A new way to watch sport: World-First TikTok Broadcast breaks barriers for women’s rugby

The world-first will take place on Saturday, April 13 and will see the entire Aupiki final shot in vertical format by the Sky production team, then streamed live and free on Sky’s TikTok.

2degrees said it’s been a proud supporter of the NZ Aupiki teams, and was looking for ways it could help build momentum and interest in women’s sport. Partnering to broadcast the final in an innovative and interesting new way just made perfect sense.

2degrees CEO Mark Callander says “This is our third year partnering with the Aupiki teams and we are thrilled to build on that by joining Sky as broadcast sponsor for the Sky Super Rugby Aupiki tournament. We can’t wait to connect more Kiwis to the entertainment of some top flight women's rugby.

"New Zealand is leading the way in women’s sport with a lot of momentum built up over the past few years. We now want to continue feeding that momentum and 2degrees couldn’t be prouder to help champion this fight for fair by giving our female players the exposure they deserve.

“This commitment reflects 2degrees' dedication to bridging the coverage gap for women's rugby and using technology to bring Sky Super Rugby Aupiki direct to mobile phones across NZ."

With more than 81% of Kiwis on social media1, we are living in an era where content and events are more frequently consumed through our mobile devices. The ability to broadcast the game on Tik Tok will open up the tournament to a whole new generation of fans.

The momentous occasion will mark the first time any sports final, male or female, has been broadcast on the platform, setting a new standard for sports broadcasting globally.

Viewers will be able to comment and vote as the game plays out, bringing a new level of engagement and fostering a sense of community with Aupiki fans.

Lauren Quaintance, Chief Media and Data Officer from Sky says, “For this special event, we will have a separate broadcast truck with a bespoke camera crew, producer and talent that will be focused on creating an experience of the match that is specially designed for TikTok.

By sharing the Sky Super Rugby Aupiki final on TikTok, we are opening up the tournament to a wider demographic of young people, supporting the growth of women’s sport on a new level.”

Total TikTok users grew by 16% in 2023 with each spending an average of 95 minutes daily on the app2 making this the perfect stage for this innovative broadcast.

A big fan of the initiative is Super Rugby Blues player, Niall Williams-Guthrie.

Williams-Guthrie says she is thrilled to see these major organisations backing women's sport.

"It puts a huge smile on my face. This initiative is inspiring and a significant step forward in providing the visibility and recognition our female players truly deserve.

“The team has done an amazing job in pulling it all together and I'm rapt to see how it all turns out. The more people that tune in the better.”

Wade Shipard, Media Publisher Manager Sports & Gaming, at TikTok AU & NZ says they are excited to be a part of this world-first event.

"We're excited to bring this world-first women's final broadcast to TikTok's sports fans in New Zealand.”

Among the 1.65 million TikTok users in NZ1, there is an incredibly strong community who are interested in sport. This broadcast event will make the final of Sky Super Rugby Aupiki more accessible to this audience, opening up the sport to a new generation via their mobiles.

This collaboration between 2degrees, Sky Sport, and TikTok underscores a shared commitment to breaking barriers, championing fair representation in women's sports, and revolutionising the way sport is consumed.

The final broadcast will be available to stream live for free on the Sky Sport TikTok (@skysportnz) and free to air on Sky Open on April 13, as well as being available to watch on Sky Sport. To learn more about the incredibly talented Aupiki players, watch their exclusive stories on the 2degrees TikTok (@2degrees_nz) from 26 February.