The International Cricket Council (ICC) has inked a new broadcast and digital renewal deal with the South Africa-based sports broadcaster, SuperSport International. Through this new agreement, fans in the 52 African countries will get access to ICC global events.
The successful cooperation with SuperSport in the Sub-Saharan region, which has been in place since 2007, will continue under the new direct agreement, the ICC said in a media statement.
In keeping with the worldwide growth strategy for the sport, the broadcaster, which has 22.1 million subscribers throughout 52 territories, offers a fantastic platform for expanding the cricket fan base and attracting more fans to the game in Africa.
The agreement covers the following eight years till the end of 2031, including the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be played on African soil for the first time since 2003.
The agreement will also cover each game played at women’s competitions throughout the course of the following four years. Interest in these events has skyrocketed since the latest ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa. South African viewership for the event increased dramatically in 2023, breaking previous records as 790% more people tuned in to support the World Cup than in 2020.
The agreement also includes coverage of all U19 World Cup games, including men’s and women’s. Through the DStv app, fans will have access to all of the big event content from the ICC digitally.
ICC Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice, said, “We are delighted to be continuing our successful and proven partnership with SuperSport. There is a real opportunity for more fans to engage with ICC events and enjoy cricket across the 52 territories. Following the hugely successful ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 and the legacy left for women’s cricket in South Africa, I am confident that this strategic partnership will play a major part in building the momentum for women’s sport in the region too.”
MultiChoice South Africa CEO, Marc Jury, said, “We are delighted to have secured another deal with the ICC, continuing our excellent partnership. We are excited to deliver ICC cricket coverage to Africa for the next few years and provide new experiences for fans across the continent.”