Reliable sources close to decision-makers inside SuperSport have said the company is seriously considering not renewing the broadcasting rights for the English Premier League (EPL) and the UEFA Champions League going forward.
SuperSport is the part of Multichoice Africa that offers sports entertainment.
According to these sources, SuperSports executives are citing the continued rising costs for securing international rights as the driver for this potential withdrawal.
They said that while the prices for these premium properties are increasing, they have also been hampered by unfavourable economic and social-political realities on the ground.
The situation for Multichoice is particularly adverse in Nigeria at the current moment.
Multichoice says it pays around US$ 250 Million for the rights to the EPL and around 100 Million Euros for the UEFA Champions League.
Despite the investment layout, the company complained that it is barely managing to break-even and that with the trajectory showing a continuous increase in price, the position may become commercially unviable.
Credit: contribution from ThisDay Live Nigeria
