Finally, it’s happened! Sky TV has announced major changes to Sky Sport with sport-specific channels and also completely transformed Fan Pass.
Effective from 1 August, Sky Chief Executive Martin Stewart has announced that all Sky Sport customers will get 12 dedicated sport channels, including:
- Dedicated homes for Rugby, Cricket, Golf and Football – and channels that strongly feature Netball, League, Motorsport and more
- A new Sky Sport News channel
- The two ESPN channels
All 12 channels will be in HD, offering our customers a brilliant viewing experience.
There will be more great features and documentaries, highlights through the Sky Sport Highlights app, and continued access to On Demand sport via an enhanced and improved Sky Go.
There will also be additional pop-up channels for major events like the Australian Tennis Open and Tokyo Olympics Games.
Martin Stewart said “We’re supercharging Sky Sport. The enhancements are designed for the millions of New Zealanders who love sport.
“We already have nationwide reach and a reliable service that we know our customers value. By enhancing the channel line-up we’re giving them even more sport, better content discovery, and in glorious HD as well.
“The depth and breadth of our sports offer is second to none, and we continue to add more. We were delighted to announce our six-year deal with Cricket Australia last week, including the iconic Boxing Day Tests back for the first time since 1987, and there’s more to come.
“Delivering the best sport to our customers and helping our sports partners grow their sport is what we’re here for.
“The Sky Sport News channel is an exciting new initiative. We will have daily news from New Zealand and around the world, expert opinion and analysis, exclusive interviews, and a raft of features to keep every keen sports fan ‘in the know’.”
Sky Sport News will be live from 1 August, and our special local shows will start on 2 September.
The full new channel line-up is:
- Sky Sport News
- Sky Sport 1 – Rugby 24/7
- Sky Sport 2 – Cricket 24/7
- Sky Sport 3 – Home of Netball
- Sky Sport 4 – Home of Rugby League
- Sky Sport 5 – Home of Motorsport
- Sky Sport 6 – Golf 24/7
- Sky Sport 7 – Football 24/7
- Sky Sport 8 – Best of The Rest
- Sky Sport 9 – Best of The Rest
- ESPN
- ESPN 2
That’s not all though, from 14 August Fan Pass will be no more. In its place will be Sky Sport Now offering every single Sky Sport channel available to stream (about time!). And in further good news Sky will allow Sky Sport Now subscribers to watch all their sporting goodness on their TVs.
“Sky was the first company to bring sport streaming to New Zealand, first with Sky Go and then Fan Pass. Fan Pass has efficiently streamed four sports channels 24/7 for the last 4½ years, but we know sports fans are looking for more.
“Today we are supercharging it. We have already delivered cheaper pricing for it, and from 14 August we will replace it with our new sports app, Sky Sport Now” commented CEO Martin Stewart.
“I announced last month that we are accelerating our focus on streaming services. Sky Sport Now is the first evidence of that strategy. It’s a superb sport streaming offer, and we want it to be in hands of every Kiwi sports fan, wherever they are.
“Sports fans are increasingly mobile, and often time poor. Young fans in particular are looking for a range of experiences. Sky Sport Now is one way we can make sport more accessible, exciting and appealing
“We want to delight our customers every day, and we want to be in hands of every New Zealander.”
Sky Sport Now will be available from 14 August, and can be purchased for:
- Week Pass $19.99
- Month Pass $49.99
- 12 Month Pass $39.99 per month