Multichoice, a prominent South African company, is renowned as a leading entertainment entity committed to acquiring and safeguarding the rights to exceptional content globally. SuperSports TV, one of MultiChoice’s broadcast channels, stands out as one of the most widely viewed channels in the Multichoice portfolio.
The announcement the 2024 Edition of the AFCON will not be aired on SuperSports TV has triggered an uproar among their consumers, primarily because the reason for this decision was not clarified and Supersports TV, being perennial leaders in the industry, were expected to have the Competition covered.
Factors contributing to Multichoice SuperSport’s inability to broadcast AFCON
Prompt Rival Action
Having established a long-standing dominance in the market, Multichoice wielded significant control, leading many of its customers to believe that a formidable competitor was unlikely. However, the current scenario reveals the emergence of a major contender.
As SuperSport is to Multichoice, so is NewWorld TV to Sub-Saharan media. NewWorld TV has positioned itself as a noteworthy rival in the Sub-Saharan media landscape. While Sub-Saharan media may not be widely recognized yet, they made a significant impact by acquiring the broadcasting rights for AFCON in November 2023. This move allowed NewWorld TV to secure exclusive free-to-air and pay-television rights for all AFCON competitions.
Competitive Bidding Battle
The acquisition of broadcast rights is not solely dependent on being the first in line; there exists an opportunity to surpass a competitor through competitive bidding, given the nature of it being a sponsorship deal. Sub-Saharan media swiftly took action, submitting a robust bid of $80 million to secure broadcasting rights for NewWorld TV. Beyond the substantial price, the deal included the provision for multilingual broadcasts via the satellite based in Togo. Multichoice found itself unable to surpass this compelling offer. The president of CAF characterized it as a monumental deal unmatched by any other broadcaster.
Exploring Alternatives
As indicated in their official statement, Multichoice revealed the potential exploration of alternative means to deliver sports entertainment to their audience for enhanced convenience. This has sparked speculation about whether this could be a contributing factor to why Multichoice was swiftly outbid for the AFCON broadcasting rights.
What’s Next?
Togolese Media Giants, NewWorld TV secured the broadcasting rights for AFCON, while South Africa’s SuperSport did not. In light of this outcome, Multichoice now faces a strategic crossroads. The absence of AFCON broadcasting rights for SuperSport necessitates a reevaluation of their options.
Multichoice may now find itself compelled to collaborate with this newfound competitor if alternative solutions are not devised before the kickoff.
