LISTEN | English Premier League live on your mobile phone in SA
Sports Radio service brings live audio stream of all the games and a lot more to local soccer fans
The English Premier League's 2021—22 season is now coming live to mobile phone users in SA after the launch of Sports Radio, a new subscription service now available for Vodacom customers.
The service, launched via a strategic partnership between Vodacom and Arena Holdings, the publisher of SowetanLIVE, lets fans keep up with news about the league, listen to live matches and follow their favourite teams.
Listen to two snippets to get a taste of the action:
Arena Holdings acquired the local Premier League audio rights from talkSPORT International, the global audio partner of the league, through its shareholding in Bassfin Content.
“We’re excited to add another innovative digital service to our product portfolio and to connect our customers to more of what matters most to them,” said Mariam Cassim, chief officer of Vodacom Financial and Digital Services. “Like many of our other digital services, Sports Radio’s mission is to democratise access to football to achieve inclusion for all fans, not just those with privileged access.”
This is a landmark moment for consumers in SA wanting affordable access to the Premier League experience
Sports Radio provides audio commentary of all 380 English Premier League games, which will be broadcast live from August 13. These will be accompanied by pre-match banter and postgame expert discussions.
Fans will also have access to daily news updates, highlights packages, podcasts, fixture announcements, and player and club details.
“We are excited to partner with Vodacom to launch this service, which is the first of its kind in SA,” said Pule Molebeledi, MD of Arena Holdings.
“Our research shows us that consumers are increasingly consuming their sports content on their mobile devices and on multiple platforms. So partnering to launch Sports Radio is in line with our ambition as Arena Holdings to play an increasingly influential role in the African media landscape.”
Rob Tomalin, commercial director at talkSPORT International, the global audio partner of the English Premier League, said: “We are pleased that our digital audio service will now be available to the many fans and followers of the Premier League in SA. Working with Bassfin Content and Vodacom Financial and Digital Services has allowed us to do this effectively ahead of what promises to be a very exciting new season.”
Harris Blass, director of Bassfin Content, said: “This is a landmark moment for consumers in SA wanting affordable access to the Premier League experience.
“With the official live audio commentaries of all the games as well as other great audio content, Sports Radio provides an opportunity for millions of followers and supporters across the country to enjoy the excitement and action of the Premier League directly on their mobile phones.”
Cassim added: “This is an example of how important partnerships are in providing technology solutions that enhance the lives of our customers. Through collaboration with other industry stakeholders, we are able to expand our digital services and respond to the needs of South Africans both now and well into the future.”
Subscribers to the Sports Radio service can choose daily, weekly or monthly packages, starting from as little as R3 a day. The platform is now available to Vodacom customers on smartphones and tablets.
This article was sponsored by Bassfin Content.