Twitter: @springboks
JSE-listed pay-TV operator MultiChoice has reached an agreement with public broadcaster the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) that will allow rugby fans to get in on the 2023 World Cup action set to take place in France.
On Thursday, MultiChoice confirmed that the agreement allows the SABC to broadcast 16 matches.
The six-week-long affair will see a total of 48 games played, with the final reportedly set to take place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on 28 October.
According to a statement by MultiChoice, the SABC will be able to broadcast the following games:
The above fixtures will be available to SABC viewers even if the national team fails to make it past the knockout stages, MultiChocie confirmed.
“We are pleased to have reached an arrangement with the SABC in the spirit of cooperation,” CEO of MultiChoice SA Marc Jury said.
The nitty-gritty of the deal, such as how much the SABC is expected to fork out for the broadcasting rights, is still unclear.
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa welcomed the news on Thursday, saying that the deal means South Africans will be able to watch key matches in the tournament, including games played by the national team, the Springboks.
“I welcome this groundbreaking agreement, which will allow all South Africans to watch the world champions, the Springboks, as they defend their Rugby World Cup title,” Kodwa said.
“Rugby has the potential to unite our people, to foster social cohesion and national unity. We have seen this in the times the Springboks have won the Rugby World Cup,” he added.
The SABC has thanked its broadcast partners, Hollywoodbets and South African Breweries with the Castle Lager Brand who enabled the public broadcaster to secure these important rights.
It did, however, emphasize that the deal would exclude the OVHD (eMedia) platform because of the restrictive conditions that MultiChoice placed on the sub-licensing agreement.
This condition cuts off approximately 3.2 million South African households.
The Rugby World Cup 2023 kicks off on Friday when hosts France play New Zealand.
The Springboks will kick off their campaign on Sunday when they play Scotland at 17.45 pm.
Additional reporting by Moneyweb.
