Kayo Sports subscribers are being asked to dig deeper once again, with the sports streaming service locking in another increase to its premium offering from early February.
The move will see Kayo Premium rise to $45.99 per month from 5 February 2026, following a price increase last year that lifted the tier from $35 to $40, taking the total increase to $10.99, or more than 30 per cent, in under 12 months for premium subscribers.
News of the price increase was not received well online on Monday, with many subscribers questioning how much further costs can climb before the service becomes unaffordable, particularly amid broader cost-of-living pressures.
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One subscriber TV Blackbox spoke to, who only signs up to Kayo during the Supercars season — an increasingly common approach among sports fans — described the repeated price rises as “ridiculous”, saying even seasonal use was becoming harder to justify.
Across social media and online forums, many subscribers pointed to the frequency of recent price rises, arguing costs are increasing faster than any noticeable improvements to the service.
Kayo Sports Premium is set to cost more again from February, following a series of price increases for the streaming service (image – Facebook)
The latest price move arrives nearly a year on from Foxtel Group’s acquisition by DAZN, a global sports streaming giant with a sharp focus on premium sports rights and international scale, as the company continues to bed down its Australian operations.
According to recent media reports, Foxtel’s new owner has reportedly been unhappy with some of the group’s onerous long-term deals agreed to for some of Australia’s biggest sporting leagues, amid ongoing pressure from the rising cost of acquiring, maintaining and monetising premium sports rights.
DAZN’s purchase was widely seen as an unusual fit given Foxtel’s mix of sport and general entertainment, with subsequent moves such as winding back Hubbl, its ambitious and costly streaming aggregation platform, and folding its standalone Flash and Lifestyle apps into BINGE signalling broader change across the business.
TV Blackbox put a series of questions to the company regarding the increase, including around value for subscribers, product enhancements and whether any further changes are planned.
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A Kayo Sports spokesperson responded with a general statement, saying the changes reflect the rising cost of sports rights in Australia and internationally, alongside continued investment in production, commentary and technology.
“These changes reflect the cost of sports rights in Australia and internationally and our continued investment in production and commentary, and cutting-edge technology,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also pointed to upcoming coverage across major codes including the NRL, AFL and Supercars, all of which remain locked in under multi-year broadcast deals, alongside continued investment in product features.
In an effort to keep its entry-level tier accessible and standardise pricing, the cost of the Standard subscription will technically drop by one cent per month from February, no doubt welcome news to anyone on the entry offering.
“We have worked hard to ensure the monthly subscription for entry level Kayo remains the same, while Premium with two streams remains a great option for families.”
In some positive news, an electronic program guide is on the way, a welcome addition that should make navigating the platform easier, with the feature expected to launch early this year, with timing yet to be confirmed.
However, at $45.99 a month, ‘get on board’ is becoming a much harder sell.
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