The good news: Sky has secured rights to more sport, including its renewed NRL deal and the return of English Premier League football. 

The bad: The cost of its new rights, plus the rising costs of rights to broadcast sports already within its stable, mean the price of Sky Sport is going up. 

Sky TV is increasing the price of Sky Sport by $3 to $34.99 from its May billing cycle. 

Its streaming service, Sky Sport Now, will stay at the same price ($19.99 for a week pass, $39.99 for a month pass or $399.99 per year - which equates to $33.33 per month for those willing to commit to 12 months). 

The pay-TV provider's CEO, Sophie Moloney, flagged the possible price rise - now confirmed - in an interview with the Herald following its half-year results briefing on February 24. 

"We have not increased the price of Sky Sport since 2019," Moloney said. 

"There has obviously been rights-inflation in sport content, including the step-up in rights costs [to NZ Rugby]." 

"We're having a look at the pricing of Sky Sport, and not just because of the Premier League win [from Spark] – but also Rugby and the NRL and the huge amount of sport content we offer our customers." 

For the first half of its financial year, Sky said its programming costs increased to $178 million from the year-ago $142m. 

"There was an uplift in rights fees across multiple contracts, including NZ Rugby, ESPN and Universal," Sky corporate affairs chief Chris Major told the Herald. 

Sky's rights payments to NZ Rugby were restored to their full level as Covid interruptions to the sports calendar subsided. 

The first half also saw Sky renew its HBO and NRL deals. 

Spark increased the price of its Spark Sport streaming service from $19.99 to $24.99 last year after it won domestic cricket rights. 

Jarden analyst Arie Dekker says with its loss of English Premier League rights, there could now be downward pressure on Spark Sport's monthly price. 

Sky's net profit dipped 28 per cent to $28m in the first half, with rising programming costs - including sport - blamed. 

With its streaming customers growing strong and satellite numbers having stabilised, the company also announced the return of its dividend, with the first profit payout to shareholders expected in September. 

Earlier today, Sky named self-styled "provocateur" Mark Buckman to its board. 

In early afternoon trading on the NZX, its shares were down 0.7 per cent to $2.67 as the broader market pulled back but the stock is still up 54.2 per cent for the year.