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SABC v SAFA - Govt has a say

Johannesburg - Government looks set to intervene in the escalating battle for the right to broadcast Bafana Bafana matches on television.

Last week reports emerged that the South African Football Association were aggrieved by the existing contract with the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

SAFA CEO labelled the current deal, which expires in April 2011, as "ludicrous" and revealed the governing body would "take (their) business elsewhere" if they and the public broadcaster failed to agree on new terms.

The two parties will hold initial talks about renewing the contract in October, but with SuperSport International as a possible rival to the SABC, parliamentary sports committee chairman Butana Komphela told Business Day he was ready to step in.

"We are worried that we are about to see a repeat of what the PSL did in 2007," he told the newspaper.

"SuperSport cannot be a consideration so early in the negotiation process.

"We would hope that the SABC will be given first consideration because 90% of the people of this country do not have access to satellite dishes," he added.

In 2007, SuperSport won the contract to show live Premier Soccer League fixtures, leaving the SABC to pick up the scraps. 
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