Duncan Garner wants all New Zealanders to be able to watch our sailors if they make the America's Cup final.

Kiwi taxpayer dollars help fund Emirates Team New Zealand at the America's Cup. So should we have to pay extra to watch them race?

The AM Show host Duncan Garner thinks we should not. He has started a petition to get the America's Cup final on free-to-air TV - if New Zealand make it.

On Wednesday's episode of his breakfast current affairs show, Garner said he was starting the petition in response to "a pile of emails" from viewers and listeners who said they were loving the racing, but were disappointed they were unable to watch it because it broadcast exclusively on SKY.

BEVAN READ/FAIRFAX NZ Garner said broadcasting the finals free-to-air would be a good PR move for SKY and the government.

A basic SKY subscription with the sport channels - on which the America's Cup races air - costs $80 per month according to the SKY web site.

READ MORE:

* Duncan Garner: Packed to the rafters, an expensive addiction to immigration

* America's Cup: Team New Zealand face race against time after capsize

* America's Cup: Team New Zealand take early lead in semifinals after Brits forced to retire

That cost made watching the Cup a luxury not all New Zealanders could afford, Garner said. He was petitioning to make the finals available to all New Zealanders, not just those who could afford it.

GILLES MARTIN-RAGET / ACEA 2017 Emirates Team New Zealand racing off Bermuda.

"This morning I'm lobbying and urging SKY TV to show the America's Cup finals - the finals race - live on free-to-air TV, should Team New Zealand make it that far," he said.

Garner said he wanted a similar deal to the one that made the 2011 Rugby World Cup available on free-to-air television. The government paid over $3m to screen the matches on free-to-air channels.

"Surely we can come up with something if we make the finals," Garner said.

"I'm really keen on this because you have sent me so many emails in the past few days. Sailing is so much part of our way of life in New Zealand - and yes there has been criticism, and it's correct, too, that this is an elite sport and all that sort of thing.

"But so is rugby. I bet our top rugby players make more than most of the sailors involved on and off the boat with Team New Zealand in Bermuda.

"Let's try and get all of New Zealand - all of you - access to the America's Cup finals on free-to-air TV, not just for those who can afford it."

"I'm not suggesting for one moment that all sport is shown on free-to-air TV. I get it that SKY is a business, I entirely get that. I'm just looking for a short-term solution for the finals over that period of ten days or whatever it is, if we're in it."

Garner said broadcasting the finals for free would be a good PR move for both the government and SKY.

At the time of writing, almost 1,500 people had signed the AM Show's petition on Change.org.

SKY TV declined to comment on the petition.