Dylan Thorne: Put sport on TV free for all to see

Our sporting successes, especially on the international stage, foster a sense of national pride. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Hopefully legislation written by New Zealand First MP Clayton Mitchell which will put sporting games of national significance into the Broadcasting Act will gain support when it is debated in Parliament this year.

New Zealand First argues that the ability to watch sport is a Kiwi birthright because sport is part of our culture, our identity and it unites us as a people but, when it comes to watching live sport on TV, our choices are limited to Sky.

The party wants to put major domestic sporting fixtures, World Cup matches and transtasman grand finals involving New Zealand teams back on free-to-air TV and live.

I support the move. There's nothing better than watching Kiwi sportspeople perform well.

Our sporting successes, especially on the international stage, foster a sense of national pride.

Sport does bring us together. It's a source of conversation and debate - something we can all share in. In my view, that is being lost.

The loss of this shared connection is not the only thing we stand to lose.

The impact in the long term could be that a generation of young people, whose parents do not subscribe to a paid television service, may stop following their national teams.

They may no longer be inspired by or aspire to be All Blacks, Black Caps or Silver Ferns.

In the professional era, the organisations behind these teams need to generate money but these are national sides not just brands - and they need to connect with their fans.

Ardent supporters should be able to watch significant matches live on free-to-air TV.