Temba Bavuma with Aiden Markram during their ODI against Australia at the Wanderers. File Picture: Muzi Ntombela, BackpagePix
Cricket followers in South Africa who do not have DStv will not be able to follow the Proteas’ exploits at the upcoming Cricket World Cup.
The World Cup gets under way in India with a rematch of the 2019 final when champions England take on runners-up New Zealand.
You won’t be able to watch it — or any other game for that matter — if you do not have DStv after Multichoice and the SABC failed to reach an agreement to share the rights.
ALSO READ: Multichoice disappointed in SABC for rejecting offer to broadcast Cricket World Cup
This is the same dance that occurred just before the Rugby World Cup kicked off last month, which ended with both parties coming to an agreement.
“Following extensive negotiations with Multichoice for the sub-leasing of the Cricket World Cup 2023 free-to-air broadcasting rights, the SABC regrets to announce that the corporation was not successful in securing these rights for South African audiences,” the national broadcaster said in a statement.
Confirmed :SABC will not broadcast Cricket World Cup after rejecting the fee quoted by MultiChoice to sub-license the rights.
— Cash N Sport (@CashNSport) October 3, 2023
Statement 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/MH4ETbAqc0
“The SABC has once again been disadvantaged in securing the broadcasting rights for one of the sporting codes classified as sport of national interest ...”
Like they had with the Rugby World Cup issue, the SABC went on to “apologise to all cricket fans and all South Africans”.
Earlier on Tuesday, Multichoice took a swipe at the broke SABC for rejecting the significantly reduced commercial terms for the rights.
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