matches
and that we would deal with the Super Smash separately.
You know, it was really important to us to ensure
that the Super Smash stage free to wear because of that,
you know that that fan engagement aspect to it. And look,
(03:02):
the numbers have been fantastic this year. The quality of
cracket has obviously been incredible and the numbers that tvns
that have sort of shown as your own service Smash
have been great.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
So that's been a huge takeaway out of this deliance
away from Sky over the last few years. What you
went to Sparkman TV and z now back again that
free do we actually works for eyeballs. This is something
you need to be engaged with.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah, it works for eyeballs, obviously doesn't work quite so
well for the commercial aspects, and so that's why you
need to balance it up because ultimately the New Zealand
cricket financial model is still heavily reliant on broadcast fees
and in particular domestic broadcast fees. So it's a case
(03:51):
of balancing up getting those commercial broadcast fees by having
you know, some cricket behind a paywall while trying to
maintain some free to wear to kind of continue to
generate fan engagement. So it's it is a difficult balancing act.
If we could, we'd have absolutely have everything free to wear,
but that's just unrealistic from a commercial model.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Scott, was there much of a fight? Did you have
to challenge anyone else to get these rights? You just
roll in and go TV and he can't afford it.
Here's our offer and how did that and end up
working through? No.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Look, we've been in discussions with both TV and Z
and Sky about our future rights for probably about nine months,
and so this was just a unique opportunity came up
with Sky. You know, they made a very compelling offer
to us and it made sense to look at that now.
(04:52):
But as I say, one of the key elements to
it was to ensure that we still maintain the free
to wear element.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
What are they paying for it? Oh?
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Well, I couldn't tell you. But I couldn't tell you. No,
it's she's sensitive, but you know, look it's a fair deal. Look,
we're obviously really pleased, but it's a good deal for
Sky too, because you know, the Black Caps and White
Fern's brands are absolutely humming at the moment, and you know,
we expect a partner together to really drive the Sky
(05:25):
business as well. So so look, I think they are
really pleased to have us back, and we're obviously really
pleased with the with the you know, with the commercials
and been able to kind of get some certainty for
revenue streams sort of long term.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
We just to reiterate that they came to you with
the offer. I mean you've been in negotiation, but they
basically said this is what we've got, and you just
rolled with that because it was good enough.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yeah, I mean I've known Sophie for about thirty years.
She's actually had law school with my wife. So so
we had breakfast about nine months ago as you've kind
of do, and just started talking about what a deal
might look like if you know, if we if we
decide to do that, and then just you know, the
opportunity came up. I think you know, black Caps brand
(06:14):
is flying high. You know, Sky wanted to to ensure
they had some some really good content. So there was
just a confluence of things that came together at this
time that that sort of you know, pushed us together.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Great having it on one platform. From my point of
view and plain me, MoMA Sky customer have been for
as long as I can remember. Not that it's difficult
to switch back and forth, but having all of the
cricket on the one platform, not you guys oversee someone
else back here at home. I suppose that that ease
of access has got to be a consideration too.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Yeah, I think. Look, I think people almost view sky
as a as a little bit of a utility. So
so the feedback that we've had has been has been
very positive. But you know that we will all go well,
continue to also have cricket on TV and Z with
(07:11):
the Super Smash and potentially one of those international matches
each series, and TV and Z has done you know,
in conjunction with Whisper has done a really amazing job
with the cricket too. So they'll still have to switch
potentially switch between two platforms, but in terms of yes,
all the international stuff, it will be on one platform,
and I suspect that's going to make things a lot
(07:32):
a lot easier for people.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
And as far as confirmation of carrying on with the
overseas rights, how long is that locked in for? What
do you have to go through to make sure that
is secure again for a similar length of time?
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah, Well, well, look last year we locked in a
long term deal with Sony to show cricket into India
and that's our biggest that's our biggest broadcasting contracts. So
we're in a great position in that, you know, our
two biggest broadcasting contracts are now locked in until thirty one.
(08:04):
That provides you know, New Zealand a lot certainty around
being able to you know, first of all invest in
our game, but also you know, continue to pay our
players and so so that you know, again nice to
have that. And then the other major revenue streamers is
ic C Distributions and again that's driven by broadcasting and
(08:26):
d India two and you know that's locked in for
about another three or four years.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Lessons out of the time away and the transfer between platforms,
anything key that you've actually picked up on that time.
And I suppose any regrets as to the decisions that
were made, not that they were under your watch. And
I've been there what year and a half now, But
what do you take out of that whole? But that
revolution for one of a better phrase.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, Look, I think I think Spark coming into the
sports market was actually incredibly positive for for for first
of all, the technology, you know, they they came in
and their platform was very very good and that meant
that everyone including Sky have had to lift their game,
and also TV and Z they were probably almost too early.
