Spark Sport happy, but numbers watching unknown

SPARK Sport believes it has delivered a very high standard of cricket coverage, but is unable to say how many people are watching.

Meanwhile Warren Lees, the man who captained and coached Otago and played for and coached the Black Caps, says he does not even have Spark Sport.

Spark Sport is in its first year of a sixyear deal with NZ Cricket to televise the game in New Zealand.

Head of Spark Sport Jeff Latch said the cricket season has gone well, with plenty of action to keep everyone entertained.

‘‘From a purely Spark Sport perspective — we think we have delivered to a very high standard in our first season of cricket delivery. The feedback we’ve received around commentary, production and overall look and feel has been really positive,’’ he said.

The network was constantly reviewing what it could do better throughout the season, and had evolved throughout the summer.

Spark Sport was unable to give subscriber numbers and viewing numbers, though. It said to get a good guide would be difficult and take some time.

Latch said though that the numbers were increasing.

‘‘We are happy with the uptake and viewership of Spark Sport across the cricket season so far — we’ve seen a large number of people come on to the platform and continue to have a steady number of signups as we progress throughout the season, especially with what’s shaping up as the most popular series versus Australia starting on February 22.’’

Latch urged people to familiarise themselves with streaming live sport; some households were still leaving it late to set up home devices for streaming.

‘‘We know that if people have the right device and fast enough internet that with our help, we can get them streaming in high quality.’’

Latch pointed to the coverage of the Super Smash on freetoair television, with four games on TVNZ channels every week.

‘‘It’s been a very long time since that amount of cricket was shown free to air in New Zealand, so we are very proud knowing in turn it will help the game grow.’’

Former Otago captain Warren Lees, though, said he did not have Spark Sport and did not intend to get it.

Lees said he missed the radio commentators, who had become like old friends every summer.

But now a new network had taken over radio coverage.

Lees, who lives in Clyde, said most of his friends had not taken up the service and were not happy about it. He shared their disappointment.

Former New Zealand captain and coach Glenn Turner, who lives in Wanaka, said he had got Spark Sport and the coverage had been good, but that had more to do with new technology put in his house.

Part of the reason he had decided to get the service was he had media commitments with an Auckland radio station so had to watch to have something to say.

He said many of his friends in Wanaka had been riled by not being able to watch the cricket, which was understandable.