PSL, SABC BROADCAST DEAL COLLAPSES AGAIN

07 December 2018 - 17:13
By Linda Kea Moreotsene
The latest development will once again starve millions of fans of football while the acrimony goes on.
Image: Waldo Swiegers. (C) Sunday Times. The latest development will once again starve millions of fans of football while the acrimony goes on.

Despite the undertaking arrived at by the SABC and the Premier Soccer League four months ago, it appears the dispute between the two is far from being settled.

PSL cting hief xecutive fficer Mato Madlala yesterday fired off a letter forbidding the public broadcaster from covering any of the league's matches, citing the SABC's failure to provide a document crucial to the parties' negotiations to the continued airing of the matches.

"Despite a further undertaking by the SABC yesterday that they would provide a written document recording the terms of the existing agreement between the SABC and the eaguefirst thing this morning, that has not been delivered.I have consequently been left with no option but to inform the SABC, the relevant inisters and all the participants in football that the SABC is not permitted to continue radio coverage at any matches under the auspices of the league," the letter, signed by Madlala.

A deal regarding radio rights between the cash-strapped, scandalhit SABC and the league reportedly fell apart due to public broadcaster requiring the PSL to carry production costs amounting to more than R40-million a year, in order for them to continue broadcasting local matches.