Sky’s takeover of ThreeNow could impact free-to-air Motorsport access for Kiwi fans

Some of New Zealand’s most accessible motorsport content, including MotoGP coverage featuring Kiwi rising star Cormac Buchanan, NASCAR races with Shane van Gisbergen, and the long-running CRC Motorsport program, could be facing significant changes following the sale of broadcaster Three and ThreeNow to Sky New Zealand.

In a landmark media shake-up, Sky has confirmed it will acquire Discovery NZ Limited, which owns Three and its streaming platform ThreeNow, for just one New Zealand dollar.

The deal, announced as “cash-free, debt-free,” hands Sky control of one of the country’s most influential free-to-air and ad-supported digital TV operations.

ThreeNow currently holds the exclusive New Zealand broadcast rights to NASCAR, airing races for free and giving Kiwi fans a window into the series now featuring Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen.

It’s also the free-to-air home of MotoGP, including the Moto3 category where Cormac Buchanan has become New Zealand’s next two-wheel hope.

In addition, the channel airs the beloved CRC Motorsport, a weekly recap show that has been a mainstay of local motorsport coverage for many years.

However, with the sale to Sky, a pay TV and subscription streaming giant, there’s growing uncertainty about whether this content will remain freely available.

A Shifting Landscape for Kiwi Motorsport Viewers

Before NASCAR landed on ThreeNow, it spent over a decade locked behind Sky’s paywall on Sky Sport. The return of the series to free-to-air was widely celebrated by fans, especially with SVG’s arrival in the American series generating significant Kiwi interest.

Now, with Sky reclaiming control of those rights through this acquisition, many are questioning if the free access could again be at risk.

Sky’s CEO Sophie Moloney touted the deal as a transformative moment for the company.

“This is a compelling opportunity for Sky that directly supports our ambition to be Aotearoa New Zealand’s most engaging and essential media company,” she said.

“It positions us to scale faster, accelerates our growth, and further diversifies our revenue streams, particularly in advertising and digital.”

Moloney emphasised that acquiring ThreeNow gives Sky a powerful broadcast-video-on-demand platform (BVOD), describing it as an essential missing piece in Sky’s content and advertising strategy.

“The combined portfolio will give Sky significantly increased scale, diversity and mass reach that will unlock more opportunities in advertising and maximise the return on our investments in content through a strengthened, multi-platform approach.”

Will Motorsport Fans Lose Free Access?

While the transaction includes content supply agreements for entertainment programming from Warner Bros. Discovery, questions remain about the fate of live sports rights, such as MotoGP and NASCAR, both of which were acquired by ThreeNow prior to the sale.

Sky’s track record and business model lean heavily on premium sports behind a paywall, sparking concerns that these free-to-air motorsport offerings could shift back into subscription territory.

Sky’s free-to-air channel, Sky Open, has long served as a preview platform for its broader offerings. But with Three now part of its arsenal, Sky has gained a far larger audience and more prominent brand, one that could be used to promote its subscription-based sports services even more directly.

For fans of Cormac Buchanan, Shane van Gisbergen, and local motorsport coverage, such as CRC Motorsport, the worry is that a platform shift could limit access to their favourite events.

A Deal That Redefines the Media Landscape

The acquisition cements Sky as New Zealand’s most powerful media entity by revenue and possibly by audience. With over a million paying customers already across Sky TV, Sky Sport Now, and Neon, the addition of Three and ThreeNow gives Sky a free-to-air springboard to attract even more viewers, and advertisers.

Former Sky CEO John Fellet once attempted to purchase Three for exactly this reason: to bridge the gap between free-to-air reach and premium content. Now, that vision is being realised.

Michael Brooks, Warner Bros. Discovery’s managing director for Australia and New Zealand, admitted the free-to-air business was no longer viable under WBD, but saw potential under Sky.

“While this business is not commercially viable as a standalone asset in WBD’s New Zealand portfolio, we see the value Three and ThreeNow can bring to Sky’s existing offering of complementary assets,” he said.

The transition officially takes effect from August 1, when Sky begins operating its expanded media empire.

The Bottom Line

While the deal brings stability to Three and ThreeNow after years of upheaval, including the shutdown of Newshub, it also opens the door to a shift in how motorsport is delivered to Kiwi fans.

With Sky now in charge, viewers will be watching closely to see whether beloved free content like MotoGP, NASCAR, and CRC Motorsport remains freely available, or becomes the next paywalled frontier.

Header Image: Sean Gardner/Getty Images