Joint Statement from NSO Representative Working Group on free-to-air TV channel

A cross-sector working group has been established to look at a collective of sports and its ability to produce and offer content to willing broadcasters.

July 20, 2012

AUCKLAND - A meeting was held on July 19 between Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and a National Sporting Organisation (NSO) Representative Working Party to further understand the opportunities that surround the possibility of a free-to-air sports channel.

This working meeting followed an earlier meeting on July 5 between approximately 15 NSOs to begin discussions on the issue and subsequently elect the working group.

Currently, NSOs have relationships with various production houses and television networks, investing considerable money individually.  This initiative is to look at a collective of sports and its ability to produce and offer content to willing broadcasters.

As a consequence of yesterday’s first working meeting, it was decided that each party (OFC and the NSO Working Party) needs to further evaluate its own short and long term requirements separately. The commercial landscape that surrounds the three key areas of the sports content supply chain – that being content owners, production units, and broadcasters – will be further analysed to understand the best way forward for all parties. It is proposed that the NSO working group will continue to meet with regards to the opportunities for better access to broadcast visibility for all national sports.

NSO Representative Working Group
Craig Waugh – Triathlon New Zealand
Kieran Turner – Bike New Zealand
Joe Sprangers – Touch New Zealand
Grant McKavanagh – New Zealand Football