SABC and SuperSport strike deal for Springbok match

MultiChoice-owned Supersport has partnered with the South African Broadcasting Commission (SABC) to allow the public broadcaster to air the Springboks versus Italy match on 12 July.

The match will take place at 17:10 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha and air on SABC 2, SABC radio stations, and SuperSport on DStv, allowing all South Africans to tune in.

SuperSport said the two media houses reached a broadcast agreement as the match marks the 30th anniversary of the Springboks’ 1995 World Cup Victory.

“Whether in a township, village, or city, every citizen should be able to relive the spirit of 1995 — a spirit of hope, unity, and excellence,” SABC Group CEO Nomsa Chabeli said.

“We therefore extend our deepest appreciation to the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and SuperSport for enabling this collaborative agreement.”

Saru president Mark Alexander said the union was working closely with the country’s broadcasters to ensure all citizens could attend the occasion.

He echoed Chabeli’s sentiment, adding that the 1995 triumph revealed the power of sport in bringing people together and inspiring a country still finding its feet in a young democracy.

“SuperSport is pleased to be able to contribute to the country’s celebration of 30 years of Springbok excellence since that unforgettable moment in 1995,” SuperSport CEO Rendani Ramovha said.

However, he added that 2025 also marks a significant milestone for MultiChoice’s sports broadcasting unit.

“This year also marks 30 years of SuperSport as a stand-alone channel, and we are proud to share this milestone with the most successful rugby nation in men’s Rugby World Cup history.”

The announcement follows concerns that access to Springbok matches in person and on TV is too expensive for most people.

Last weekend, the Boks took on the Barbarians in Cape Town. The match was only aired on SuperSport, a pay-TV broadcaster, with many saying that tickets were also unaffordable.

Sport, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie raised this issue last year when he assumed office, making it his mission to “make rugby more accessible.”

His first move was concluding a last-minute agreement between SuperSport and the SABC to broadcast a Springbok match against New Zealand. McKenzie says that these talks are still ongoing.

“We have reached such a high level that we realised the only way to do this is for the government to give money to the broadcaster,” said McKenzie.

”Teams are literally dependent on broadcasting fees… on the money they get from giving exclusivity to certain broadcasters.”

Exclusive broadcasting rights

A deal must be struck between the SABC and SuperSport for the state broadcaster to air the game because MultiChoice owns the exclusive broadcasting rights.

A research paper by David Martimort and Jerome Pouyet argues that allocating rights to a dominant firm maximises revenue.

In this case, the dominant firm, such as MultiChoice in South Africa, will earn more revenue than a firm with lower viewership rates would lose if it were not granted access to the rights.

By allocating exclusive rights to the dominant firm, this firm can increase its competitive advantage, enhance market power, and generate more revenue for the industry through advertising and subscription fees.

A South African Rugby Union (Saru) spokesperson recently told MyBroadband that roughly half of the money from selling broadcast rights funds the playing and development of men’s and women’s rugby.

They explained that removing broadcasting rights exclusivity would starve the industry of the revenue needed to keep the sport attractive to broadcasters.

However, this creates a dilemma for sports in South Africa, where many citizens can’t afford access to DStv Premium, the home of the SuperSport Grandstand and SuperSport Rugby channels.

In addition, the SABC’s historical mismanagement and financial instability have put it in a position where it cannot sublicense the rights from SuperSport, let alone challenge MultiChoice for them.