A-Leagues Broadcast Broadcasting Soccer

Sky NZ Named As A-Leagues Broadcast Partner In New Zealand

November 15, 2021

Sky today announced the signing of a multi-year deal as New Zealand’s exclusive broadcast rights partner of the A-Leagues. The partnership, which includes multiple Sky platforms, secures the broadcast rights for all matches in season for both women and men, including the A-Leagues finals series.

The broadcast partnership comes just weeks before the Wellington Phoenix debuts its first ever women’s team in the A-League / Women competition. The women’s debut match against Western Sydney Wanderers on December 3, will be televised live and also available Free to Air on Prime.

“We’re delighted to confirm that every A-League / Women and Isuzu UTE A-League match will be live and exclusive on Sky, served any which way that works for our customers, on their Sky Box or streaming on Sky Sport Now and Sky Go,” says Head of Sport Partnerships for Sky, Adam Crothers.

“We have worked closely with Australian Premier Leagues to put a partnership together that’s so much more than a broadcasting deal. As New Zealand and Australia look forward to the biggest global event in women’s sport, the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, we’ll be working with the APL and other partners like New Zealand Football to grow interest in the ‘beautiful game’ – on the field, in the stands and on air.”

The Isuzu UTE A-League kicks off this Friday, 19 November with Melbourne City v Brisbane Roar, while Kiwis will be excited to see the Wellington Phoenix clash with Macarthur FC on November 21. The following weekend features the long-awaited women’s debut, followed by the men’s team in a Kiwi double-header.

APL Managing Director, Danny Townsend said: “As the most followed sport in the world, our strategy is to grow and engage with football audiences across New Zealand from grass-roots through to professional competitions. By partnering with Sky, we can offer top-level football to an unprecedented reach of Kiwi football fans.

“The strength of Sky’s content and its globally recognised creative prowess are a true asset to the A-Leagues content offering, including our KEEPUP digital platform. We know that with local content from New Zealand, we are in the strongest position to showcase the talent and skill of our A-leagues teams.”

“We’re really excited about the inclusion of the Wellington Phoenix Women’s team in the A-League. APL is a huge champion of the women’s game and the ‘Club Championship’, where both the men’s and women’s teams compete for points to decide the ultimate club is just one example of the APL’s commitment to innovating and growing the League.

“The A-League is yet another important piece in our strategy to lift up women’s sport through greater visibility, more opportunities for women in production and broadcasting and more chances to inspire rangatahi and wāhine in Aotearoa New Zealand,” says Adam Crothers.

While all matches will be available on Sky across multiple broadcast and streaming platforms, selected games and content will be free to air throughout the competition. The double-header on December 3 featuring the Wellington Phoenix A-League / Women debut and Wellington Phoenix Men will be Free to Air on Prime.

A-Leagues Broadcast Broadcasting Soccer