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Rugby World Cup 2011 - Source: Photosport -
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New Zealand free-to-air broadcast rights for the 2011 Rugby World Cup have been awarded to a consortium formed between Maori TV, TVNZ and TV3.
Under the deal, New Zealanders will be able to watch live free-to-air broadcasts of 16 key matches including the final, the third and fourth playoffs, both semi-finals, two quarter-finals featuring qualifiers from New Zealand's pool, the All Blacks toll matches and the opening match.
This is in addition to all 48 tournament matches being screened live by host broadcaster Sky TV.
The government has pitched in $3.2 million to the broadcasting deal which Acting Rugby World Cup Minister Gerry Brownlee says will enable New Zealanders to see key Rugby World Cup matches live, free and nationwide.
"The involvement of so many broadcasters means the games are available to the maximum viewing audience," he says.
The first All Blacks match, against Tonga, will be brodcast on TV ONE on September 9.
Last year Maori Television, TVNZ and TV3 put in a joint bid, backed by the government, to cover all the World Cup matches.
Before that happened, Maori Television had put in a controversial bid of its own, backed with taxpayer funds, and would have ended up competing with TVNZ.
Those bids were withdrawn and replaced by the joint bid with the matches shared between the broadcasters.
Viewers will also be able to catch the matches on pay television
network Sky, which has international rights to broadcast the
Cup.
