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SABC, SuperSport pen deal to televise Netball World Cup

Molokwane says it wasn't easy to get two broadcasters to work together

Athenkosi Tsotsi Sports Reporter
Cecilia Molokwane (Netball South Africa President) during the Netball World Cup 2023 press conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Cecilia Molokwane (Netball South Africa President) during the Netball World Cup 2023 press conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Image: Grant Pitcher

The 2023 Netball World Cup stakeholders have confirmed that SuperSport, SABC and Telkom will be the official broadcasters of next year's world cup which will be hosted in Cape Town from July 28 to August 6 2023. 

This will be the first time that Netball World Cup is hosted in Africa. SA is the first country on the continent to do so and will complete the circle of hosting a soccer, rugby, cricket and netball world cups. 

The announcement of the broadcasters is seen as a step in the right direction as there are over 500 days left until netball's biggest gathering. The broadcasting deal is said to be the biggest World Netball has signed in its history. 

Netball South Africa president Cecilia Molokwane gushed at the prospect of the 16-team world cup being a reality and the signing of the broadcast deal yesterday during a media briefing at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. 

"In 2023 World Netball will be celebrating 63 years of world cups, and in 63 years it'll be the first time it graces the shores of Africa. As Netball South Africa we are proud to say we had the idea and approached World Netball," said Molokwane. 

"We said we are ready and we can do this. The support from the government has shown we are ready. We have signed the biggest [broadcast] deal, that shocked World Netball. They were shocked by what is happening in Africa. 

"The broadcast deal has been signed and it's the biggest broadcast deal ever. This time around it's SuperSport, SABC and Telkom. It's the biggest ever," said Molokwane. 

Molokwane shared how she managed to get SuperSport and the SABC to put aside their broadcasting rights tug of war. The two have been at multiple wars over rights, with the cash king SuperSport having the upper hand at all times.

"It was not easy to get SABC and SuperSport to work together," said Molokwane. 

"However, for SuperSport to give away some of their rights to say this is what we can do; we said to them it's about the African world cup. 

"It's about showing netball to that young girl in the rural area so they can see the national team play. The only way to reach them is through the national broadcaster. When you talk to people and show them facts and where we are going and what is our mission and vision going forward, this is the result," she said. 

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