DStv Warned Over Sports Rights. “The national team doesn’t belong to MultiChoice… For the poor we will declare war!”

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Staff Writer

DStv received a “friendly warning” from South Africa’s new sports minister recently over broadcasting rights in the country.

The new sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, said it doesn’t make sense that rights to broadcast games played by the country’s national team are owned by a private company that charges South Africans to watch their teams play.

MultiChoice, which owns DStv, currently holds exclusive rights to broadcast the sports events. However, the broadcasting rights SA have been fought over by Multichoice, SABC and eMedia in an ongoing feud.

Said Mackenzie during a press event:

“It’s an indictment. It is wrong. The national team doesn’t belong to MultiChoice or SABC or E-tv. It doesn’t belong to them. None of them should act like the national team belongs to them. None of them.

I’m not going to be an enabler of the majority of our people not being able to watch the national rugby team or soccer team. There exists legislation, which has never been used that prevents them from engaging in the current action they are engaging in. I intend to fully use that legislation.

We are meeting with them. As we say, we come in peace. But if they want war, they will get war. Because I will make sure South Africans must all watch…

So I’m saying to them, this is a very friendly warning. Fix this thing before we declare war. For the poor, we will declare war.

Broadcasted through its DStv SuperSport channels, Multichoice has rights to many sports events in South Africa and the continent. The most entertaining sports events are however part of the most expensive bouquets – Premium, Compact Plus and Compact, starting at $30 a month in Zimbabwe.

Many people in South Africa, Zimbabwe and the neighbouring countries who cannot afford these expensive DStv packages rely on OpenView which does not charge monthly subscriptions. OpenView is owned by eMedia.

Recently, MultiChoice rejected eMedia’s offer for the rights to broadcast a rugby test matches between South Africa and Ireland on Openview. The company argued that the offer was too low. Media however countered this claim, saying “eMedia made a significant financial offer to MultiChoice to broadcast the Irish rugby Pretoria and Durban test matches, which MultiChoice inexplicably rejected”

Multichoice has in the past been able to come to agreements with SABC to broadcast some rugby and cricket matches. However these deals have had strict conditions imposed on SABC to not broadcast them on channels that show on OpenView.

Such disagreements are apparently the reason the new sports minister is warning the media companies. If Mackenzie succeeds, Zimbabweans, Zambians, Mozambicans, Malawians, Tswanas and others in the region, will be able to watch some sports games they previously couldn’t access, for free on OpenWiew.

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  1. Muzukuru Wa ED

    Ngazviende Minister, we are tired of DSTV’s monopoly. Ndivo vega vane licence yekuburitsa EPL futi. They should allow other players to broadcast interesting sports. Totodawo kuona EPL pa Open view

    Reply
  2. The Empress

    Yes it sounds very good, very nice. But please explain why should dstv pay millions for the rights if they then have to give away the games for free to other broadcasters?
    So the only obvious answer is to not buy the rights. Dstv is not a charity.

    Reply
  3. Muridzi weDish

    I am of the view that other media houses are not finacially willing to tackle DSTV. Multichoice pays handsomely and in so doing secure all the rights to broadcast games. Would other companies be denied rights if they pay more than what DSTV pays? They want rights but they do not want to pay enough. It’s now dog eat dog in all types of businesses.

    Reply
    1. The Empress

      But that way lies poverty for the sports bodies selling the broadcasting rights.
      Dstv drops out of the bidding leaving Open view as the main bidder. ETV can’t afford won’t to pay as much for games.
      Then SABC which is broke will want the games for free. A minister will open their big mouth saying the national teams should be blah, blah, blah. Then ETV will drop out of the running in the next bidding rights leaving it all to SABC who claim the rights for a pittance if not for free. And then the games will be covered by one camera for the whole stadium…
      The national team will get paid less since there’s less money, less motivation the football association will have do less grassroots work since there’s no money.
      All because of people who want free things nd a minister who doesn’t know what their job is

      Reply
  4. HM

    Aah. Don’t you know political crooks? This is a new minister. Arikudawo cut. Strategy is make noise, get notice and be paid off.

    Reply
  5. Bull vs Spam

    😅Good lord! Who reminded the spam bots we exist?!

    Reply
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