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What TVNZ+'s move into sport means for fans on the couch

- RUSSELL BROWN

The big transfer of sports rights from the departing Spark Sport service to TVNZ+ happens on Saturday, July 1. It doesn't necessarily mean there's more sport available on your television - but it does mean there's much more that can be watched for free.

That entails advertising although TVNZ has promised ads "will be placed mindfully to ensure minimal disruption to the live action". It'll all be gathered at a new sports hub within TVNZ+, which will stream live sport, replays and highlights. Scotty Stevenson will lead TVNZ's local commentary teams for cricket and other local sport.

TVNZ's prime content, as it was for Spark Sport, will be New Zealand cricket, with Black Caps and White Ferns home internationals, all Super Smash games and domestic one-day finals streamed live. The big matches will also screen on broadcast channels, with men's and women's T20s on TVNZ 1 and one-day internationals and tests going out on Duke.