(09:18):
I think if you were doing a Spark deal now,
with the fact that almost all TVs are smart TVs,
so therefore you'll be able to have a Spark Sport
app sitting and sitting on your TV, I think Smark
Sport probably would have made it, you know, would have
found it far easier to really get good traction. So
(09:38):
look a bit of a timing thing, you know, the
Sparksport deal that was then novaded to TV and Z.
It has been phenomenal for New Zealand cricket really, but
you know, if you're doing the Spark deal now, I
think there would have been a far better chance of
it being successful.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
And finally, Scott Wenning CEO, and he's in cricket. Now's
all thanks very much for your time in your availability.
Like I start watch the first innings, I'm up till
two in the morning. Okay, as the see of New
Zealand Cricket, are you allowed to stay up the whole
night and then check into work about two in the afternoon.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
It's ex awesome. No, I've got to I've got to
set the standards. I've got to kind of be the
last here and first in. So what I typically do is,
you know, we watch a couple of hours and then
I'll sort of wake up in the middle of the
night and watch an hour and then and then get
up at five am for the for the last hour
and a half, which makes yeah, which makes for very
(10:31):
tiring periods when we're playing overseas. But absolutely delighted with
the way we're going with black Caps going at the moment,
you know, the way they played in that first game.
So hopefully we can get on a roll and and
you know, and go as deep into the tournament as
we can.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Go deep and go right to the very top. And
if I have to stay up all night for four
or five games, I'll take it. Get in there again.
Amongst Scott Warning, thanks for your time, mate, you go
well of a great weekend.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Thanks to dorc.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
It'd be from seven pm weekdays. Follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good evening, Scott, Hi, Darthy, I trust you're well and
absolutely stoked at your new deal with Sky TV came
out today. Tell us all about that, the pleasure behind
it and I suppose the mechanics behind that deal.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Scott, Yes, thrilled, thrilled to close that deal overnight. You know,
Sky have been obviously a long term partner of New
Zealand cricket, previously a very experience experience broadcasts of cricket,
so we're really really comfortable from that point of view.
(00:49):
TV and Z have also been a fabulous partner and
we've really enjoyed and been appreciative of the free to
wear that Television New Zealand has provided. So as part
of this deal, one of the key elements was to
ensure there would continue to be free to wear aspects
to it. So each the first game of each T
(01:13):
twenty series will be free to wear, and we're also
going to continue to show Super Smash on free to wear.
So now we're really really delighted. You know, it's a
tough broadcast market, so to lock in a long term
deal at this stage gives New Zealand Cricket, you know,
some real certainty around commercials, but also reach ensuring we
(01:37):
maintain some free to wear.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
So how long is the deal for Scott?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
So we've got the remainder of this year and then
next season with TV and Z and then from twenty
six to twenty seven we will move to Sky for
the six years following.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Tell us about the Super Smash situation. So that's purely
going to be free to wear? Is it going to
actually be on the Sky platform as well? Just sharing
out and that's that's the whole comper in itself.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
No, So what we what we what we carved out
particularly was as I say, one T international T twenty
of each series together with the Super Smash that we
plan to package up together to then you know, to
then potentially provide to TV and Z or another free
(02:28):
to wear provider. So the Super Smash won't be shown
on Sky, it'll be a free to wear provider.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Right and you're not sure where that's going to go yet,
still negotiating. Is that open for everybody?
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Scott? Yes? Absolutely, yep. So this the deal with Sky
was purely we we agree it just before international matches
and that we would deal with the Super Smash separately.
You know, it was really important to us to ensure
that the Super Smash stage free to wear because of that,
you know that that fan engagement aspect to it. And look,
(03:02):
the numbers have been fantastic this year. The quality of
cracket has obviously been incredible and the numbers that tvns
that have sort of shown as your own service Smash
have been great.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
So that's been a huge takeaway out of this deliance
away from Sky over the last few years. What you
went to Sparkman TV and z now back again that
free do we actually works for eyeballs. This is something
you need to be engaged with.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah, it works for eyeballs, obviously doesn't work quite so
well for the commercial aspects, and so that's why you
need to balance it up because ultimately the New Zealand
cricket financial model is still heavily reliant on broadcast fees
and in particular domestic broadcast fees. So it's a case
(03:51):
of balancing up getting those commercial broadcast fees by having
you know, some cricket behind a paywall while trying to
maintain some free to wear to kind of continue to
generate fan engagement. So it's it is a difficult balancing act.
If we could, we'd have absolutely have everything free to wear,
but that's just unrealistic from a commercial model.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Scott, was there much of a fight? Did you have
to challenge anyone else to get these rights? You just
roll in and go TV and he can't afford it.
Here's our offer and how did that and end up
working through? No.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Look, we've been in discussions with both TV and Z
and Sky about our future rights for probably about nine months,
and so this was just a unique opportunity came up
with Sky. You know, they made a very compelling offer
to us and it made sense to look at that now.
