NAIROBI, February 4 – Kenyans will get a chance to watch English premiership matches from this weekend after South African Media Company Supersport secured the rights.
Football fans were distraught last weekend when the collapse of pay TV company GTV saw them miss out on live action.
But Multichoice Kenya General manager Stephen Isaboke on Wednesday morning confirmed that Supersport has secured the license to the Barclays Premier League Live Package A for the rest of Africa and will beam the world’s richest league until 2011.
Yes we have actually acquired the rights for the premier league. And as you know, the owners put the rights out for bids and we won it at that stage,” said Isaboke.
Isaboke said people with GTV dishes can continue using it adding that they will only have to acquire a Dstv decoder.
“The dish is actually generic so all existing subscribers need to do is have a dish re point. That is have the dish reset so all you need is a decoder,” he said.
He added that DTSV have a discounted offer for decoders.
“We are here to help existing subscribers and others and that is why we are offering a special offer on the decoder. The decoder will be going for Sh7,700 including the re-pointing of the dish,” said Isaboke.
SuperSport already held both Live Package A & B rights for South Africa and Live Package B rights for the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa and with this deal has now secured all Premier League live rights for the remainder of the 2008/2009 season and for the whole of next season. This does not apply to the Nigerian market.
“We are pleased that Barclays Premier League supporters on the continent will continue to enjoy the best of the league,” said SuperSport Chief Executive Imtiaz Patel. “We are delighted to have Package A matches in the SuperSport fold. We’ll continue to deliver the very best in sports broadcasting.”
First up is Manchester City against Middlesborough (2.45pm CAT), followed by title-chasing Chelsea against Hull City (5pm CAT) and then Liverpool, who will be keen to close the gap on Manchester United, up against Portsmouth (7.30pm CAT).
On Sunday, top of the table Manchester United will be seeking to increase their lead over their rivals when they play away at West Ham United at 6pm (CAT). All these matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport 7.
Eben Greyling President of MultiChoice said “We have over 20 years experience in pay television in Africa and have built up a business which is sustainable in the long term. Our track record of providing premium content to DStv subscribers is unmatched and the return of all Premier League matches will further enhance our premium offering.”
Premier League Director of Media Operations, Phil Lines, said: ‘We are very pleased to have been able to move quickly and reach an agreement with Supersport that means our matches will remain available for viewing by Premier League fans across sub-Sahara Africa with the minimum of disruption’
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