Premier Soccer League boss Irvin Khoza slams South Africa's broadcaster regulator; warns that Icasa's dumb and destructive sports rights regulations will destroy and dump SA sports back in the 1980's.

South Africa's Premier Soccer League (PSL) and its boss Irvin Khoza on Tuesday slammed South Africa's broadcasting regulator, Icasa, over its foolish, dangerous and destructive draft regulations to reorganise TV sports contents rights in the country, warning that Icasa's damaging regulations plan threatens to derail, destroy and collapse soccer and other sports in South Africa and will dump the country's sports back in the 1980's.

The shocking and daft draft regulations (published here) and proposed by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) will inflict serious harm on sports, sports bodies and sports broadcasting in South Africa in totality.

The uninformed and shocking impact will destroy sports broadcasting in South Africa that will devolve into a downward spiral of mediocrity, and gut different sporting codes heavily dependent on the influx of money and the sponsorships funneled to sport groups because of televised licensing rights.

Sports bodies, like for instance soccer and rugby, managed by groups like the Premier Soccer League and Rugby South Africa, will no longer be able to decide for themselves who to awards TV sports rights to - usually the highest available bidder, for instance SuperSport - with a lot of that money channeled back into paying players, upliftment and development, maintaining championship standards and organising.

While pay-TV sports broadcasters like MultiChoice, SuperSport, FOX Sports and China's StarTimes and StarSat and their pay-TV viewers will directly suffer due to curtailed sports content, free-to-air broadcasters like the SABC and e.tv offered rights won't be necessarily able to afford it or willing to pay for it.

The forcing of free rights given to free-to-air channels will also mean no money for sports bodies, and no incentive for pay-TV broadcasters to show the content viewers can watch anywhere.

Forced to give rights - in some cases for free and rights holders in some cases banned from signing with their own-choice preferred bidder - Icasa's foolhardy plan to force more sports to a free-to-air system, will mean less money for sports bodies.

That in turn will lead to a lowering of standards, sports bodies unable to afford top talent, and an overall steady decline of not just televised sports but the actual quality of matches.

After an initial February deadline, Icasa has now pushed the deadline for public comment on its controversial Draft Sports Broadcasting Services Amendment Regulations from 4 February to mid-March.

On Tuesday after an extraordinary board of governors meeting in Johannesburg by the PSL, PSL chairman Irvin Khoza in a scathing rebuke, slammed Icasa for its alleged failure to consult with the TV industry, sports broadcasters and sports bodies, and warning that Icasa could collapse soccer and sport in South Africa with its regulations.

Irvin Khoza said Icasa's sports rights regulations will cripple the PSL that would lose 80% of its annual revenue and implode the football organisation and its member clubs desperately dependent on the income derived from sports rights deals.

"Icasa wants to do this after the hard work we have put in. Players would not be getting paid as much if it wasn't for our current funding model. The current broadcast deal took work and time," said Irvin Khoza.

"We did not break the law. Everything we did was within the framework. We did the work necessary. The broadcast deal [with SuperSport] has had an enormous impact on the state of South African football. Without it, the PSL dies," Irvin Khoza warned.

"Without adequate funding, this industry as we know it will collapse and will be back to what it was back in the 1980's. Clubs will cut support staff to the bone and our grant of R11 million to South African Football Association (Safa) will no longer be available."

"I hope this is an error from Icasa. It is also a form of exclusion. They did not consult or try to understand our industry," said Irvin Khoza.

"We will defend ourselves rigorously. We will exhaust all options available to us. If this is not resolved, we will shut down the PSL."

Premier Soccer League blocks the SABC from airing any further PSL matches on SABC radio, citing the broadcaster's failure to adhere to the production and airing agreements of the contract.

South Africa's Premier Soccer League (PSL) has blocked the South African public broadcaster from broadcasting any further PSL matches on any of the SABC's radio stations, citing the broadcaster's failure the past few years to adhere to the production and airing of PSL promos to promote PSL content.

The SABC will continue to broadcast PSL matches on SABC television, with the new PSL season that kicked off on 4 August, and is also being televised by SuperSport on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

The PSL decision comes after the SABC approached the PSL as late as Thursday the past week with a contract for coverage and licensing rights of the new PSL season. The PSL turned it down.

