Kaizer Chiefs chairman and PSL head of finance Kaizer Motaung has hailed the R1 billion TV rights deal with pay channel SuperSport International for a period of five years, as the best news for local football.

The much-awaited deal which was strucked on Thursday ended SABC's nine years TV rights with the PSL.

But SABC chief executive Dali Mpofu vowed that they will contest the deal and called it a ‘laughable sham’ that will deprive the bulk of South Africa’s millions of soccer fans watching their favourates teams.

“This move will not deprive our fans of seeing their teams. SuperSport, like what SABC was doing previously, will sell games to them and there is nothing wrong with that. It is a good move that will enhance our football and ensure that teams get enough monthly grants to pay their players better wages,” said Motaung.

With SABC having vowed to contest the matter, it remains to be seen whether this scuffle could be sorted in time before the 2007/08 season begins.