FOOTBALL is set to be the big loser as pay TV network Sky feels the credit crunch.
Sunday News can reveal the channel's A-League review show will be canned next month as Sky looks to cut costs.
And fans won't be able to watch Waitakere United play at the Fifa Club World Cup in Tokyo in two weeks after the network's sports bosses pulled the plug on planned coverage. Sky has covered the tournament since 2005.
Sky's new sports boss the director of advertising and sports acquisitions Richard Last confirmed the move but claimed "it's business as usual but for some reason it's not being portrayed as that".
He referred us to the network's communications director, Tony O'Brien, who could only offer sports fans this: "We don't comment on market speculation."
When pressed O'Brien refused to comment but Sunday News has been told other shows facing the axe include World of Football and league show Monday Night Football.
The move away from locally produced football shows is bizarre.
Sunday News has been told A-League games not involving the Wellington Phoenix are attracting their lowest ratings since the competition's inception in 2005.
But with the Nix on the verge of breaking into the playoff race for the first time in the post-season, it would seem to be an ideal time for the network to stick with football.
Taking away one of only two of the network's serious rugby league shows is another ordinary decision given that the Kiwis have just won the World Cup and the Warriors are set for another run at the Grand Final next year.
But sources say MNF, which preceded the NRL's Monday game, won't return in 2009, meaning the only worthy "talking heads" show will be Thursday night's Primetime.
While Sky continues it's stellar cover of live sport including national championships for netball, hockey and swimming for the first time the latest cutbacks continue a trend seeing fewer locally produced shows making it to air.
Martin Crowe's highly acclaimed profile series, The Chosen Ones, was shelved indefinitely last year, as was a third People's Choice Awards.
Sunday News can also reveal another casualty of the changes at Sky is tennis. TVNZ has won the rights to broadcast the French Open and Wimbledon on its Freeview Sports Extra station next year, leaving Sky with only the Australian and US Opens.
Sunday News can reveal the channel's A-League review show will be canned next month as Sky looks to cut costs.
And fans won't be able to watch Waitakere United play at the Fifa Club World Cup in Tokyo in two weeks after the network's sports bosses pulled the plug on planned coverage. Sky has covered the tournament since 2005.
Sky's new sports boss the director of advertising and sports acquisitions Richard Last confirmed the move but claimed "it's business as usual but for some reason it's not being portrayed as that".
He referred us to the network's communications director, Tony O'Brien, who could only offer sports fans this: "We don't comment on market speculation."
When pressed O'Brien refused to comment but Sunday News has been told other shows facing the axe include World of Football and league show Monday Night Football.
The move away from locally produced football shows is bizarre.
Sunday News has been told A-League games not involving the Wellington Phoenix are attracting their lowest ratings since the competition's inception in 2005.
But with the Nix on the verge of breaking into the playoff race for the first time in the post-season, it would seem to be an ideal time for the network to stick with football.
Taking away one of only two of the network's serious rugby league shows is another ordinary decision given that the Kiwis have just won the World Cup and the Warriors are set for another run at the Grand Final next year.
But sources say MNF, which preceded the NRL's Monday game, won't return in 2009, meaning the only worthy "talking heads" show will be Thursday night's Primetime.
While Sky continues it's stellar cover of live sport including national championships for netball, hockey and swimming for the first time the latest cutbacks continue a trend seeing fewer locally produced shows making it to air.
Martin Crowe's highly acclaimed profile series, The Chosen Ones, was shelved indefinitely last year, as was a third People's Choice Awards.
Sunday News can also reveal another casualty of the changes at Sky is tennis. TVNZ has won the rights to broadcast the French Open and Wimbledon on its Freeview Sports Extra station next year, leaving Sky with only the Australian and US Opens.