The Competition Tribunal’s ruling that MultiChoice and SuperSport cannot insist that the SABC exclude certain sporting events from the SABC channels broadcast on eMedia’s OpenView platform has been hailed as a win for sport and sport lovers.
It is not. Sporting bodies, players, and spectators will all lose in the long run if the interim relief leads to a permanent ruling, as it will impact the value of broadcasting rights.
Why would a broadcaster pay big money for the rights to broadcast a game if another broadcaster is allowed to broadcast it for much cheaper, or even for free?
Fights about broadcasting rights have been brewing in SA for years. The clash about the rights to broadcast the Rugby World Cup made headlines when the SABC refused to pay MultiChoice for the right to broadcast some of the matches. – moneyweb