Springboks vs Ireland: SABC No Longer to Televise Matches, Rugby Fans Indifferent
- The SABC has announced it will no longer be broadcasting the 2024 Inbound Ireland tour and incoming Inbound Springboks Test matches
- The public broadcaster previously announced it had reached a deal with pay-TV channel Supersport to televise the clashes last week
- The determination not to broadcast was based on recent urgent litigation at the Competition Appeal Court over broadcast rights
- Springboks and rugby fans were indifferent over the news, with some airing that the outcome did not surprise them, while others were vexed
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South Africa hosted Ireland in the first Test of an Inbound two-match series at Loftus Versfeld in Tshwane on Saturday, 6 July, after the news the SABC would no longer televise the matches.
The second clash between the world champions and second-placed Ireland takes centre stage at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Saturday, 13 July.
SABC retracts original statement
According to a TimesLIVE report, the SABC announced it had reached a deal with pay-TV channel Supersport to televise the clashes last week.
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However, hours before the live action, which the public broadcaster planned to air on a delayed basis on SABC2 in terms of the agreement, it doubled back on its original statement.
It stated it would now only broadcast the matches through its radio stations.
The SABC added that it would continually strive to achieve its sports broadcast mandate without compromising its commercial objectives.
"[We] remain committed to broadcasting sporting events of national interest [and] will be broadcasting all six Inbound Springbok matches [on the various] African language stations and Radio 2000 ."
The SABC stated that the determination to broadcast this way was based on the recent urgent litigation at the Competition Appeal Court.
Litigation process buffer broadcasting
The litigation process involved the broadcast rights to the Test matches, which necessitated the public broadcaster to review its decision to continue with the sub-licence agreement concluded with MultiChoice.
It follows the Competition Tribunal's decision in April to grant eMedia interim relief pending the final determination of its complaint to the commission.
Alternatively, eMedia could get six months on the case it brought forward.
eMedia accused the owner of Supersport, MultiChoice, of abusing its perceived dominant position by finalising anticompetitive and restrictive sub-licensing agreements with the SABC.
eMedia alleged that MultiChoice prevented the latter from broadcasting major sporting events sub-licensed to the public broadcaster on the SABC's channels carried on eMedia's OpenView platform.
Rugby fans air their take
Springboks and rugby fans were indifferent over the news, with some airing that the outcome did not surprise them, while others were vexed
Briefly News takes a look at the reactions.
@KkKakaza wrote:
"No surprise. The big surprise was when they announced they would televise the games."
@pull_dr said:
"@GaytonMcK, come on. Minister these are injustices that you should be prioritising."
@lucky_mankgane vented:
"SABC is useless. That's why I don't pay TV license, mxm."
@NotYetUhuru1 wrote:
"@SABCNews would rather show us 30-year-old 'Mokgonyana Mmatswale' drama instead of the national teams playing."
Boks triumph over gutsy Ireland for first time in 8 years
In other news, Briefly News recently reported that a formidable Springboks side overcame a late scare to triumph over Ireland in a Test that had it all.
The result ensured that the three-time world champions recorded their first win over the second-ranked Ireland in eight years.
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Source: Briefly News
