Government to regulate broadcasting rights to major national sports

On Thursday representatives of the "Big Six" sports in South Africa - soccer, rugby, cricket, athletics, boxing and golf - and the SABC, e.tv and SuperSport will make oral submissions to Icasa, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, who will then identify "national sporting interests" in consultation with the government.

After the oral submissions on Thursday a list will be drawn up by authorities of which events SuperSport will not be allowed exclusivity over.

The major sports are concerned that over-regulation could severely affect their funding if they were forced to do business with the SABC as the national broadcaster isn't as cash-flush as the pay channel. It's also feared that viewers could ultimately lose out as the SABC does not have the capacity to broadcast as much sport as SuperSport does.

The SABC has said that it does not mind who acquires the screening rights to sporting events of national interest, but that whoever acquires the rights should be obliged to sub-license them to the SABC at a nominal value. Such a stipulation could however mean that bidding companies would be less eager to acquire screening rights to major sports events.

After the oral submissions on Thursday a list will be drawn up by authorities of which events SuperSport will not be allowed exclusivity over. Icasa will publish the list in the first quarter of next year.