18/07/2024
DStv to end PSL sponsorship with Betway waiting in the wings - reports
DStv is reportedly set to end its PSL sponsorship early, creating uncertainty for the league.
The PSL is in talks to secure a new sponsor amid financial concerns over MultiChoice's stability and potential changes due to Canal+'s majority-stake acquisition.
Betway is a leading candidate to replace DStv as the league's title sponsor.
DStv has reportedly decided to end its sponsorship of the DStv Premiership a year earlier than expected, which has left the Premier Soccer Leaue (PSL) in a state of uncertainty ahead of the new football season.
According to SABC Sport, the PSL is actively discussing securing a new title sponsor for South Africa's premier league, currently known as the DStv Premiership.
There is less than a month to go before the new football season begins, with the date yet to be confirmed.
The sponsorship deal between DStv, who succeeded Absa's long tenure as the league's headline sponsor, and the PSL was finalized in September 2020.
However, there are concerns over MultiChoice's financial standing, which could potentially affect their support for both the Premiership and the MultiChoice Diski Challenge reserve league.
Recent reports indicate that Canal+, a French multimedia group, is on the brink of acquiring a majority stake in MultiChoice, introducing further uncertainty to the sponsorship landscape.
OBITUARY | Stanley 'Screamer' Tshabalala: The 'elder' who gave SA football shoeshine and piano
Financial specifics of DStv's initial agreement with the PSL remain undisclosed, with the league withholding financial disclosures since the 2019/20 season which was heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The uncertainty surrounding sponsorship has also delayed the announcement of the starting date of the 2024/25 season, with the league yet to release its fixtures schedule.
The PSL recently communicated with clubs, requesting them to hold off on finalizing their kits pending the unveiling of a potential new Premiership logo for the upcoming season.
Simultaneously, efforts are underway to secure a new title sponsor before the commencement of the 2024/25 season or the following campaign.
Betway, an online gambling firm that is also the title sponsor of the SA20 cricket league, has emerged as a leading contender to fill the sponsorship void.