The SABC will be paying rights holder SportFive R28 million in a new deal for the broadcasting rights to all Bafana Bafana soccer matches in which the South African national soccer team plays qualifying matches outside of South Africa an on the African continent until 2015.
The R28 million deal between South Africa's public broadcaster comes almost a month after the SABC and the South African Football Association (Safa) signed a new deal for R215 million over the next 3 years to show all Bafana Bafana matches played in South Africa as well as Banyana Banyana and under-23 soccer matches.
The SABC and SportFive have been in a bitter battle over Bafana Bafana broadcasting rights the past two years, with the SABC which had to fork out millions on a match by match basis bordering on extortion, whilst viewers demanded to see the out-of-country games.
That pitted the SABC against the French-based company which holds the media rights to all Confederation of African Football (CAF) matches, which forced the SABC into last minute negotiations with SportFive. Hasty deals led to shoddy technical production values, missed signals, dropped signals, delayed broadcasting and no broadcasting, last minute scheduling nightmares and acrimonious accusations from viewers, as well as from the SABC and SportFive against each other.
The new R28 million deal comes in time for tomorrow's Bafana Bafana match between South Africa and Botswana. The SABC's CEO, Lulama Mokhobo said the SABC isn't expecting a return on its investment and will at the very least manage to "break even".
"We are a national broadcaster and we are mandated to screen certain events. When it comes to the national sports, and especially Bafana, where the majority of South Africans are interested, then the decision is not only based on profits," said Lulama Mokhobo.
"We, as SportFive, are pleased to have concluded this deal with the SABC on behalf of our clients, CAF," said its managing director Idriss Akki.
