Kabelo “KB” Ngakane is no stranger to hosting shows on TV. He has done it all, from Channel O programmes to Big Brother and everything in-between. He has had a hand in radio and music, too.
His new spot as host of Sportsview, which recently premiered on SABC2, will bring viewers the latest in sports news and go behind the scenes to speak with sports people.
“It is all about ‘sportstainment’,”said KB.
“I have been looking for something more steady for TV and, since I love my sport, when Sportsview came along I was happy to jump on board,” he explained.
Hosting alongside Asanda Maku, Sportsville picks up where other local and inter-national shows leave off.
“We would like to tell stories other channels do not. For instance, our 100m runner, Simon Magakwe, who has done well for himself. His is an inspirational story and we haven’t heard it. We are looking for stories like his. Stories of triumph from sports people who are not getting any coverage.
“Another example is the Cape Argus race which took me seven hours to complete and then you hear of some-one completing it on a unicycle, but that story was never told,” he said.
Other general stories that are making headlines will also be feat-ured on the show.
“We will also cover other popular stories so as to maintain the balance,” he said.
A natural athlete, KB played just about every sport he could while at primary school and still he remains active in sport.
“I was a boy living in the town-ship and all we knew was soccer.
“So my first love is soccer and I am a Kaizer Chiefs fan. We played soccer on the streets and during breaks at school. But when high school came and I went to mixed schools, I was introduced to cricket, hockey and basketball. I played all of them and still play a bit of cricket every now and then,”he said.
In his opinion, Sportsview is the link between sports lovers and the “minority” sports that get little or no coverage.
“The question is: if no one creates that awareness about a specific sport, then how can we expect the sport to have any fans? Also, government bodies and potential investors cannot support something they are not aware of,” he said.
He also feels that with SABC Sport planning to do its digital migration, Sportsview is paving the way for what the future of the channel will be like.
“What Sportsview is doing in 30 minutes can be done in 24 hours as there is content out there.
“So the show is illustrating what to expect once the digital migration process is complete,” he said.
• Catch Sportsview on SABC2 every Sunday at 12.30pm