Spark Sport is gone!

Just received an email from Spark, announcing that as at 1 July 23 most of Spark Sports content will be moving to TVNZ, and then Spark Sport is no more!
I guess Spark finally realised that the investment cost was just too high for the lack of income generated.


|  |  | Earlier today, Spark announced a partnership deal with TVNZ that means from 1 July 2023 the majority of Spark Sport content will be moving to  TVNZ. This is because, later next year we will be closing Spark Sport. We know this news may be disappointing and we really appreciate your commitment to us as a subscriber. But we’re glad that this new partnership will deliver New Zealanders the largest volume of top tier free-to-air sports content in the last 20 years. Right now, there’s nothing you need to do - you can still watch most of your favourite sports on the Spark Sport platform the same way you do today, up until 1 July 2023.
|  |  |  | This Summer of Cricket is still on Spark Sport
| There’s no need to worry about this season’s cricket. We’re still streaming New Zealand Cricket BLACKCAPS, WHITE FERNS, Super Smash matches and the Ford Trophy Final, on Spark Sport until the end of the 2022/2023 season.
|  |  |  | Last lap for Formula One
| This also means that Spark Sport will no longer be the home of F1 and free access to F1TV Pro will be coming to an end from 31 December 2022. But if you love the roar of the racing, you can subscribe directly at F1TV Pro.

Cricket and Formula 1 being on free-to-air is pretty wicked - hopefully their platform isn't garbage.

But chances are TVNZ won't be able to keep it and we'll fall back into the Sky monopoly. Watch those fudgeers start jacking prices and start neglecting streaming again.

That sucks, Spark Sport was a far superior product to the alternative.

Back to an uncompetitive monopoly in a few years I guess

20 Legend

Cricket and Formula 1 being on free-to-air is pretty wicked - hopefully their platform isn't garbage.

But chances are TVNZ won't be able to keep it and we'll fall back into the Sky monopoly. Watch those fudgeers start jacking prices and start neglecting streaming again.

I dont think TVNZ are keeping the F1 looks loike you'll have to access it from the F1 through F1TV Pro from the end of the year.

didn't see any information about champions league and Europa league so will be interesting to see where they end up.

The reality is with sports rights it couldn't be further from a monopoly when it comes to overseas sports as the direct to consumer model is rife, with FIFA+ and the premier league seriously considering the same model.  It's an ultra competitive market.

Great news, will save sports lovers a lot of money.

Even if Sky puts up prices, still will be a lot cheaper than getting two platforms.

That's a shame, sky needs the competition 

yes and no, competition is good to a point, but what it does is drive the cost of events up! Which in turn increases costs to broadcasters and the customers. Having one place for all the sport makes it easier for most, especially when Spark wasnt able to get consistent service to those with less than perfect internet access. 

Problem is sky is terrible, no 4k, constant buffering and dropping down to an unwatchable resolution. I pay for sky but often revert to watching keep up through a VPN.

Sky is so bad I literally get a massively better streaming experience round tripping through Nigeria.

I guess it depends on the user, I dont watch tv when I'm out and about, if I'm wanting to watch live sport I'l at the event or at home, so the box set from sky works perfectly. I see no need to stream it. ALthough I get others do.
Sky supposedly is working on their streaming offering, but it's clearly not as simple as we expect - Spark leaving the scene says that.

theprof

I guess it depends on the user, I dont watch tv when I'm out and about, if I'm wanting to watch live sport I'l at the event or at home, so the box set from sky works perfectly. I see no need to stream it. ALthough I get others do.
Sky supposedly is working on their streaming offering, but it's clearly not as simple as we expect - Spark leaving the scene says that.

i watch live sport at home too, I just stream it because having a set top box and satellite dish is unnecessary and redundant for me and I only keep sky sport during the A-aleague season.

Neon is similar, it's worse quality than the other streaming services. It's clear that the satellite tv business is on it's last legs and it sky wants a future it needs to figure this out

Spark had also picked up the rights to the next two UEFA European Championships, so it will be interesting to see where they end up screening.
Personally, I'm happy having all the football I want on one platform i.e. Sky, instead of forking out extra.
If TVNZ acquire the UEFA club competitions (and possibly the Euros) it remains to be seen how good a job they'll do.....but free is always good!