RWC ‘piracy’ rattles Sky TV

SKY Television says it is concerned by an online service that lets people watch the Rugby World Cup on the cheap.

The service, ViewTVabroad.com, is advertising access to all the world cup games plus other British and United States TV channels for £6.49 (NZ$15.90) a month.

Viewers would need to subscribe for two months to watch all Rugby World Cup matches – up to the final on October 31 – for $31.81.

Sky Basic subscribers would need to pay a minimum of $56.58 extra to watch the games on Sky Sports.

Sky TV is offering online access to Sky Sports to non-Sky subscribers though its HD Fan Pass service for $19.99 a week – nearly $140 for the whole tournament.

British broadcaster ITV won the rights to broadcast and stream RWC matches online in the United Kingdom. Its streaming service, ITV Player, should be blocked outside the UK.

ITV says people must be in the UK to use ITV Player and it is unable to show its programmes outside the country.

ViewTVabroad is providing access to ITV Player to people elsewhere using what is known as a virtual private network (VPN), which disguises the location of people’s computers.

Sky TV spokeswoman Kirsty Way said ViewTVabroad was ‘‘a form of piracy’’ and illegal.

Sky TV had exclusive rights to the RWC in New Zealand, she said.

Way said the company was ‘‘very concerned’’ by ViewTVabroad and other services like it.

World Rugby – formerly the International Rugby Board – was ‘‘aware of these illegal sites and I imagine will be taking action’’, she added.