Free to Air Television and Radio viewers and listeners respectively will not get to watch or listen to the Springboks on the public broadcaster’s platforms.

The SABC has confirmed it will not broadcast the upcoming Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Public Broadcaster Spokesperson Vuyo Mthembu says that the cost of gaining the rights to broadcast the 2019 Rugby World Cup would not have been viable and there would not have been a return on investment.

“The SABC can confirm that it was unable to reach a sublicense agreement with SuperSport for the television broadcast of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The SABC was negotiating the radio rights with another third party which was IMG and unfortunately an agreement there could also not be reached. The public broadcaster endeavours to broadcast sports of national interest as well as national teams of the respected sporting codes in fulfilling its public mandate. However, the cost of these particular right would not have been permissibly viable and there would not have been a return on investment for the SABC.”

Click on the video below: