Local SA Businesses Fund SABC's Rugby World Cup Broadcasting Rights

Funding from three pacesetting South African corporations has enabled a transformative step in sports viewership. South African Breweries (SAB), Hollywoodbets, and Pineapple Insurance have jointly contributed $3 million (R58m) to facilitate the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)'s bid to cover the price levied by MultiChoice for sub-licencing the much-anticipated Rugby World Cup (RWC) broadcasting rights.

Plugging the affordability gap, the intervention ensures that South Africans no longer need to subscribe to DStv's R799 per month Premium package to enjoy the tournament. Consequently, for the period of the championship, the SABC is set to broadcast no fewer than 16 pivotal matches, including the totalities of the Springbok campaign.

The lion's share of the contribution was handled by SAB through its globally-renown Castle Lager brand. As an agreement, each funder will enjoy advertising space throughout the tournament duration. Pineapple CEO, Marnus van Heerden, underscored the significance of this deal, stating it would have been a tragedy for the SABC not to broadcast the World Cup.

However, viewers hoping to access all 48 matches will still need to subscribe to DStv Premium. According to MultiChoice, alternative methods, including subscribing to foreign services through VPNs, are infringing due to the Copyright Act of 1978 and the Cybercrimes Act of 2020.