That led the SABC to issue a statement late on Friday, abruptly informing the South African public that PSL matches on SABC radio is a thing of the past. The minister of sport, Tokozile Xasa, will now intervene as radio listeners making use of the SABC's radio services are shocked and angry about the SABC's inability to provide coverage.

The SABC in a statement on Friday late afternoon said "the SABC would like to advise the South African public that it will not broadcast the PSL matches on radio".

"This decision follows careful consideration to the SABC's business operations and the unsuccessful negotiations with the PSL to secure the broadcast rights for soccer matches on radio. The SABC and PSL could not reach a consensus with regards to the terms of the contract and this has unfortunately led to the SABC not being able to close the deal with the PSL."

"At this stage the SABC will only broadcast the PSL soccer matches on its television platform."

The SABC said it "will not be coerced to conclude business deals which may compromise its business operations. The SABC was only informed this afternoon that it is prohibited to broadcast the PSL matches on radio and greatly regrets this outcome."

What the SABC failed to mention, was why the PSL didn't sign a new contract with the public broadcaster, which is the SABC's failure for the past number of years to keep to the agreed upon stipulations of the contract to produce at the SABC's cost, and air, promos about the PSL that the SABC should broadcast on SABC radio to promote PSL soccer.

The SABC wants to shift the responsibility of the production costs - believed to be around R40 million - to the PSL, after it also failed to produce the agreed-upon promos for SABC radio the last few years for PSL coverage.

The SABC further owes Michael Owen Productions R15 million - a case that is currently embroiled in a legal dispute - after the service provider helped the SABC for 3 years to produce this content so that the public broadcaster can keep to its end of its PSL contract.

SABC Sport abruptly took it over only to then fail and not produce a single radio promo for the PSL.

Mato Madlala, acting PSL CEO, on Friday 3 August, sent a letter to all PSL clubs, instructing them to bar all SABC radio personnel.

"The league has today received a letter from the SABC repudiating its obligations under the radio broadcast and promotion agreement."

"Until such time as we receive confirmation from the SABC that they will meet their obligations, the SABC radio cannot be permitted to cover Absa Premiership matches."

"Please ensure that no SABC radio personnel are permitted access to any matches and/or allow any are allowed to cover any matches until such time as the league receives confirmation from the SABC that they will meet their obligations under the agreement".

Irvin Khoza, PSL chairperson, is expected to hold a press conference on Monday to explain how the SABC failed to keep to its end of the bargain regarding SABC radio broadcasts of PSL promos.

The minister of sport, Thokozile Xasa, in a statement on Saturday said "Soccer is the sport mostly followed by the poor and the working class in our country, the rural mass, taxi operators and truck drivers who solely depend on radio to follow this beautiful game."

"I will be meeting with all relevant parties this coming week as this decision threatens social cohesion in our country and threatens jobs of many broadcasting sports journalists. The decisions they make in boardrooms must never affect the majority of our people negatively. I have full confidence that we will reach a decision that will satisfy the majority of soccer-loving people."

BREAKING. SuperSport again awarded the pay-TV broadcasting rights to SA's Premier Soccer League (PSL) in new 5-year deal.

The pay-sportscaster SuperSport has again been awarded the pay-TV broadcasting rights for South Africa's Premier Soccer League (PSL) for 5-years in a new long-term deal following a public tender process.

SuperSport didn't reveal the sticker price of the broadcast rights acquisition but calls access to the PSL "a cornerstone of the SuperSport broadcast business".

The new half-decade deal means that PSL games will continue to be shown on MultiChoice's DStv until at least 2024.

The cash-strapped South African public broadcaster was unsuccessful in securing any rights, as were the telecoms operator Vodacom.

The SABC sub-licensed on a part-time broadcast basis the rights from SuperSport to show some of the games.

The SABC indicated last month that it would put in a bid and asked the PSL for an extension of the deadline date to put a bid together; a request that was granted.

SuperSport clinched the pay-TV broadcasting rights for the Premier Soccer League in Sub-Saharan Africa for the 2019 to 2024 season.

MultiChoice's SuperSport held the rights 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.

