All Whites international match waits on TV deal

Live television rights for next month's home football international between the All Whites and Jamaica are yet to be agreed.

Negotiations between New Zealand Football and the nation's primary live sport carrier, Sky Network Television Ltd, have so far failed to break a live screening stalemate.

And with the match just 33 days away, time is running out.

Discussions between the parties continue today with NZF chief executive Grant McKavanagh hopeful in satellite bosses "seeing the value" of the international - not only to fans all over the country, but to the All Whites' 2014 World Cup hopes and the health of the resurgent code in general.

Though the February 29 fixture at Auckland's Mount Smart Stadium is a friendly, all of the All Whites' top overseas players (barring injury) are to feature with the game an important part of New Zealand's World Cup preparation - with Jamaica a potential playoff opponent from the CONCACAF [Caribbean, North and Central America] region en route to Brazil 2014.

"At the moment we don't have a broadcast partner for this game," McKavanagh told Fairfax Media yesterday.

"I'm opening up negotiations with other parties [to Sky], but if the game doesn't go on TV, it is what it is.

"It means the only opportunity for people to see the game live will be at Mount Smart Stadium.

"It's unusual for a football game in New Zealand to break even, but we're really trying hard to change that model and this game represents a great opportunity to stop the trend.

"We're looking at a situation of quality opposition, New Zealand's best talent on the field and a potential rival in Jamaica for a World Cup place."
Despite Sky's football coverage increasing since the All Whites' historic 2010 World Cup campaign, with highlight packages of lower English leagues joining regular live Premier League matches, it appears the broadcaster, which is projected to bank around $120 million profit for the year ending June 30, is less certain over the domestic game.

McKavanagh said he is keen to continue talks regarding the broadcaster's philosophy over "football in general" and also Sky's "long-term relationship" with the national sporting organisation.

Domestic coverage as well as international, he said, is invaluable to the grassroots game.

"We've had a conversation about this specific game, about football in general and about the desire to build a long-term relationship," he said.

"In fact there have been a number of conversations to this stage.

"Where it sits now is that they have a view, we have a view, and the two aren't meeting.

"We both have the prerogative to look at alternatives."

Sky confirmed they are yet to agree a deal over next month's All Whites game when contact yesterday, but spokesperson Kirsty Way expressed Sky's "intention to try and secure the event."

"We don't have an agreement to screen it live at this moment in time, but we are in discussions," Way told Fairfax Media.

"There are ongoing discussions, I think even tomorrow [today]. But it would prejudice things if I was to say how those discussions will end up.

"I'm sure it's Sky's preference to show the match live. I know it's got a good following and there will be a lot of New Zealand interest. We show a lot of other football matches.

"It will be in our interest to secure the rights and if we can't we'll aim for the next best thing [a highlight package].

"We'll evaluate the interest that our viewers may or may not have based on past events, what we forecast the viewership to be like, and we'll give it a value.

"We don't have an open cheque-book for these things, but hopefully we can secure this live right."

McKavanagh said securing a broadcast partner is a key part in making the event financially viable, with other elements such as marketing and advertising heavily influenced off the back of it.

- © Fairfax NZ News