SABC has not had the space on its schedule to broadcast live all national team matches – including women’s team and junior team matches – and has instead broadcast some late at night on a delayed basis.
“We want all our matches live regardless if they are Bafana [men’s senior national team] or junior national teams,” an association official was quoted as saying by the local press. “There’s value for money when matches are broadcast live. No one watches so late at night. The SABC have Premier Soccer League], Bafana, national first division and other sporting codes to cover and the load has become too heavy for them with only one channel. The new deal should be beneficial to all parties and whoever is interested in acquiring rights can come aboard.”
The association is looking for a five-year deal worth around R50 million (€5.2 million/$7.5 million) to R70 million per year for the men’s senior national team. It is looking for around R100 million per year for the rights for the other six national teams – the women’s senior national team, the men’s under-23 team, women’s and men’s U-20 teams and women’s and men’s U-17 teams.