Free-to-air coverage available for Motogp fans
Sport broadcasting in New Zealand continues to fracture with MotoGP shifting to free-to-air television.
The New Zealand broadcast rights for the rest of the 2013 MotoGP motorcycle racing season have been secured by Sommet Sports TV.
The new Freeview outfit, whose channel is provisionally up and running but set to launch officially in 10 days, will offer live coverage of the 2013 MotoGP series and highlights programmes.
The development confirms a second sporting asset has been wrested from Sky Television, 16 days after the subscription giant dramatically lost the New Zealand broadcast rights for the English Premier League football to previously unknown group Coliseum Sports Media.
Having previously dominated New Zealand’s sport broadcast market, Sky’s share price plunged 6.2 per cent off the back of the football loss.
Sky had been publicly struggling to reach a new MotoGP deal with commercial rights holder Dorna Sports for months, with fans already missing out on the first seven stages of this year’s 18-round series.
Mark Cathie, general manager of Sommet Sports, which came second to Coliseum in the Premier League race, said his organisation had stepped in on MotoGP, confirming New Zealanders would now be able to access motorcycling’s top championship and without subscription TV. ‘‘This announcement will be a relief to many, following uncertainty about the future of MotoGP coverage in New Zealand,’’ Cathie said.
‘‘MotoGP has some of the most diehard sports fans in New Zealand and we’ll be pulling out all the stops to make sure they’re not disappointed.’’
Because almost half the season had already been completed, Cathie said Sommet Sports would also be broadcasting all previous rounds of this year’s MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 races to give fans an opportunity to catch up.
With Coliseum’s headline entry into the New Zealand market already rocking the nation’s broadcast landscape, Cathie also sounded an intriguing warning that consumers should expect more free con- tent to follow. ‘‘Live premium sport used to be something all New Zealanders watched and enjoyed together,’’ Cathie said.
‘‘We’re excited that we are delivering free sports back into Kiwi homes again.
‘‘We’re looking forward to making more big announcements we know will please sports fans in the near future.’’
Cathie said Sommet’s philosophy was geared to consumer feedback and demand. Sommet’s July 14 launch coincides with the German round of the MotoGP.
Tracking well:
Photo: Reuters