The SABC has asked the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to extend the bid deadline for broadcasting rights so the public broadcaster can put together a possible tender offer and the PSL has agreed to extend the deadline.
The broadcasting rights are up for the Premier Soccer League in Sub-Saharan Africa for the 2019 to 2024 season.
So far it's been held by MultiChoice's SuperSport for the past decade after the SABC failed to put in a bid 10 years ago when its existing deal expired and the public broadcaster lost the rights.
Currently the SABC sub-licensed broadcasting rights so that public access broadcasting viewers can see some of the matches.
PSL chairperson Irvin Khoza on Wednesday after the league's annual general meeting in Sandton revealed that the PSL decided to extend the deadline for bids after the SABC requested more time.
Last week the SABC in parliament was asked whether it would be putting in a bid for the PSL broadcasting rights and told parliament's portfolio committee on communications that it would put together and submit a tender.
The PSL put out the broadcasting rights tender at the beginning of this month with an original deadline of 10 November.
"We briefed the members of PSL about the broadcasting rights which were supposed to be finalized on Wednesday but we've had to extend the deadline until Friday."
"This was prompted by SABC asking for an extra week because of the appointment of its new board. We gave them that extension to make sure that they get the equal chance."
"But what was also unique was that this time around we got applications from Vodacom‚ Telkom and Kwesé Sports. So it will be quite interesting to see what will be the outcome of these bids."
The PSL broadcasting rights include linear television - both pay-TV and public broadcasting, IPTV, internet streaming and mobile broadcasting of league matches.
