SAFA and SABC reach four year deal

Johannesburg – The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the South African Football Association (SAFA) have reached a four-year agreement on the broadcast rights of SAFA matches and events.

  The agreement will annually cover six Bafana Bafana matches; three home AFCON qualifiers; two international friendlies and the Nelson Mandela Challenge. The deal also covers five Banyana Banyana home friendly matches, including the Winnie Mandela Challenge;

domestic competitions including the U/19 Women’s National Championship Final, and also the Burger King U/20 National Championships Final, U/23 Men’s National Championships finals, ABC Motsepe National play- offs final, Kay Motsepe Schools final, Futsal and Beach Football National Championships Finals as well as the SASOL Women’s League finals, and various SAFA National Women’s League matches;

  SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe stated that in negotiating this deal with SAFA, the SABC needed to find a balance between fulfilling its public mandate and entering into a commercially viable agreement.

  “We understand the role we play in promoting sports of national interest and inspiring the next generation of sports stars,” Mxakwe said.

  SAFA president Dr Danny Jordaan said:

“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, in addition to various other important football development programmes, that has seen SAFA make a major impact on football on the continent.”

  SAFA acting CEO Russell Paul said SAFA and SABC had been hard at work over the past few months to ensure that these matches can be broadcast.

  “This augers well for the aspect of development funding to women’s football and general grassroots development,” he added.