SABC pays nothing to broadcast English football. Sports economist explains how

Lester Kiewit interviewed sports economist Nqobili Ndlovu.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation has bought broadcasting rights for the English Premier League (EPL), the world’s most-watched football competition.

It will be able to show five games every week of which one will be live.

It is a massive coup for the public broadcaster as South African fans previously would have to pay satellite providers such as MultiChoice to watch these games.

What stops the SABC from obtaining broadcasting rights to, for example, games by our national teams such as the world champion Springboks?

Lester Kiewit interviewed sports economist Nqobile Ndlovu (scroll up to listen – skip to 1:41).

Supersport pays the EPL about £168 million a year… Free-to-air rights are separate from pay-tv rights. That’s how the SABC has been able to circumvent the Supersport relationship to get these rights.

Nqobile Ndlovu, sports economist

The SABC needs premium content to raise advertising revenue… Sports bring in eyeballs… Supersport has exclusivity agreements… restricting the SABC from broadcasting these games [national sports teams] …

Nqobile Ndlovu, sports economist

This article first appeared on CapeTalk : SABC pays nothing to broadcast English football. Sports economist explains how

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