by Thinus Ferreira
SuperSport has dropped the broadcasting rights for Zambia Super League and will not renew it after the end of the current 2024/25 season in May.
Zambia is one of the countries, like Nigeria, where MultiChoice Africa is battling to try and stem DStv subscriber losses in weakened African economies ravaged by extreme inflation and sliding local currencies.
SuperSport in a statement notes that in its "quest to grow Zambian domestic football, made considerable investments into the league and the football community, as well as upskilling local talent, which also grew the capacity of the country's live sports broadcast industry – ensuring production teams consisted of a majority of Zambian citizens".
SuperSport CEO Rendani Ramovha, in a prepared quote, says "This partnership with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is one we are very proud of".
"SuperSport has invested considerably in the upliftment of Zambian and African football as a whole. We remain Africa's biggest broadcaster and we are proud of the contribution we have made to Zambian football and the growth of live sports broadcasting as an industry in the country."
"Looking back from where we started in 2007, and with the skills we have imparted to the local economy, sportspeople and the community, we believe we are leaving the league in a better place."
Andrew Kamanga, FAZ president, in the same statement, says "We understand that the global industry changes, in addition to local socio-economic factors such as rising costs and load-shedding have impacted the MultiChoice and SuperSport business".
"Although the 18-year broadcast rights partnership concludes at the end of the current 2024/25 Zambia Super League season in May, we appreciate the professional manner in which the matter has been handled by both entities."
SuperSport says besides the statement with prepared quotes it "will not be making any further statements on this matter at this time".
