South African rugby fans have found an unexpected hero in Zizi Kodwa, the country’s Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture. Until as late as yesterday afternoon – a day before the 2023 Rugby World Cup kickoff – it was understood that MultiChoice and the South African Broadcasting Corporation wouldn’t come to an agreement for the tournament’s sub-licensing rights.
Kodwa’s saving grace
That’s all changed after Kodwa’s comments on Wednesday imploring the two entities to play nice. MultiChoice has confirmed that the SABC will be allowed to broadcast some of the World Cup matches after the South African broadcaster accepted a deal made to it back in August.
“A total of 16 matches may be broadcast by the SABC, including the opening ceremony and opening match, all matches that the Springboks participate in, two quarter-final matches, one semi-final, the bronze final, the final and the closing ceremony. Should the Springboks not qualify for the knockout stages, the above matches will, in any event, be available for broadcast,” said MultiChoice in a statement (via TechCentral).
And just in time, too. The Springboks’ first game against Scotland will kick off on Sunday, 10 September at 17:45.
SABC takes issue
In spite of the new deal, the SABC still isn’t happy with MultiChoice’s offer due to the omission of terms that would allow the matches to be shown on Openview’s free-to-air SABC channels, excluding 3.2 million households from watching the RWC. If only it could afford to complain.
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“The SABC regrets this irrational decision by MultiChoice, especially in light of Minister Zizi Kodwa’s emphasis that “rugby plays a critical role in nation building and social cohesion”. The SABC hopes that in the interest of nation building and social cohesion, MultiChoice will remove this restrictive condition to enable all South Africans to get behind the Boks,” it said.
According to MyBroadband, the matches will be broadcast on SABC channel 2, with radio coverage extending to 11 of the broadcaster’s stations. However, if you’re hoping to watch all 48 games, you’ll still require a DStv Premium subscription.
Alternatively, RugbyPass TV is a free streaming service from World Rugby that hosts more than 10,000 hours of content, including every previous tournament. Now, if only there was a way to make the internet think you’re in a different location…