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The paid television channel SuperSport reached a late agreement to broadcast the continental qualifying matches of the Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates round on Wednesday.
SuperSport's online programming at SuperSport.com at the time this story was published did not yet reflect the two home games to show, as the deal was apparently only concluded with the two clubs this week.
Pirates meet Light Stars of Seychelles in the opening round of the Champions League of Cafes – Bucs return to the competition, beating the 2013 finalists against Egyptian giant Al Ahly – at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday night .
The bosses host the Tanzanian club Zimamoto in the opening round of the Confed Cup at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (7:30 p.m.).
The other two Wednesday games involving the SA – Mamelodi Sundowns clubs against the Vegetarian Leones in the Champions League in Equatorial Guinea; and Free State Stars against Mukura Victory Sports of Rwanda at Confed at Bidvest Stadium – are not being televised on SuperSport or SABC.
Neo Momodu, SABC's corporate and marketing affairs chief, said the cashless public broadcaster could not afford the rights to continental games right now.
"Due to the terrible financial situation of SABC, the broadcast rights of the Champions League of Caf and the Confederations Cup were not acquired. SABC will not broadcast the games mentioned, "Momodu said by e-mail.
SuperSport's communications manager, Clinton van der Berg, said the deal to televise Caf bosses and pirates was delayed due to rights issues.
"These private rights are owned by the clubs. We had to wait for their approach before acquiring and scheduling, "said Van der Berg.
Pirates managing director Floyd Mbele said Bucs had to wait for confirmation from Caf, through the SA Football Association (Safa), that television rights to the preliminary round matches are controlled by the clubs.
In the group stages, Caf controls TV rights.
"We are playing the preliminary round where we can tell Caf via Safa whether or not TV rights are ours, and with the power of that conversation, we can go to the station and ask them to broadcast the television," Mbele said.
Sundowns general manager Yogesh Singh said the 2016 Champions League winners are in talks with SuperSport to have the home leg game (Atteridgeville, Dec. 5) televised.
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