Spark Sport's streaming failure at the Rugby World Cup has become political, with both Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters and Labour chiming in on the issue.
Peters criticised Spark's inability to stream the All Blacks' World Cup opener against the Springboks after some fans, including the Acting Prime Minister himself,experienced problems streaming the match.
Spark were forced to simulcast the match on TVNZ after its streaming service cut out for many fans, and aired all the matches on Sunday on free-to-air, before returning to streaming only after announcing it had "addressed the issue".
Peters, who labeled Spark's failure as an "abject disaster", vowed that the government will get to the bottom of the issue earlier in the week.
"I can assure you we will find out as fast as possible as to what on earth is not going on," he told Newstalk ZB.
However, Peters and his party's pledge to put free-to-air rights sports in law has been swatted away by his cabinet colleague, Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi.
NZ First has put forward a free-to-air members bill that would have all rugby, cricket and football World Cup events played by New Zealand broadcasted free, as well as domestic rugby tests, the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games.
The United Kingdom also has a similar measure in place, which includes FIFA World Cup matches, Wimbledon and the Rugby World Cup final.
