Businessman and former AmaZulu player Sgwili Gumede says he knew that DStv’s five-year contract with the PSL would not last because they had overcommitted.

Gumede believes that DStv was merely a temporary replacement for Absa when they took over as title sponsor in September 2020.

According to Sportswire sources, MultiChoice invests approximately R50 million to run the DStv Diski Challenge per season, the reserve league. Additionally, SuperSport TV, a MultiChoice-owned company, holds exclusive rights for all domestic games and also owns a football club, SuperSport United.

DStv, with one year remaining on their five-year deal, pulled out ahead of the 2024/25 season and was replaced by Betway. Gumede, who was part of the AmaZulu team that defeated Kaizer Chiefs to win the Coca-Cola Cup in 1992, said that DStv’s investment in the PSL did not yield a sufficient return.

“No, not this year,” Gumede told Sportswire when asked if he anticipated DStv’s withdrawal.

Gumede is a seasoned businessman whose company, Africa Golf Tourism, was involved in bringing the prestigious golf Investec South African Open back to its historic venue, Durban Country Club, from 27 February to 2 March 2025.

“From the beginning of the deal, I knew it was a temporary arrangement,” Gumede explained. “It didn’t make commercial sense for MultiChoice to invest so much money as both a broadcaster and a sponsor. They already have a reserve league and own a club, so it was overexposure. I thought it would always be a stop-gap. The suddenness of their departure was surprising. I hope the PSL learned a lesson and realized that they wouldn’t be renewing the sponsorship in a few years.”

DStv’s sudden departure left the PSL scrambling for a replacement sponsor. Club owners praised PSL chairman Irvin Khoza for securing a three-year deal with Betway at short notice.

Due to the late nature of the Betway deal, the start of the PSL season was delayed until 14 September. Gumede said that the delay was understandable given the amount of work involved in finalizing the new sponsorship.

“I think the PSL was caught off guard at the end of last season,” he said. “Fortunately, they found someone willing to come on board. However, there was a lot to do—creating new logos for the clubs’ jerseys, designing the league trophy, organizing man-of-the-match awards, and finalizing agreements. It’s unfortunate that the season had to start and stop, which isn’t ideal for the players. But it is what it is.”

The disrupted season began with the MTN8 quarterfinals. The semifinals will be completed this weekend.