New MultiChoice and Supersport owners CANAL+ group executives met with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) bosses this week for talks to iron out certain issues and to strengthen the relationship between the two parties.
The PSL is one of the biggest domestic leagues in Africa and regularly ranks inside the top 10 in the world, and as part of the CANAL+ long-term drive to strengthen the local content offering, including sport, executives from one of the world’s leading entertainment platforms met with the PSL chairman, Irvin Khoza.
The Betway Premiership is currently experiencing its closest title race in years, with Orlando Pirates looking to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns, much to the thrill of football fans.
Long-standing relationship
The PSL’s partnership with MultiChoice via Superport, stretches back to 2007, with the broadcaster adding marked improvements to the broadcast quality of the league’s matches, including cup competitions, as well as adjacent content, magazine shows, documentaries and digital content.
In South Africa, the SuperSport channels are supplied by Canal + Africa to MultiChoice (Pty) Ltd, which provides the DStv offering to subscribers.
And Khoza reinforced the importance of the partnership between the PSL and MultiChoice following productive talks with CANAL+ executives.
PSL’s rich heritage
Khoza stated that the nature of the league format is such that every PSL match carries consequences and has an impact on the others.
“This cascading effect sustains an ongoing national conversation that reaches across communities and generations, permeating age, gender, affiliations and geography,” said Khoza.
“Over time, the PSL has evolved beyond a schedule of fixtures into a cultural infrastructure – a shared national platform through which stories are told, identities are expressed and moments are collectively experienced. Our responsibility is to curate and present this platform with consistency, credibility and care. CANAL+ holds a premiership in the delivery of content, and it is through this capability that the PSL is able to reach the nation at scale.
“Together, the PSL as curator and CANAL+ as the premier delivery platform, enable a national cultural infrastructure that is both widely accessible and deeply engaging.
The supporters are very knowledgeable about the game and the league. They follow its every move. It is their reading of form, consequence and inter-dependence between matches that creates the cascading effect across the league, as each result is interpreted in relation to the next.”
CANAL+ ‘committed to local soccer’
CANAL+ Director for Sports Content in English and Portuguese-speaking Africa, Rendani Ramovha, reinforced the company’s commitment to local football.
“The PSL is a key partner to the group, and it is important to ensure that we maintain a good relationship with our key stakeholders. This meeting was a major step in solidifying our relationship with the PSL for the long term,” said Ramovha.
“We have been clear since the onset of the coming together of the CANAL+ Group and the MultiChoice Group that our investment in local content is a top priority. And local football is right at the top of our most sought-after content from a customer and viewer perspective on DStv and SuperSport.
“We hold the PSL in high regard, as it is more than just a football league – it means so much to millions of people across the continent, who invest their time, money and emotions into what happens on and off the pitch. The meeting was to demonstrate the respect and reverence that is held towards one of the biggest leagues, not just in Africa, but in the world. We also look at the PSL as the perfect platform to innovate our broadcast offering, ever looking to improve our product and to give viewers and customers more value,” he added.
- CANAL+ group executives met with PSL leadership to address issues and strengthen their long-term partnership.
- PSL is among Africa's top domestic leagues, with CANAL+ committed to enhancing local sports content, including Betway Premiership broadcasts.
- MultiChoice's SuperSport has broadcast PSL matches since 2007, significantly improving content quality and accessibility via DStv.
- PSL chairman Irvin Khoza emphasized the league's cultural importance and the critical role CANAL+ plays in delivering content nationwide.
- CANAL+ Director Rendani Ramovha highlighted the company's focus on local football investment, viewing PSL as a key platform for innovation and fan engagement.
New MultiChoice and Supersport owners CANAL+ group executives met with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) bosses this week for talks to iron out certain issues and to strengthen the relationship between the two parties.
In
“
“Over time, the PSL has evolved beyond a schedule of fixtures into a cultural infrastructure – a shared national platform through which stories are told, identities are expressed and moments are collectively experienced. Our responsibility is to curate and present this platform with consistency, credibility and care. CANAL+ holds a premiership in the delivery of content, and it is through this capability that the PSL is able to reach the nation at scale.
“
CANAL+ Director for Sports Content in
“
“We have been clear since the onset of the coming together of the CANAL+ Group and the MultiChoice Group that our investment in local content is a top priority.
“We hold the PSL in high regard, as it is more than just a football league – it means so much to millions of people across the continent, who invest their time, money and emotions into what happens on and off the pitch.
