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Tag: SA20

  • Switch powers up as SA20’s official energy drink partner for three more years

    Switch powers up as SA20’s official energy drink partner for three more years

    JOHANNESBURG:  SA20 and Switch Energy Drink have struck a renewed and expanded multi-year deal, cementing the proudly South African brand as the league’s official energy drink partner from Season 4, which kicks off on 26 December.   

    The partnership — now locked in for the next three years — builds on a successful debut season where Switch electrified fans with tastings, cash giveaways and stadium activations across 34 match days.   

    “I am thrilled to renew and expand our partnership with Switch Energy Drink for Season 4,” said SA20 league commissioner Graeme Smith. “Switch is a bold, proudly South African brand that shares the same energetic and youthful approach as SA20. Together we will ignite stadiums and give fans unforgettable experiences.”  

    Switch CEO Christian Wentzel echoed the sentiment. “This isn’t just a sponsorship — it’s a celebration of South African sport and culture. The league brings people together and that’s the kind of energy Switch lives for.”   

    The timing is no accident. Preparations are ramping up for a much-hyped Season 4, with pre-signed and retained players already announced, featuring marquee Proteas and overseas stars. The next major milestone is the player auction in Johannesburg on 9 September , where franchises can collectively splash up to $7.4m to finalise their 19-player squads.   

    Watch the Switch-SA20  brand promotion video by clicking here: 

  • Sun TV makes UK cricket power play with £100.5m Superchargers buy

    Sun TV makes UK cricket power play with £100.5m Superchargers buy

    LONDON: Sun TV Network has struck a six to the boundary with a bold £100.5 million acquisition of Northern Superchargers, a prominent franchise in the UK’s The Hundred cricket league. The all-cash deal, approved by Sun TV’s board on 18 July, makes the broadcaster the sole owner of the Leeds-based team and further cements its global sporting ambitions.

    The move sees Sun TV add a third franchise to its growing sports roster, which already includes Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in South Africa’s SA20. With cricket’s commercial appeal soaring across continents, the company is betting big on the format’s future in the UK.

    Northern Superchargers, incorporated in 2019 and based in London, clocked a turnover of £1.89 million in FY24 and will become a wholly owned subsidiary once the transaction is completed, expected by the end of 2025. The acquisition is routed through India’s automatic route for overseas investment, with the final remittance pegged to prevailing exchange rates.

    Sun TV said the deal aligns with its strategy of tapping global cricket leagues with strong broadcast and sponsorship potential. “The Hundred has shown strong traction with younger audiences and we see significant upside in long-term value creation,” said the broadcaster in its filing.

    This acquisition marks a rare Indian media foray into English cricket—an arena traditionally dominated by homegrown stakeholders and legacy institutions. With this move, Sun TV is not just buying into a team, but into a format and fanbase with serious commercial legs.

    The game, it seems, is well and truly on.

  • Viacom18 & Cricket South Africa announce long-term partnership

    Viacom18 & Cricket South Africa announce long-term partnership

    Mumbai: Viacom18 Sports, India’s newest sports network, today announced a seven-year partnership with Cricket South Africa (CSA) for exclusive digital and TV rights for all international cricket from 2024–2031. As part of the association, Viacom18 will present all senior men’s international and senior women’s international competitions played in South Africa. CSA’s previous broadcast partner was Disney Star.

    Viacom18’s portfolio includes the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, starting 20 November ending 18 December. All matches will be exclusively aired live on JioCinema and pay-TV channels Sports18 (1 SD and HD).

    The Cricket South Africa partnership deepens Viacom18’s commitment to present world-class cricket action from South Africa after they recently announced a 10-year partnership with SA20, South Africa’s newly-launched premier cricket league. Cricket South Africa and Viacom18 will work closely to enhance the showcase of international cricket from South Africa to the passionate fanbase in India.

    India and South Africa, the parties states, have a history of producing incredible contests, which have been complemented by mutual admiration, whether it was for India being the first nation to play against Proteas after apartheid or for touring the Rainbow Nation at the height of Omicron in December 2021.

