SuperSport gets set to beam Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games throughout Africa

Millions of sports fans across Africa from Botswana to Ghana, Kenya to Madagascar and Namibia to Uganda will be able to share in the excitement and drama of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games with the appointment of SuperSport as the Games’ Sub-Saharan Broadcast Rights holder.

The agreement reached between the Organising Committee and SuperSport, the South African based subscription service, will see the Games showcased across the continent and beyond, reaching more than five million viewers across 20 channels including several in High Definition.

SuperSport’s distribution reaches all 19 African Commonwealth nations and territories which will be competing in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. In addition to acquiring the exclusive PayTV rights for Sub-Saharan Africa, SuperSport has also secured those for internet and mobile.

Glasgow 2014 will be the biggest multi-sport event Scotland has ever hosted and around 4,500 athletes from 71 nations will take part in the Games. SuperSport’s millions of viewers, via its multi-channel service, will experience all of the highs and lows from the 17 sports on show across the 11 days of competition.

It is anticipated that a total audience of 1.5 billion worldwide will experience Glasgow 2014’s sports action and Opening and Closing Ceremonies through a wide range of international television and radio channels – creating a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Glasgow and Scotland to engage and inspire young people across the globe.

The sale of broadcast right packages worldwide is a part of Glasgow 2014’s commercial programme which aims to raise £100million in revenue through licensing, merchandise and ticketing.

Announcing the agreement with SuperSport, Glasgow 2014’s Chief Executive David Grevemberg said:

"The spectacle and wonder of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games has the ability to inspire tens of millions of young people worldwide and we want to share the sporting achievements of the thousands of great athletes coming to compete in Scotland far and wide with as many people as possible.

"We are delighted that the excitement of the Games will reach so many millions of people, including those across all 19 African Commonwealth nations and territories, through SuperSport’s extensive range of channels. This latest broadcast rights agreement is another strong indicator of the success of Glasgow 2014’s commercial programme which is continuing to go from strength to strength."

Happy Ntshingila, Chief Executive of SuperSport, said:

"SuperSport is delighted to have acquired the rights to such a prestigious event. Africans traditionally go all out to support these multi-sport events, which generate great patriotism among local supporters. Africans have a fine tradition at the Commonwealth Games and it is our wish that this continues, with viewers following live on SuperSport."

Commonwealth Games Federation Chief Executive Michael Hooper said:

"I’m very pleased that we’ve partnered with SuperSport to bring the excitement and passion of the Commonwealth Games to millions of people across Africa. It’s an important region for the Commonwealth Games Federation, and African athletes have provided some of the most memorable moments in the Games’ history. This new broadcast rights agreement will enable fans to get behind their teams, and ensures that Glasgow 2014 will be seen across the continent on a variety of platforms; on television, radio, mobile and online."

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