South African public-service broadcaster the SABC has agreed a three-year deal with the Sportfive agency for rights to the away matches of the South African national football team. The deal is worth R28 million ($3.3 million/€2.6 million).
SABC will be the exclusive free-to-air broadcaster of South Africa’s three remaining away qualifying matches for the 2014 Fifa World Cup, followed by three away qualifiers for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
Sportfive Africa managing director Idriss Aki said: “These negotiations have been long and difficult, but as always we have arrived at a position that works for both Sportfive and the SABC.”
The deal finally offers fans of the South African national team certainty that they will be able to watch their team’s away matches, following last-minute deals for Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt and Niger last year. A deal between SABC and Sportfive for the Egypt match was only reached two days before the game, while the deal for the Niger was struck with only 40 minutes to kick-off (TV Sports Markets 16:2).