The Blackout Bulletin

Cricket enthusiasts in South Africa are in for disappointment as the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has once again failed to secure the broadcasting rights for the upcoming series between the Proteas and India, commencing on Sunday, 10 December.

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This marks another setback in the ongoing struggle between Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the SABC to reach an agreement on broadcasting rights.

The failure to secure rights extends back to September when, just weeks before the Rugby World Cup, the national broadcaster announced its inability to acquire broadcasting rights for both the rugby and cricket World Cups.

In a bid to resolve the impasse, the South African government intervened, ultimately enabling the SABC to broadcast both tournaments to a widespread audience across the nation.

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The recent breakdown in negotiations for the India Tour 2023/24 has left millions of cricket fans without access to the matches on SABC. CSA expressed regret over the inability to strike a deal with the national broadcaster for the free-to-air television rights of the India tour.

Despite months of negotiations, the SABC presented an offer to CSA on 29 November, offering the broadcast rights at a significantly discounted rate. With the aim of making cricket accessible to a broader South African audience, CSA promptly accepted the offer on 7 December.

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However, just hours after CSA’s acceptance, the SABC informed them of their inability to broadcast the India tour due to a withdrawal of potential sponsors. CSA reiterated that the free-to-air rights remain available, and they are open to concluding an agreement if the SABC can secure sponsorship, ensuring that the India tour can be enjoyed by millions of South Africans.

This latest setback underscores the challenges in balancing the commercial aspects of broadcasting with the goal of making cricket widely accessible to the diverse segments of South African society.

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