DStv’s SuperSport and SABC strike last-minute deal – MyBroadband

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has secured last-minute rights to broadcast the Springboks’ Rugby Championship clash against New Zealand on Saturday, 31 August 2024.

The public broadcaster concluded a once-off agreement with MultiChoice’s SuperSport for the broadcast rights in partnership with SA Rugby and the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture.

According to a statement from the SABC, the agreement marks the historical occasion celebrating 30 years of democracy in the country.

“As the country celebrates this historic democratic milestone, SuperSport is delighted that the occasion will be marked by the two titanic rugby nations doing battle at the famous Ellis Park Stadium,” it said.

“This is the same venue where the Springboks beat the All Blacks to lift the 1995 World Cup, barely one year into democracy.”

SuperSport CEO Rendani Ramovha said the agreement resulted from discussions with the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and the Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie.

“It is fitting that we have partnered with the SABC on this one particular occasion to bring this match to television viewers,” said Ramovha.

He emphasised that the agreement is a once-off occasion. SARU president Mark Alexander thanked MultiChoice’s SuperSport for its generosity.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 17:00 on Saturday, 31 August, with the build-up starting at 15:45. It will be broadcast on SuperSport Rugby, SuperSport Grandstand, SABC 2, SABC Sport, and SABC+.

“The build-up will be preceded by a 30 minutes-long documentary, celebrating 30 years of democracy and rugby’s unifying role in our young democracy,” says the SABC.

Speaking during a media briefing regarding the agreement on Friday, 31 August, McKenzie said SuperSport was taking a financial loss on the deal.

“Let’s be honest about it. SuperSport is going to suffer some financial losses, but they said this is not important for us at the moment. It’s important that the nation sees the game,” he said.

However, he noted that SuperSport couldn’t be expected to do so every game, adding that he and communications minister Solly Malatsi would ask the Minister of Finance for more funding.

eMedia and the SABC have been battling MultiChoice’s sports rights exclusivity, including live matches featuring South Africa’s national rugby and cricket teams.

Asked about eMedia’s OpenView, Alexander indicated that the broadcaster hadn’t tried to negotiate sub-licencing rights.

“The word sub-licence means you should be negotiating. You can’t want to sub-licence by not talking or putting your name in the ring,” he said.

SuperSport’s once-off agreement with SABC comes after McKenzie faced accusations of lying in a statement where he said he was working with the broadcasters to strike a deal.

“I’ve got very good news… I met with SuperSport and I am happy to tell you that you will be able to watch the Springboks and New Zealand game, even if you do not have a decoder,” McKenzie said in an interview.

However, SuperSport released a statement several hours later, emphasising that it hadn’t concluded such an agreement with any broadcaster.

In his response to the backlash, McKenzie said SuperSport had made it clear how much the SABC needed to pay to make a deal happen and that he was working on making it a reality.

These recent negotiations came after the minister had some stern words for MultiChoice, the SABC, and eMedia in July 2024.

He gave the broadcasters a “friendly warning” but added that he was prepared to “go to war” to expand access to live sports matches featuring South African national teams.

“The national team doesn’t belong to MultiChoice or SABC or E-tv. None of them should act like the national team belongs to them,” he said.

“I’m not going to be an enabler of the majority of our people not being able to watch the national rugby team or soccer team.”

However, following meetings with MultiChoice, McKenzie softened his rhetoric and publicly thanked the pay-TV broadcaster for the billions it pours into local sports, arts, and culture.

“We spoke about solutions regarding the problems of access to main matches by most South Africans and I left the meeting highly impressed. The future is indeed bright,” he said in a Twitter/X post earlier this month.