SABC unable to broadcast Banyana games

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has lost the rights to show Banyana Banyana’s two crucial 2024 Olympic qualifiers against Tanzania.

According to reports, SABC is still trying to conclude negotiations with the South African Football Association (Safa).

The public broadcaster failed to air Banyana’s Olympic qualifier match on Friday which Desire Ellis’s charges won 3-0 in the first leg

“The challenge is that the SABC wants the rights, but they don’t have money,” Sunday Times reported.

“That’s the paramount reason the negotiations have dragged for so long. It is on that basis the two parties have fallen out. SuperSport were prepared to come in. That’s why we are here,” Sunday Times wrote.

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Safa CEO Lydia Monyepao recently said the organisation was still open to offers to conclude the deal from the public broadcaster, whose previous three-year contract expired in November 2023.

“We are still negotiating with the SABC for the free-to-air broadcast rights, and the door is not closed,” she said.

Mmone Seapolelo, acting group executive for corporate affairs and marketing at the SABC said they were still working on a deal to secure the rights to air Banyana matches.

SABC FAIL TO BROADCAST BANYANA GAMES

“In terms of the upcoming home leg, the corporation can confirm that it is doing everything in its power to secure the rights and would like to further state that the contractual negotiations between SABC and Safa are at an advanced stage to broadcast the upcoming games,” she said.

Banyana Banyana play Tanzania on Tuesday in the second leg of their Olympic qualifiers but it’s uncertain if SABC will broadcast the game.