Sky TV has announced that it is not the preferred bidder for the broadcast rights of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Television New Zealand and Spark may have wrestled the rights to the next Rugby World Cup away from Sky Television.

Sky announced it was not the preferred bidder to broadcast the Rugby World Cup in 2019.

Its shares slumped 8 per cent when trading opened on the NZX, on the news.

SUPPLIED Sky TV is not preferred bidder for Rugby World Cup broadcasts, the company has announced. (File Photo).

Spark and Television New Zealand are understood to have agreed to put in a joint bid for the broadcasting rights, but would not comment on whether they had been told they had been successful.

READ MOTE

* Spark, TVNZ plan joint bid for 2019 Rugby World Cup broadcasting rights

* Sky TV boss reckons it could hold rugby for another 15 years

* Japan given hurry up ahead of Rugby World Cup 2019 hosting

Assuming they do win rights to the event, it is expected Spark would be likely to stream matches over the internet, with TVNZ providing free-to-air coverage.

Spark spokesman Andrew Pirie said it was not in a position to comment. Television New Zealand spokeswoman Georgie Hills also said it was not in a position to comment.

The world's premier rugby event will be held over six weeks in Japan between September and November in 2019.

Sky TV chief executive John Fellet said on Tuesday that he thought Sky had a better than evens chance of keeping rugby rights for the next 15 years, but he clarified he was referring to Super Rugby which it films.

Fellet said the Rugby World Cup was not such a good proposition for Sky because the closing stages of the competition, when interest was highest, had to be shown free-to-air.

"By the time you put the quarterfinal, semifinal and the final all live on free-to-air, there really isn't much of a Sky advantage.

"The real value is free-to-air and it is tough to make much of a meal out of things like All Blacks versus Tonga in a pool play. I'm not denigrating the event it's fantastic and we'd love to have it."

Fellet said he would not be surprised if TVNZ and Spark won the rights.

Sky's bid was still "live", but he had never seen rights awarded to a contender that was not the preferred bidder, he said.

Sky was also vulnerable to being outbid for end-of-year All Blacks tours, Fellet said.

Sky said in a statement to the NZX that it was an economic reality that it couldn't have "every match of every sport that New Zealanders like to watch".

Rugby World Cup rights are sold by IMG Media on behalf of Rugby World Cup Ltd.

At 10.30am Sky shares were trading 7 per cent at $2.25.