TVNZ Secures Rights To Screen 2009 FA Cup

9th April 2009

TVNZ Secures Rights To Screen And Stream The 2009 F.A. Cup

TVNZ has secured the rights for what is shaping up to be one of the most dynamic and memorable FA Cup finishes in the competition’s history. The rights deal is exclusive to TVNZ and includes live, delayed and highlights coverage and for the very first time a live stream on the web.

“The FA Cup always has a certain magic and it’s exciting to be able to offer the semi finals and final free to all kiwis on TV and the internet in a year that features top ranking Premier sides Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton”, said General Manager of TVNZ Sport, Murray Needham.

“Those teams comprise some of football’s most famous faces including Rooney, Anelka, Drogba, Giggs, Fabregas and Ronaldo so we can look forward to a very high standard of football”.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have won the last 13 Premier League titles between them and this year’s semi-finalists have won 13 of the last 16 FA Cup Finals.

Kiwis have watched the live finals in the middle of the night for almost four decades, the 1973 FA Cup final was the very first live football game to be broadcast in NZ. (Leeds United – 0 Sunderland – 1 live from Wembley at 3am on the 6th of May 1973 NZT).

“TVNZ secured the exclusive multi platform rights to the 2009 FA Cup after learning they were available and were not being sought by any other NZ broadcaster, the English FA made the package available to TVNZ at a very affordable price to provide free to air coverage of the Cup for kiwi fans and to enhance the profile of the competition”.

Multi platform coverage of all three games includes:

- pre-match presentation, match commentary and analysis LIVE via satellite from the UK courtesy of Setanta on TV ONE.
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- simulcast via live stream on www.tvnz.co.nz
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- full match replay and ONE Sport Highlights on TVNZ Sport Extra, Freeview platform
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- full match replay and ONE Sport Highlights will be available at www.tvnzondemand.co.nz
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- match previews, abridged highlights, match reports, team profiles and expert comment & opinion on www.tvnz.co.nz
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- website content will also be available on mobile (www.tvnz.co.nz/mobile or text TVNZ to 8869 – texts cost 20c)
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Game Schedule:

Sunday the 19th of April Semi Final 1 4:15am kick-off (NZT) Arsenal v Chelsea

Monday the 20th of April Semi final 2 3am kick-off (NZT) Manchester United v Everton

Sunday the 31st of May The Final 2am kick-off (NZT)

Highlights of each match will screen on TV ONE later that day and the games will be replayed in full on TVNZ Sports Extra on Freeview.

Sunday the 19th of April Highlights on TV ONE (12 midday – 1:30pm) and replayed in full at 9pm on TVNZ Sports Extra

Monday the 20th of April Highlights on TV ONE (11pm – 1am) and replayed at 9pm on Saturday the 25th on TVNZ Sports Extra

Sunday the 31st of May Highlights on TV ONE (12:30pm – 2:30pm) and replayed in full at 8:30pm on TVNZ Sports Extra.

In June TVNZ will broadcast New Zealand’s matches in the FIFA Confederations Cup including games against Spain, South Africa (the host nation) and Iraq.

In June next year, TVNZ will broadcast selected games live and highlights of all games played at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Ends

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