Cricket South Africa and broadcaster SuperSport have agreed to hold a new Twenty20 event in the country beginning in January 2023.
Plans for the yet-to-be-named tournament, which will feature six privately held teams, were unveiled in a joint statement.
“We are energized by the establishment of something so new and exciting, which also provides the prospect for private investment in franchises,” said CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki.
“A number of potential local and international investors have already expressed interest in CSA.”
SuperSport’s CEO, Marc Jury, added: “We are ecstatic to be a part of a product that will transform South African cricket. The timing is good because there is an early-year gap in the calendar.”
While key matters like player rostering and salary caps are still being debated, it was reported that a player auction will take place at an undetermined date.
The tournament’s debut season will begin immediately following South Africa’s scheduled trip to Australia later this year.
A total of 33 games will be played in the competition, with a double round-robin league followed by a three-team playoffs stage.
The new league is Cricket South Africa’s latest effort to launch a franchise-based T20 event.
Following the 2017 Champions Trophy, they created the Global T20 league in London, which was the brainchild of former board CEO Haroon Lorgat.
However, the event was cancelled due to a lack of secure broadcasting and broadcast deals.
The Mzansi Super League took its place, with the CSA contracting the South African Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast all of the matches free of charge.
The MSL was contested in two editions until 2019, when the tournament structure had to be changed to reflect the sweeping changes in South Africa’s domestic system.
CSA is certain that the current endeavor will be a success.
“The parties have each put a substantial amount of money into the joint venture. The board of this new business is focused on governance and commercial viability. Strong domestic TV rights deals, which have been acquired for this product, underpin all successful leagues, “according to the board’s press statement.