    The partnership will cover all international cricket from South Africa, including the Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela Series between India and South Africa. The deal includes other series like the Basil D’Oliveira against England and tours from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the West Indies, Australia, and Bangladesh.

    “South Africa is one of the most competitive and formidable teams across formats in world cricket, and this partnership will offer some great contests to the cricket-loving fans in India. The association with Cricket South Africa is a testament to our pursuit to offer fans an unrivalled, high-quality broadcast experience of some of the best cricket action in primetime,” said Viacom18 Sports CEO Anil Jayaraj.

    CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki said, “CSA is pleased to partner with a broadcaster of Viacom18’s stature. This is an affirmation of our intention to beam to our waiting fans the flavour of cricket that South Africa has in store, which is always exhilarating and entertaining. This partnership is the beginning of a journey that will offer the thrill of watching cricket, brought to you by a broadcaster that values the viewer experience as supreme.”

    The addition of the Cricket South Africa rights strengthens Viacom18’s portfolio of sporting events, including the Indian Premier League, SA20, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, NBA, Diamond League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and top ATP and BWF events.

  • Viacom18 and SA20 announce strategic 10-year partnership

    Viacom18 and SA20 announce strategic 10-year partnership

    Mumbai: Viacom18 Sports, India’s newest sports network, on Wednesday announced a 10-year partnership to exclusively present SA20, South Africa’s recently launched premier T20 league, in India.

    The addition of SA20 strengthens Viacom18’s portfolio of world-class sporting events, including the Indian Premier League, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, NBA, Diamond League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and top ATP and BWF events.

    Viacom18 is reshaping sports fans’ experiences and building one of the most-loved media platforms in India. The SA20 and Viacom18 will work closely to grow and engage cricket fans in India. South Africa’s strong cricket roots, domestic set-up, and popularity of its players with Indian fans will enable SA20 to stand out among other international T20 leagues. South Africa and India have a long and storied cricket relationship that this partnership will further strengthen while bringing high-quality T20 action to Indian fans.

    Cricket South Africa (CSA) is leaving no stone unturned to deliver a massively entertaining and competitive show by encouraging all their marquee players to be available for the SA20 tournament.

    The inaugural SA20 auction in September saw over 100 players signed by the six teams. Teams could sign up a maximum of ten South Africans and seven overseas cricketers in their squad. For every match, each team will be allowed to have up to four overseas players in the XI. All teams have also opted to sign one uncapped, young player.

    The SA20 will see international superstars like Quinton de Kock, Faf Du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Maheesh Theekshana, and Jason Holder in action.

    The league features six teams playing each other twice in a round-robin stage before the semis and final. In all, 33 matches will be played over four weeks starting 10 January 2023. The six teams—Joburg Super Kings, Pretoria Capitals, Durban SuperGiants, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, Paarl Royals, and MI Cape Town—are owned by groups that have teams across various global leagues, including the Indian Premier League.

    “We continue to offer fans an immersive and engaging experience by strengthening our sports portfolio with some of the best cricket action through SA20,” said Viacom18 Sports CEO Anil Jayaraj.  “T20 is the most popular cricket format with Indian fans. The history and legacy of South African cricket and the popularity of South African cricketers in India make it a thrilling proposition for cricket fans in India. We expect significant viewership and fan engagement as the event will be played in primetime.”

    “Today is a ground-breaking day for South African cricket. This long-term partnership between the SA20 and Viacom18 as our official Indian broadcaster is a catalyst that supports our ambitions to build the world’s second-biggest league,” said SA20 League commissioner and former South Africa captain Graeme Smith. “With six IPL owners expanding their brands in South Africa, Viacom18 is the perfect partner to take the SA20 into the homes of the passionate and cricket loving Indian market.”

    “The benefits of domestic cricket will be far-reaching, with more South African players exposed to a global cricket audience and a stimulus to build a strong and sustainable cricket ecosystem. As SA20, we look forward to working with the dynamic team at Viacom 18 to build a world-class league,” Smith added.

    Viacom18 recently announced that JioCinema will live-stream all the matches and offer curated content around the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The world’s greatest show, the football World Cup, which happens once every four years, will be exclusively presented on JioCinema and Sports18 platforms from 20 November through 18 December.