DStv_Premiership_MultiChoice_SuperSport_July_2024

PSL Hit By Sudden Loss Of DSTV Sponsorship

In a shocking turn of events, DStv has pulled the plug on its sponsorship of the Premier Soccer League (PSL), sending shockwaves throughout the sporting community. The sudden withdrawal of support has left the league and its teams scrambling to fill the financial void, raising questions about the future of the PSL and the impact on the beautiful game in the country.

The PSL is actively seeking a new title sponsor for the top-tier division, currently branded as the DStv Premiership, with talks underway to secure a replacement for the outgoing DStv, reports SABC Sport.

With the new football season just around the corner, the countdown is on, but the exact start date remains uncertain, leaving fans eagerly awaiting confirmation with less than a month to go.

The contract termination may affect the 2024-25 season. It had a year remaining and was set to expire September 2024. Normally, the fixture schedule is announced in mid-July so that clubs can plan and prepare properly.

In addition to the PSL sponsorship, the financially strained broadcaster also backs the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC), a reserve league for the PSL, raising concerns about the potential impact on this development platform for young players.

Sunday World has learned that partnership is on shaky ground due to funding issues. An insider revealed that the league chairman is in talks with a betting company to secure a new sponsor. “It’s not looking good. There are no funds to continue with the partnership and it looks like the league will have to find a new sponsor. The chairman of the league is said to be finalising something with a betting company. They will have to make an announcement soon because the league has to start with new branding and new sponsors” said the insider, who opted to remain anonymous.

DStv’s subscriber base is shrinking at an alarming rate, with a significant number of cancellations in recent years. The struggling pay-TV operator is now facing a potential takeover by French media conglomerate Canal+, which is rumoured to be in advanced talks to acquire the beleaguered broadcaster. According to the News24 recent reports they found it has been indicated that Canal+ is on a brink of acquiring a majority stake in MultiChoice, introducing further uncertainty to the sponsorship landscape.

The delay is inevitable as the PSL cleverly instructed its member clubs to withhold their new playing kit, citing a logo redesign for the DStv Premiership emblem in the sleeves. However, it now seems that this was merely stalling tactic to buy some time until a new sponsor is found.

Meanwhile, the PSL is racing to secure a new title sponsor with online gambling firm Betway, current title sponsor of the SA20 cricket league, emerging as a top contender to replace DStv before the 2024/25 season.

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Written by: Ntokozo Khumalo

Images: Thinus Ferreira, BackpagePix

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