The broadcaster is expected to pay around $260 million to CSA for the rights according to sources. Earlier, Viacom18 had picked up rights to South Africa’s upcoming T20 league, SAT20, for 10 years. Sources confirmed that the deal for SAT20 was for $100 million.
Viacom18 Sports, one of the late entrants into the sports broadcasting space in India, has entered into a seven-year partnership deal with Cricket South Africa (CSA) to telecast and stream all international cricket played in the rainbow nation from 2024-2031.
The broadcaster is expected to pay around $260 million to CSA for the rights according to sources. Earlier, Viacom18 had picked up rights to South Africa’s upcoming T20 league, SAT20, for 10 years. Sources confirmed that the deal for SAT20 was for $100 million.
As part of deal with CSA, Viacom18 will get media rights of all senior Men’s international and senior Women’s international competitions played in South Africa, including the iconic Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela Series between India and South Africa.
The deal also includes other high-profile series like the Basil D’Oliveira against England and tours from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies, Australia, and Bangladesh. “South Africa is one of the most competitive and formidable teams across formats in world cricket, and this partnership will offer some great contests to the cricket-loving fans in India,” said Anil Jayaraj, CEO, Viacom18 Sports. “The association with Cricket South Africa is a testament of our pursuit to offer fans unrivaled high, high-quality broadcast experience of some of the best cricket action in prime-time.”
“CSA is pleased to partner with a broadcaster of Viacom18’s stature. This is affirmation of our intention to beam to our waiting fans, the flavour of cricket that South Africa has in store, which is always exhilarating and entertaining,” said Pholetsi Moseki, CEO, CSA. “This partnership is the beginning of a journey which will offer the thrill of watching cricket brought by a broadcaster that value viewer experience as supreme.”
After digital rights to the IPL from 2023-27, CSA rights are the biggest cricket rights the broadcaster has secured. It couldn’t win the ICC rights, which were picked up by rival Disney Star, or boards including Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board, which were picked up by Disney Star and Sony Pictures Networks India, respectively.
