SAFA-SABC Agreement Brings Joy To Soccer Starved South Africans

The South African Football Association (SAFA) and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) finally reached a 4-year agreement to broadcast SAFA events and matches.

The deal brokered between the two previously warring parties gave the SABC rights to broadcast Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana matches again since the previous deal had expired in 2018.

National team matches played at home disappeared off TV screens as the public broadcaster tried to come to grips with crippling financial losses and debt with the government coming in with huge bail-outs to keep the broadcaster afloat.

This is indeed sweet news to millions of South Africans as the beautiful game is the most loved and supported sport in the country and the majority of the millions who follow the game rely on the public broadcaster to keep up with football on radio and television. 

The news also comes as a huge relief to football starved soccer lovers across the country who rely on the SABC simply because they cannot afford pay television.

Football has been off-air for quite sometime as the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and SAFA huge monetary demands could not be met by the cash strapped SABC.

Millions of South Africans couldn’t watch football during the stand-off.

The agreement will cover:

— 6 Bafana Bafana matches (3 home AFCON qualifiers; 2 international friendlies and the Nelson Mandela Challenge);

— 5 Banyana Banyana home friendly matches‚ inclusive of the Winnie Mandela Challenge;

— Domestic competitions including; the Under-19 women’s national championship final‚ Burger King Under-20 national championships final‚ Under-23 men’s national championships finals‚ ABC Motsepe national play-offs final‚ KAY Motsepe schools final‚ Futsal and Beach football national championships finals

— SASOL women’s league finals and various SAFA national women’s league matches

— A weekly SAFA magazine show

— the SAFA Annual Awards

In a joint media statement between the SAFA and SABC welcomed the agreement.

SABC’s Group Chief Executive Officer Madoda Mxakwe highlighted on key considerations in signing on the dotted line.

 “In negotiating this deal with Safa‚ the SABC needed to find a balance between fulfilling its public mandate and entering into an agreement which was commercially viable. We understand the role we play in promoting sports of national interest and inspiring the next generation of sports stars.” said Mxakwe.

SAFA President Danny Jordan was equally elated to bring the games to homes of South African and rest of the continent.

“As Safa we are pleased to have finally come to an agreement with the public broadcaster which is in the public interest and the good of the game‚”

‘‘After protracted negotiations‚ it is great that the public will once again get to watch Bafana Bafana‚ Banyana Banyana and other national teams matches on SABC ” said Jordan

The Nelson Mandela Cup between South Africa’s Bafafa Bafana and Eagles of Mali played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth became the first game to be broadcast by the SABC after many months in the wilderness.

By Gerald Dandah