MultiChoice wins round one in rugby rights fight

October 10, 2023 Siyabonga Mtangana

The urgent application by eMedia Holdings against MultiChoice Group over Rugby World Cup broadcasting rights was struck off the roll on Tuesday in the high court in Johannesburg.

eMedia group for legal and business affairs Philippa Rafferty said the judge agreed that the matter was urgent, “so we are obviously very disappointed that the court struck the matter and did not want to engage on the merits of the case”.

“Ultimately, the merits of this case will have to be dealt with, particularly as the same blackout applies to the Cricket World Cup. We are considering our options, going forward,” Rafferty said.

The high court directed eMedia to pay the costs of MultiChoice and SuperSport, including the costs of three counsel.

MultiChoice issued a statement in which it said: “The effect of the high court’s decision is that the position remains that the Springbok matches at the Rugby World Cup will continue to be broadcast only on SuperSport and the SABC. The matches are not broadcast via Openview because eMedia has at no stage purchased or even attempted to purchase the rights concerned.”

The SABC channels are carried on Openview, but the public broadcaster does not air the rugby matches when they’re on, showing Openview customers alternative content.

MultiChoice and SuperSport welcomed the judgment.

MultiChoice comes out guns blazing in rugby rights battle

In an affidavit responding to eMedia and filed with the court, MultiChoice South Africa CEO Marc Jury said eMedia’s case is a “classic example of free-riding — seeking to profit off another’s expense without contributing at all”.

SuperSport said it makes an annual investment of R3.3-billion in South African sport and has made a cumulative contribution in excess of R14.4-billion over the past five years. – © 2023 NewsCentral Media