Sky NZ Confirms Discussions for LA28 Olympic Rights Amidst Intensifying Media Landscape
Sky New Zealand has confirmed it is in discussions regarding media rights for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, escalating the ongoing battle for premium sports content with free-to-air broadcaster TVNZ. The move comes as New Zealand’s sports rights market experiences heightened competition, fueled by recent acquisitions and shifting broadcast strategies.
This pursuit of the LA28 rights follows Sky NZ’s coverage of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, and occurs against a backdrop of evolving rights deals across the Commonwealth. Notably, Australia’s Seven Network recently secured exclusive rights for the 2026 and 2030 commonwealth Games, while a scaled-down version of the 2026 Commonwealth Games will be hosted in Glasgow, UK, from July 23 through August 2, featuring 10 sports and para-iterations of six. The competition between Sky and TVNZ is notably acute after TVNZ secured the rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, wresting the soccer showcase from Sky in August and intensifying their “media rights arms race.”
TVNZ previously held the rights to the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold coast, while the original host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Victoria, Australia, withdrew its commitment, necessitating the shift to Glasgow and a reduced program. The outcome of the LA28 rights negotiations will substantially impact both broadcasters’ sports portfolios and their ability to attract and retain subscribers in a rapidly changing media environment.
