It has pleased Dunedin woman Anne Marie Parsons (nee Devereux), who has followed Portsmouth since she first met her late husband, Charlie Parsons, in 1958.
Parsons was complaining to the Otago Daily Times sports department about the lack of television coverage when an email came through saying that Sky had secured the rights for the final.
"The pressure worked," Parsons said.
"I was appalled when I heard earlier in the week that there would be no live television coverage. It shows the power of the people."
Parsons had telephoned the Prime Minister's Office yesterday and sent an email to sports Minister Murray McCully about the issue.
Earlier in the week she had contacted Sky, TVNZ and TV3 to complain about the lack of live coverage.
TVNZ held the rights for the 2009 final when Chelsea beat Everton 2-1.
But the broadcaster was disappointed with an audience of just 20,000 and has put its energy and funding into the World Cup campaign.
Sky Sport's original bid was rejected and it assumed that it had gone to another New Zealand television network.
Sky Sport director of communications Tony O'Brien said from Auckland yesterday Sky lodged another bid when it realised no other network had picked it up.
"Getting an agreement at the last minute is better than nothing," O'Brien said.
The FA Cup final has been shown live in New Zealand for over 35 years and used to be the pinnacle of the football year for fans in New Zealand, who would wake up in the early hours to watch the game at Wembley.
There could be a fairytale ending to the game between premier league champion Chelsea and relegated wooden spooner Portsmouth.
Portsmouth beat Cardiff City 1-0 in the 2008 final but has since slumped into financial administration.
Dunedin sales manager and Portsmouth fan Regan Roff was relieved when he heard the news of the reprieve.
"Obviously, the pressure has worked and I'm more than happy.
I'm looking forward with anticipation to watch the game on Sunday morning."
He became a supporter of the club six years ago when he lived in Portsmouth and enjoyed the atmosphere at Fratton Park.
Dunedin City Council communications co-ordinator Rodney Bryant has been a Chelsea supporter for the last 60 years and a team scarf has pride of place in his office.
He expects his team to win 3-1.
Bryant was not too concerned when the game was not expected to be televised live.
"I'm of an age when it is an effort to get up and stay up to watch a televised game early in the morning," he said.
"I'm happy just to stay in bed and listen on the radio."
