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Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Thursday in Abuja signed a five-year broadcast sponsorship rights contract worth N5.3bn with Cable TV giants StarTimes, Completesports.com reports.
NPFL Chairman Honorable Gbenga Elegbeleye told the media at the signing ceremony that StarTimes will pay an initial N1.06bn in the first year of the sponsorship package and an annual increment of N50 million for four years from 2023 to 2028
Elegbeleye added that the signing of the contract is a fulfilment of his promise to Nigerians that Nigeria’s domestic football league will return to television commending the cable TV company for partnering with the NPFL to improve the domestic league
“It is a 5-year deal worth N1.06bn with StarTimes, with a 50 million naira increment annually. They will kick off by broadcasting two matches from November 18 kickoff date before increasing it to four matches weekly from February 2024, then it will increase to eight matches per week for the rest of the contract,” Elegbeleye divulged.
Also speaking at the signing ceremony, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, said the broadcast deal was aimed at driving the interest of football fans in the country to the NPFL games like the foreign football leagues such as the English Premier League (EPL).
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Gusau stated that the contract signing is coming at this time because the NPFL was tidying the broadcast deal to ensure that it benefits all the parties involved, adding that he is happy that Nigerians can watch the NPFL matches from the comfort of their homes.
“Making our domestic league among the best in Africa is one of my cardinal programs and with our league being watched on live TV. It will curtail bad officiating, help market the league and showcase our talents to the world. I must commend both NPFL and StarTimes for working assiduously to broker the deal,” the NFF boss remarked.
Earlier, the CEO of StarTimes, Joshua Wang, announced that the company won the broadcast rights of the top tier Nigeria Football League for five years effective from 2023.
“Today, we are pleased to announce that we have secured the exclusive rights to broadcast four Matches of NPFL per Round in the 2023/24 season and 2024/25 season; and eight matches of NPFL per Round in the 2025/26 season, 2026/27 season and 2027/28 seasons,” Wang stated.
“This means that StarTimes will be the only platform where you can watch the best of Nigerian football every week. We will also have the first pick of the matches we want to showcase, ensuring that we bring you the most exciting and competitive games in the league. This deal is a win-win situation for both parties.”
Wang added: “For StarTimes, it means that we can offer our subscribers more value and variety in our sports content. For the NPFL, it means that they can benefit from our expertise and experience in producing and broadcasting high-quality football matches. Promoting and developing the league is not only a business goal for us but also a social responsibility. We are committed to growing the sports industry in Nigeria by collaborating with our local partners and sharing positive Nigerian stories.
“We believe that this deal will enhance the visibility and popularity of the NPFL, both locally and internationally. We hope that it will also inspire and motivate the players, coaches, and clubs to perform at their best and showcase their talents. We are confident that this partnership will bring more joy and excitement to millions of football fans in Nigeria and beyond,” he concluded.
By Richard Jideaka, Abuja
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