THE sounds of “Laduuuuuuuuuma” will no longer fill the air around Mzansi’s dusty rural villages and farflung taverns.
Instead, millions of soccer lovers who relied on radio to follow the live action of their favourite Premier Soccer League teams will have only the sounds of cattle and birds to entertain them. The SABC and PSL failed to agree on the terms of the contract over broadcasting rights for the soccer extravaganza.
For years SABC radio stations have been bringing football lovers live action wherever they are and no matter their social status.
On Friday the broadcaster released a statement in which it broke the rotten news.
Spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said: “This decision follows careful consideration of the SABC’s business operations and the unsuccessful negotiations with the PSL to secure the broadcast rights.”
He said PSL soccer games would only be broadcast on their TV platform.
“We were only informed on Friday afternoon that it’s prohibited to broadcast the matches on radio and we greatly regret this outcome. We would like to sincerely apologise to the millions of South African citizens who rely on radio for information.”
PSL CEO Mato Madlala told Daily Sun’s sister paper City Press: “They are lying that we only informed them on Friday. We’ve been holding talks for quite some time and they knew there was no contract.”
PSL chairman Irvin Khoza is expected to hold a press conference today.
