SKY AND SANZAR ANNOUNCE MEDIA RIGHTS

Following the announcement of the new SANZAR broadcasting agreements, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) and SKY Television have today confirmed the extension of the local broadcast arrangements under a new agreement which will run from 2011 to 2015.
The new broadcasting agreement underpins long-term funding support for rugby in New Zealand and will see all major rugby competitions and matches in New Zealand delivered live on SKY Sport and the Rugby Channel.
This includes coverage of the Super Rugby competition, which will be extended and transformed to a 15-team conference-based competition in 2011, the Steinlager Series (June Test matches between the All Blacks and Northern Hemisphere teams), the Investec Tri Nations and the ITM Cup.
The agreement is part of the new SANZAR broadcasting arrangements announced today.
NZRU CEO Steve Tew said the new agreement builds on the long-standing and successful partnership which has seen SKY‟s excellence in rugby broadcasting recognised around the world.
"Professional rugby and SKY Television emerged at about the same time and have effectively grown together over the past 15 or so years.
"In that time, SKY has established itself as one of the premier rugby broadcasters in the world and that has been recognised at the highest level with their production winning awards and their achievement in securing the host broadcasting position for Rugby World Cup 2011.
"During this process, we talked with all of New Zealand‟s broadcasters about their potential involvement in rugby but in the end, SKY were the only platform that could deliver the game at this level to New Zealand and this is underpinned by their „every game live" proposition which gives rugby fans access to every top-level rugby fixture," said Mr Tew.
"We see a lot of opportunity for ourselves and SKY to continue to develop the way the game is presented to New Zealand fans, who are arguably the most discerning and educated in world rugby, so that we can continue to deliver them the world‟s best rugby viewing experience," he said.
"Just as importantly, the funding that SKY provides through this broadcasting rights agreement is vitally important to all of rugby in New Zealand including our commitment to and investment in community rugby, game development, and our ability to retain our top players and coaches in New Zealand."
The new SANZAR broadcasting agreements will see the NZRU‟s total broadcasting revenues increase by 28 per cent per annum over the existing broadcasting arrangements.
SKY Television Chief Executive, John Fellet said that the combination of pay television and free-to-air coverage for a key sport like rugby, delivers extensive games coverage to all New Zealanders.
"Over the last 15 years, SKY‟s partnership with the NZRU has resulted in significantly increased television coverage of international and national rugby across a number of channels, something that a stand alone, free-to-air broadcaster has historically been unable to deliver," he said.
SKY will confirm the free-to-air broadcasting arrangements once they have been determined.
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