(04:52):
But as I say, one of the key elements to
it was to ensure that we still maintain the free
to wear element.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
What are they paying for it? Oh?
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Well, I couldn't tell you. But I couldn't tell you. No,
it's she's sensitive, but you know, look it's a fair deal. Look,
we're obviously really pleased, but it's a good deal for
Sky too, because you know, the Black Caps and White
Fern's brands are absolutely humming at the moment, and you know,
we expect a partner together to really drive the Sky
(05:25):
business as well. So so look, I think they are
really pleased to have us back, and we're obviously really
pleased with the with the you know, with the commercials
and been able to kind of get some certainty for
revenue streams sort of long term.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
We just to reiterate that they came to you with
the offer. I mean you've been in negotiation, but they
basically said this is what we've got, and you just
rolled with that because it was good enough.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yeah, I mean I've known Sophie for about thirty years.
She's actually had law school with my wife. So so
we had breakfast about nine months ago as you've kind
of do, and just started talking about what a deal
might look like if you know, if we if we
decide to do that, and then just you know, the
opportunity came up. I think you know, black Caps brand
(06:14):
is flying high. You know, Sky wanted to to ensure
they had some some really good content. So there was
just a confluence of things that came together at this
time that that sort of you know, pushed us together.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Great having it on one platform. From my point of
view and plain me, MoMA Sky customer have been for
as long as I can remember. Not that it's difficult
to switch back and forth, but having all of the
cricket on the one platform, not you guys oversee someone
else back here at home. I suppose that that ease
of access has got to be a consideration too.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Yeah, I think. Look, I think people almost view sky
as a as a little bit of a utility. So
so the feedback that we've had has been has been
very positive. But you know that we will all go well,
continue to also have cricket on TV and Z with
(07:11):
the Super Smash and potentially one of those international matches
each series, and TV and Z has done you know,
in conjunction with Whisper has done a really amazing job
with the cricket too. So they'll still have to switch
potentially switch between two platforms, but in terms of yes,
all the international stuff, it will be on one platform,
and I suspect that's going to make things a lot
(07:32):
a lot easier for people.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
And as far as confirmation of carrying on with the
overseas rights, how long is that locked in for? What
do you have to go through to make sure that
is secure again for a similar length of time?
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah, Well, well, look last year we locked in a
long term deal with Sony to show cricket into India
and that's our biggest that's our biggest broadcasting contracts. So
we're in a great position in that, you know, our
two biggest broadcasting contracts are now locked in until thirty one.
(08:04):
That provides you know, New Zealand a lot certainty around
being able to you know, first of all invest in
our game, but also you know, continue to pay our
players and so so that you know, again nice to
have that. And then the other major revenue streamers is
ic C Distributions and again that's driven by broadcasting and
(08:26):
d India two and you know that's locked in for
about another three or four years.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Lessons out of the time away and the transfer between platforms,
anything key that you've actually picked up on that time.
And I suppose any regrets as to the decisions that
were made, not that they were under your watch. And
I've been there what year and a half now, But
what do you take out of that whole? But that
revolution for one of a better phrase.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, Look, I think I think Spark coming into the
sports market was actually incredibly positive for for for first
of all, the technology, you know, they they came in
and their platform was very very good and that meant
that everyone including Sky have had to lift their game,
and also TV and Z they were probably almost too early.
(09:18):
I think if you were doing a Spark deal now,
with the fact that almost all TVs are smart TVs,
so therefore you'll be able to have a Spark Sport
app sitting and sitting on your TV, I think Smark
Sport probably would have made it, you know, would have
found it far easier to really get good traction. So
(09:38):
look a bit of a timing thing, you know, the
Sparksport deal that was then novaded to TV and Z.
It has been phenomenal for New Zealand cricket really, but
you know, if you're doing the Spark deal now, I
think there would have been a far better chance of
it being successful.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
And finally, Scott Wenning CEO, and he's in cricket. Now's
all thanks very much for your time in your availability.
Like I start watch the first innings, I'm up till
two in the morning. Okay, as the see of New
Zealand Cricket, are you allowed to stay up the whole
night and then check into work about two in the afternoon.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
It's ex awesome. No, I've got to I've got to
set the standards. I've got to kind of be the
last here and first in. So what I typically do is,
you know, we watch a couple of hours and then
I'll sort of wake up in the middle of the
night and watch an hour and then and then get
up at five am for the for the last hour
and a half, which makes yeah, which makes for very
(10:31):
tiring periods when we're playing overseas. But absolutely delighted with
the way we're going with black Caps going at the moment,
you know, the way they played in that first game.
So hopefully we can get on a roll and and
you know, and go as deep into the tournament as
we can.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Go deep and go right to the very top. And
if I have to stay up all night for four
or five games, I'll take it. Get in there again.
Amongst Scott Warning, thanks for your time, mate, you go
well of a great weekend.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Thanks to dorc.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
It'd be from seven pm weekdays. Follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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