SuperSport, the sub-Saharan pay-television broadcaster, has struck an agreement to show matches involving South African Premier Soccer League teams Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates later today (Wednesday).
The Pirates will play Seychelles-based team Light Stars in the preliminary round of the Confederation of African Football’s Champions League competition, while Kaizer Chiefs face Tanzanian club Zimamoto in the opening round of the second-tier Caf Confederation Cup.
Both matches will be broadcast by SuperSport after a late agreement was reached. According to South African newspaper The Times, SuperSport only agreed the deal with the clubs this week ahead of today’s matches.
The Times noted that today’s two other Caf matches involving South African clubs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Free State Stars, will not be broadcast by SuperSport or South African public-service broadcaster SABC, with the latter experiencing financial problems.
In an email to The Times, Neo Momodu, general executive of corporate affairs and marketing for SABC, said: “Due to the dire financial situation of the SABC‚ broadcast rights for the Caf Champions League and Confederation Cup were not acquired. The SABC will not be broadcasting the said matches.”
SuperSport communications manager Clinton van der Berg told the newspaper that the deals were struck late in the day as the broadcaster had to wait for an approach from the Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs before acquiring the rights.