South African public-service broadcaster the SABC confirmed that it has signed a three-year deal worth about R215 million (€21 million/$27 million) with the South African Football Association for rights to the South African national football teams.
The SABC will become the exclusive free-to-air broadcaster of South Africa’s men’s national team, the women’s national team and the U-23 side. The agreement includes the rights to all the men’s home national team games from 2012-13 and any away friendly matches.
The deal comprises the same rights to the women’s and U-23 teams, although the SABC will be required to broadcast at least four and three games per year respectively for the two teams. SABC will also launch a new SAFA magazine programme.
The association has been selling its rights to the national team’s home games on a match-by-match basis for the last year, following the expiry of a five-year deal between the two parties in March 2011. SABC Group chief executive, Lulama Mokhobo, said the contract would provide a new certainty to the broadcast of South African national team football.
“Since the ending of the last contract, we were negotiating on a match-to-match basis, which posed challenges in our ability to plan adequately for transmission,” she said. “This also caused, in some instances, a situation where we broadcast delayed matches. Our viewers will now be able to enjoy more live matches, without the worry that they won’t be able to watch their national teams playing.”