The face of South African sports broadcasting, including local professional football, could change drastically and it is not clear yet whether for better or worse after the approval of the acquisition of MultiChoice by Canal+.
The long-awaited deal is expected to be effective by the end of this year and broadcasting experts say the French media giant could take the TV production of sports in South Africa to a new level.
While they agree Canal+ will further improve the competitiveness of rights and their value in South Africa, the experts are unsure if the French group will continue to support grassroots sports developments projects as MultiChoice did so effectively, especially in football, rugby and cricket. Almost all major sports in South Africa are reliant on the large broadcast deals SuperSport has provided for financial health and spending power.
The Premier Soccer League is in the middle of a five-year broadcast deal with MultiChoice subsidiary SuperSport that was signed at the end of 2022. That contract is believed to be worth over R2bn and sees SuperSport televising all 240 Betway Premiership matches in a season with the SABC sub-licensing a limited number of games, including cup competitions.
Football sponsorship guru Sgwili Gumede said the arrival of Canal+ seems sure to bring many changes with regards to how people consume PSL matches and other sports in South Africa. He said the new company's packages may change — for instance, those who want a sports package only may now have that available.
But Gumede sees the SABC having a huge advantage in changing the complexion of the broadcasting game if they link up with a private partner to win the PSL deal, like they recently did with Hollywoodbets in acquiring the rights for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in December and January.
“There's evidence the PSL is attracting some good numbers and those numbers include [matches televised on] the SABC. It's an opportunity for both the rightsholder and the broadcaster to rethink how they package these rights and how they get them circulated and sub-licensed in a manner that is sustainable and delivers better value for everyone,” Gumede told TimesLIVE Premium.
Canal+ will probably use the rights [owned by] SuperSport to broadcast on its own platforms because those guys are in about 26 countries on the continent, mainly the French-speaking ones.
— Broadcasting expert
“I've always thought that the best way for a free-to-air channel with the big numbers of SABC was going to work if they get commercial partners they can work with [to help procure the rights], and there's a number of them [available out there].
“The SABC should be able to deliver the value to their partners and it's amazing something like that has not happened until now. Most of the rightsholders will tell you they need to have a free-to-air partner on their package because taking the highest bidder is not always right for the fans.”
Another broadcasting expert, who preferred not to be named, said, while Canal+ may bring in positive aspects, the biggest concern is whether they'll continue supporting sports development programmes in South Africa the way MultiChoice has.
“What's clear for now is whenever we're talking to Canal+ they say, 'If your brand is strong, they're not interested in shutting it down.' I don't think they're going to get rid of the Dstv or SuperSport brands. For now, it seems those things will remain the same and people will probably continue to get the offerings as normal.
“Canal+ will probably use the rights [owned by] SuperSport to broadcast on its own platforms because those guys are in about 26 countries on the continent, mainly the French-speaking ones.
“The part people are concerned with the most is what does Canal+ do with the developmental projects around sports because MultiChoice has invested in schools' rugby, the Dstv Diski Challenge [PSL reserve and U-23 league] in football and so forth? And remember those things don't necessarily make money.
“But those things are very important because they are a talent pipeline for Bafana and the Springboks. Without South African owners, how much do the French guys care about investing in some of those projects?”
Speaking at the PSL Awards in July, league chair Irvin Khoza addressed the imminent deal that will see his body having new faces at the negotiating table and covering its matches with characteristic gusto.
“SuperSport has been with us since 2007 as the main anchor in the lifeline of the PSL,” he said. “We've achieved great things together in this journey. For me as I stand here as chairman of the PSL, I read in the newspapers they're now in transition.
“It seems there's a new partner coming into play. But to the [PSL’s] club chairs and supporters, let's show them it's not a bad investment to invest in the company that has been anchored by the PSL locally and also on the continent.
“I don't have the details, but I know in terms of our approach to making sure we maintain the momentum and attractiveness of brand PSL and product PSL, they'll find us ready and waiting.”
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