The newly-launched Sommet Sports, which became available on Freeview earlier this month, is the nation’s only free-to-air sports channel and has already secured the rights to a raft of major sporting events in codes such as Australian rules, golf, cricket, cycling, wrestling, athletics and motorsport.
It also has the rights to many popular football competitions, most notably the UEFA Europa League, the German Bundesliga and England’s Npower Championship.
Action from the Oceania region can now be added to that list with matches from this week’s OFC Futsal Championship Invitational the first to be beamed into homes all over the country free of charge.
“The team at Sommet are delighted to be working with OFC to bring their content to New Zealanders live and for free,” Sommet Sports director Andrew Reeves says.
“OFC creates some fantastic product with its events and we are looking forward to covering a lot more local sports.”
The Futsal Whites’ memorable 7-3 win over Solomon Islands last night in the OFC Futsal Championship Invitational was broadcast live on Sommet Sports, as was the earlier match between NZ Invitational and Australia, along with NZ Invitational’s meeting with Tahiti this afternoon.
At least four other matches from the tournament, being held at The Trusts Arena in Auckland, New Zealand, will also be shown live on the Freeview channel while delayed replays of Saturday’s final will be screened on Sunday.
The content is being produced by OFC TV, the confederation’s in-house production unit, and it is intended that further coverage from OFC’s wide range of tournaments will be provided to Sommet Sports in future months under a similar arrangement.
“For football to continue to grow and develop throughout the Pacific region, it is vital that as much local content as possible is provided free-to-air across the region,” OFC President David Chung says.
“That was one of the main driving forces behind the formation of OFC TV and this relationship with Sommet Sports is a further boost as we look to promote the world game. We are very pleased to have them on board and are looking forward to what will be an exciting period for football fans in New Zealand.”
The schedule of remaining coverage of the OFC Futsal Championship Invitational on Sommet Sports is as follows:
Wednesday 24 July
6pm, Australia vs. Vanuatu (Live)
8pm, Malaysia vs. New Zealand (Live)
Thursday 25 July
2pm, Vanuatu vs. NZ Invitational (Live)
6pm, New Zealand vs. New Caledonia (Live)
Sunday 28 July
1pm, Final full replay plus 3rd/4th play-off highlights (Delayed)
10.30pm, Final full replay plus 3rd/4th play-off (Delayed)

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