"We are delighted to have been successful with our bid," says Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO.

"This decision allows us to further entrench an outstanding soccer product in the hearts and minds of supporters across the continent.

"Having recently celebrated our 10-year partnership with the PSL, this is a tremendous opportunity to further help grow and nourish the sport.This agreement will do much for South African football, for footballers and indeed their families," says Gideon Khobane.

SuperSport says PSL matches are "a cornerstone of the SuperSport broadcast business" chiefly because "the league is vibrant, competitive and hugely popular. Capturing its essence week in and week out has been a challenge SuperSport has faithfully grasped".

"We will continue to walk this amazing path with the PSL. SuperSport looks forward to an enduring partnership with the PSL," says Gideon Khobane.

PSL chairperson Irvin Khoza says it is "delighted to continue its special relationship which has existed over a 10-year period and has seen the Absa Premiership grow into a world class product".

"Under the terms of the arrangement Absa Premiership matches will continue to be covered on a free-to-air basis, acknowledging the requirements of its fans throughout South Africa".

Premier Soccer League (PSL) agrees to extend the deadline for bids for broadcasting rights after the SABC asks for an extension.

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.

SuperSport and PSL celebrate the 10 year anniversary of its PSL TV rights partnership; 'scores of DStv dishes on township roofs illustrates how much local soccer resonates'.

"There are scores of DStv dishes on township roofs, which illustrates how much local soccer resonates with local fans," Imtiaz Patel, CEO of Video Entertainment at Naspers and former SuperSport CEO, said on Saturday night at the SuperSport PSL 10 Year Gala celebration of its PSL TV rights partnership.

"We have made every effort to produce affordable viewing packages, and the response has been humbling. The strength of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) is its vibrancy and energy. We hope to continue to play our part in what has become a case study in sport partnership," said Imtiaz Patel.

SuperSport and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) celebrated their 10th anniversary since the landmark pay-TV deal between the subscription sports broadcaster and the South African soccer league was signed amidst great controversy a decade ago on 13 June 2007.

A decade ago SuperSport took over the PSL live TV rights from the SABC after it clinched a new rights deal after the SABC completely failed to respond at all during the window period to renegotiate rights. Since then the public broadcaster gets to show some games but with restrictions. 

Since then the SuperSport TV rights deal completely revolutionised not just PSL broadcasting in the country upping production values and increasing the volume of content and ancillary magazine shows, but professionalism within the PSL and matches itself, propelling it to one of the top 10 soccer leagues in the world in terms of revenue.

The SuperSport PSL 10 Year Celebration bash held at the Sandton Convention Centre attracted a large group of the top soccer bosses and pay-TV executives in South Africa, as well as celebrities and politicians including the ministers of sport and communications.

In an on-air TV talent announcement, Minnie Dlamini was officially welcomed as the latest new SuperSport presenter who will do duty across several SuperSport shows, as well as a new lifestyle and entertainment TV show, as yet unnamed, on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) and co-produced by SuperSport.

"I can't help but be both humbled and excited by what the past 10 years have delivered, not least in the part we played in giving South African soccer the respect and prominence it deserves. It truly now has a place in the sun," said Imtiaz Patel. 

"The relationship was a defining moment for the industry in this country," said dr Irvin Khoza, PSL chairman. "It's been far more than a mere investment in the PSL. Development has benefited, too, with club academics producing top players". 

Where there used to be 75 PSL matches broadcast per year, 250 are not broadcast live and there's the decidicated SuperSport PSL channel in high definition (HD) on DStv that shows 180 matches live.

Other interesting broadcasting facts from the SuperSport and PSL partnership:

• Up to 30 cameras are used per production, up from 10 a decade ago.
• There are multiple commentary options with state-of-the-art graphics.
• Apart from the use of pundits, commentators and analysts, the partnership also spurred job creation in both television and soccer.
•  Global interest in the PSL is constant with requests from African countries, UAE, Scandinavia and even the US for broadcast of PSL matches.
• The partnership also gave rise to the MultiChoice Diski Challenge, a feeder competition to the PSL, which has proven a staggering success.
• A higher percentage of clubs have sponsors than ever before; they can now get a better return on investment through additional broadcast exposure.