Another TV blackout looms for boxing due to disagreement

Boxing could soon be hit by another blackout on live broadcasting of fights on the SABC after the first one, which lasted almost five years.

The initial blackout, when the sport wasn't aired live on the national broadcaster, happened from 2012 until 2015. Branco Milenkovic took Boxing SA (BSA) and the SABC to court to block them from signing a broadcasting rights deal over who owned the boxing TV rights – BSA or boxing promoters.

But the government stamped its authority and live action on the box was back although briefly. The sport finds itself in a similar situation where BSA in conjunction with the SABC will control television dates. There will be a bidding process for promoters to be chosen from.

But that arrangement could hit a snag because some promoters, specifically those dependent on the SABC for coverage, are against that arrangement. They don’t want anyone to negotiate with the national broadcaster on their behalf.

In February, BSA issued a statement that it had reached a deal with the SABC to bring back boxing on TV and radio stations and in June, acting CEO Nsikayezwe Sithole said they still have to make amendments on the memorandum of understanding with the SABC. He said once that is done BSA will make an announcement on the way forward.

It all began in 2020 when Gauteng Promoter Boxing Association (GPBA) engaged the SABC through Gary Rathbone, its head of sports, and boxing was back on the telly. But it seemed that arrangement did not satisfy the regulator.

It is alleged it got involved in negotiations with the national broadcaster for more dates and it was from those back-and-forth talks that an announcement was made by BSA that it had reached an agreement with the SABC.

GPBA chairman Tshele Kometsi quoted the resolution taken at the boxing indaba in 2013 which reads: “The promoter has the rights to negotiate with the broadcaster. This is a transaction between SABC and the promoter. The content does not belong to BSA, it belongs to the promoter who must decide who they want to sell their content to.”

Tando Zonke – chairperson of the Eastern Cape Promoters Association – said: “BSA begged Sithole to circulate content of the memorandum of understanding [MOU] to all promoters to be scrutinised before it is signed. Nothing happened. We begged Sithole to circulate the content to us; we must have an agreement that we are part and parcel of everything because we own the content.”

Joyce Kungwane asked: “Why should I send my proposal to BSA when they don’t have a say in getting dates? How sure am I about my content on my proposal that it is not going to be shared?

“I, as TLB Promotion, sent my proposal to BSA for two months and still I did not get any response towards my date until in the week of my tournament when I made a follow-up. That is when I was told that the MOU between SABC and BSA has not been signed. So, why must I send my proposal to SABC via BSA when there is no agreement between the two?”

CEO of J4Joy International Tournament Arnold Nododile said: “BSA presented in their consultations in each province with promoters that they were trying to prevent the monopoly of same promoters getting dates from SABC. That was the purpose of the MOU for BSA to be involved which by no means say that BSA holds the rights which still belong to promoters.”

Lebo Mahoko said: “BSA would have done the right thing of coming in on how television dates are distributed even if it means that we apply through BSA. People must benefit on the basis of having a proven track record as a promoter but somehow the process must be monitored.

“Something bad happened in the past when a particular promoter was the beneficiary of SABC television dates with the majority being shut out. That can still happen if we go to SABC as individuals. You can’t regulate what happens in the dark but if BSA puts it out there in the open then the situation of one promoter getting more dates will not happen.”