THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) is on the prowl for a new broadcast partner following the expiry of their contract with SuperSport.
BY KEVIN MAPASURE
PSL yesterday announced in a statement that their relationship had ended; meaning that following the expiry of the five-year deal there will be no renewal.
A PSL board indaba yesterday agreed that the secretariat should put out a tender in search for the new partner.
Reports have already suggested that KweseTV is interested in partnering PSL for the broadcast of local matches.
“Following the completion of the 2017 season, the Premier Soccer League and SuperSport International have mutually agreed to end the partnership entered into by both parties in 2012,” read PSL chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele’s statement yesterday. “The five-year relationship has been mutually beneficial to the two organisations. Through its high quality broadcasting channels, SuperSport has not only enabled PSL to deliver highly entertaining football, but has exposed the Premier Soccer League and its commercial partners to millions of viewers across the African continent.”
While no new deal will be made in the near future, doors have not been shut for possible future re-engagement.
“We trust there will be opportunities to re-engage in future. Meanwhile, we would like to advise our stakeholders that we will be inviting tenders for the PSL media rights.”
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The elapsed deal caused so much controversy due to the low financial returns as compared to other countries like Zambia and Kenya where they have similar arrangements.
While the biggest achievement was the broadcasting of local matches across Africa, there have been questions over the finances that accrued during the period.
This time the PSL wants a more lucrative deal and hope that once they advertise they will be able to attract different suitors and get real value for money.
Sources at the indaba yesterday said the clubs want to get a deal that compares with what other countries in the region are getting.
Only this week SuperSport signed a multi-million rand deal with the South African top-flight league, while in Zambia the same broadcaster signed a $5 million deal with that country’s elite league in 2015.
In South Africa SuperSport beat competition from Kwese and Vodacom who were also interested in the rights for the Super Diski.
“We talked about the media rights deal. It was agreed since our deal with SuperSport has elapsed, we should go out and look for a new partner. So the secretariat will have to flight a tender to begin the process. But what is important is that we should aim for a better deal this time. We are looking at what other countries like Zambia are getting and we are saying we should aim to do better.”
The league’s sponsors Delta Beverages urged the top-flight league to maximise on media coverage.
“Any sponsor dreams of amplification of their property through earned media rights. We urge the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League leadership to seriously consider putting to open tender the media rights to the league’s matches. We have seen new entrants in the television broadcasting sector as well as live radio streaming. The much touted ZBC digitalisation programme should be utilised to provide content to the public broadcaster — bring back Game of the Week, and put smiles on our fan base,” said Delta Beverages marketing director Maxen Karombo in his speech at the Soccer Stars banquet last week.
At the board meeting the PSL clubs also discussed other issues such as violence at the stadia in their review of the just-ended season.
