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Streaming rugby world cup from home
Sep 13, 2019

Do you feel nervous about streaming the Rugby World Cup online? 57% of people reported a negative response to hearing that they need to stream the event online. Here’s what you need to know about watching the rugby on the telly, and getting ready for the next big sporting event. 

Do you feel ‘nervous’ at the prospect of streaming the Rugby World Cup online?

Recent research conducted by Opinion Compare, for Broadband Compare asked a range of questions about streaming habits and the upcoming Rugby World Cup and the results were pretty clear cut. 

When it comes to watching the All Blacks and the Rugby World Cup, the message is clear… if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.

Of those that completed the survey, upon hearing they would need a Spark Sport subscription to watch the Rugby World Cup this year, most respondents indicated a negative response (57%). Most likely to be negative to the news were the 65+ age group (67%).

31% were annoyed, 16% were angry, 8% devastated, 7% sad and 18% just mildly displeased. View full story here

Can I just watch the Rugby World Cup on the telly?

If you just want to catch the main games on TV, you will still be able to watch the following on TVNZ1 either live or delayed by 1 hour:

  • September 20, Japan v Russia: Live (tournament's opening match)
  • September 21, NZ v South Africa: Delayed by 1 hour
  • September 28, Tonga v Argentina: Live
  • October 2, NZ v Canada: Delayed by 1 hour
  • October 4, South Africa v Italy: Live
  • October 6, NZ v Namibia: Delayed by 1 hour
  • October 9, Fiji v Wales: Live
  • October 12, NZ v Italy: Delayed by 1 hour
  • One quarter final: To be confirmed, but will feature the All Blacks, provided they qualify for the knock-out stage: Delayed by 1 hour
  • October 26, semifinal: Live
  • October 27, semifinal: Live
  • November 2, final: Live

Spark Sport and Sky have also agreed to offer for existing commercial customers to buy access to a Spark Sport pop-up channel on their Sky decoder. So, you may be able to head to your local pub, sport club or school to watch the matches.

Is streaming the Rugby World Cup the start of a trend?

Although most people who responded to the Opinion Compare survey indicated that if it isn’t broke….don’t fix it, streaming major sporting events online does seem to be the start of a trend.

Spark spokeswoman Althea Lovell said "while we appreciate that this is the first time that a major sporting event has been streamed to New Zealand and understand that change can create some uncertainty, we believe it will be a catalyst for positive change in the way Kiwis consume sports content".

"Though some may find the change daunting at first, we're confident people who may not have been eager to live stream before will have a world of options opened to them once they start streaming," she said.

"Live streamed content will be a big part of the way Kiwis consume sports in the future and we're confident Spark Sport will play a role in delivering that."

We believe everyone should be able to make an informed choice about broadband

The first step to taking advantage of sports streaming services is to make sure that your broadband connection is up to scratch. And, if you’re not confident about streaming, making sure your broadband provider has top notch customer support.

At Broadband Compare we believe that everyone should have the information they need to make an informed choice about their broadband plan. And, although we’ve worked hard to make sure it’s easy to compare plans and switch on our website, we understand that some people prefer to do it the “old fashioned” way and talk to a real person.

That’s why we’ve also worked hard to grow our customer support team. Our friendly team are waiting by the phones in our Auckland office – ready to talk you through the options, answer questions, and help you make an informed choice about the best plan for you.

We’re not just about selling you the cheapest deal with all the bells and whistles – we’re here to help you choose the best plan for you. Simple!

 

Call us today on:

0508 2COMPARE (0508 226672)

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