The Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA) has invited DSTV management to immediate talks about the television group’s near tripling of the prices of its packages to the hospitality industry at the start of the Rugby World Cup.
Many local rugby fans are fuming that SABC will not be broadcasting the 2023 Rugby World Cup Games that kicks off on September 8, as the SABC has refused to pay MultiChoice R37.7 million for the rights to broadcast live all potential Springbok games. The games will only be available on Supersport Grandstand and Rugby channels on the most expensive DStv Premium package.
RASA CEO Wendy Albert said yesterday in an interview the hospitality industry has on several occasions requested DSTV to talks about pricing, and the association viewed the latest increase as unconscionable, unjustified and unaffordable to many restaurants and businesses in the hospitality industry.
She said RASA has also laid several complaints about uncompetitive pricing to the Competition Commission. The Rugby World Cup was not being shown on SABC and the sport event should not only be accessible to a privileged few, she said in an interview with Business Report.
In response, MutliChoice said it had announced a Business Play package update, aligned to its goal of “providing the best value and unrivalled access for Superfans.”
It said it had to readjust its pricing nd content offering for three of its DStv Business Play Package as it had faced increased costs in the local currency versus the US dollar after it was required to renegotiate content rights,
“Our DStv Business Packages have not had a price review in many years despite the weakening rand, inflationary increases to double digits in some areas, and a poor economic trading environment.,” MultiChoice said in response to Business Report queries.
It said it had successfully secured highly sought-after sports broadcast rights for another five years to 2028, rights that carry “live sporting events in high definition from all angles, complemented by world-class commentary.”
“Sport continues to play a major part in attracting fans into our business customers’ pubs, taverns and shebeens. We are proud to offer the widest coverage of live sporting events in the world as part of our commitment to delivering the best sporting line-up to our customers. Delivering live sporting events in high definition from all angles, complemented by world-class commentary,” the broadcaster said.
“Providing the best value and unrivalled access for Superfans via our competitive product options and world-class quality broadcasts is the foundation of how we put our customers first.”