'Not good enough': Sky explains why gambling ad was shown during Jai Arrow walkout

Author: Samuel Sherry,
Publish Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2026, 1:47pm

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Sky Sport has apologised for showing a gambling ad during Jai Arrow's walkout for his 100th and final game for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Photo / Photosport

Sky is blaming a scheduling error for a gambling ad being played instead of Jai Arrow’s emotional walkout for his 100th game for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Arrow announced his retirement from rugby league earlier this year as he battles motor neurone disease, but the NRL approved a special rule change to allow him to reach 100 games for South Sydney.

Those in New Zealand hoping to watch the moment he stepped on to the pitch were unable to as Sky Sport cut to a Betcha betting ad for one minute and 20 seconds, returning to live coverage when Arrow was already on the field.

Sky New Zealand’s head of sport content Gary Burchett told Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine the broadcaster made the wrong decision and apologised.

“We knew the significance of Jai’s walkout and we knew what that moment was to Jai and his family and his teammates and fans of the NRL and simply, we should have shown that moment in full, live,” Burchett said.

“That’s the obligation that we have to our customers and to fans of rugby league and I’m also very conscious that for those people and their families who face the daily realities and challenges of motor neurone disease, because that story resonates and goes well beyond the game itself, right? So we let them down too.

Sky Sport has apologised for showing a gambling ad during Jai Arrow's walkout for his 100th and final game for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Photo / Photosport

“In terms of what happened, as those who watched would have seen that the Titans and the Dolphins match ran over, which led to the host broadcaster Fox at the time switching to the tunnel of the Rabbitohs and the Roosters and that led to a scheduling error, which meant that an advertisement played out during Jai’s walkout.

“So, that’s the straightforward explanation, not hiding behind it. We missed an incredibly important moment and that simply just was not good enough.”

Burchett said a team of people, rather than something automated, chose to play the ad and Sky will review how those decisions are made.

A scheduling error has been identified as the reason viewers in New Zealand missed the emotional moment. Photo / Photosport

“Commercial commitments are part of broadcasting sport. They help finance our productions, they help Sky to acquire the sports [rights], but they can’t exist in isolation from what’s actually unfolding because ultimately good sports broadcast requires good judgment,” he said.

“Sometimes the most important thing you can do is to stay with the pictures. Own the moment, let that moment breathe and allow the audience to experience it and Jai’s walkout was exactly that sort of moment.”

When the ad ended, Arrow was already on the field with his teammates, before he was substituted just after the match started. Photo / Photosport

Viewers vented their frustration on social media and Burchett said Sky had received strong feedback from customers.

“They expected us to recognise and preserve and to shine a light on a moment that truly transcended rugby league and we didn’t.

“Our customers trust us to bring the moments that matter in sport and we just fell short of that standard last night.”

Sky had earlier released a statement apologising for the decision and posted the full walkout video online.

“We know we missed a big moment, and we’re really sorry you didn’t get to see it live. Here’s Jai Arrow’s celebration in full,” the video was captioned with comments turned off.