Interesting times ahead, Sky won't let go of that easily. IMO its almost as important as Rugby rights for them

"TVNZ is keen to nab lucrative broadcast rights to the NRL and Warriors in a move that - if successful - would end Sky TV’s long-held exclusive New Zealand grip on the league competition. Media Insider understands the state broadcaster has formally expressed interest in the NRL rights with the sport’s Sydney-based bosses. Buoyed by its new pay-TV technology and five-year digital strategy - and its success in winning Football World Cup and UFC rights - TVNZ is fast becoming an aggressive competitor for sports rights.  With rugby and now cricket sewn up by Sky TV for the next few years, the NRL offers TVNZ the best opportunity in the short-term to secure a season-long sport that would be a regular, major drawcard for viewers and subscribers.

A new five-year NRL rights deal is on the table, starting from the end of next season. The NRL is seeking to nail down a new broadcast deal for its Australian rights as early as next month. A similar timeframe is expected for a New Zealand broadcast deal, and certainly by the end of this season. Media Insider understands the NRL is second only to rugby in terms of the biggest and most valuable sporting rights available to New Zealand broadcasters - it’s understood to be of higher value than cricket.

The rise of the Warriors this season has only intensified viewer interest. In Sky TV, TVNZ faces an equally aggressive competitor that won’t relinquish rights easily. Sky is about to lose its flagship HBO entertainment content from its Neon streaming channel, and doesn’t need another metaphorical black eye in its content division. There is one positive for Sky in the loss of the HBO contract: it has freed up a lot of rights money. An industry source estimated this to be anywhere between $20 million and $30 million a year. Some of that could presumably be channelled into a fighting fund for Sky and its critical bid to renew NRL rights."