UPL, Big League to share Shs2.4b in StarTimes deal
Their predecessors Azam injected in $1.9b (Shs5.7b) over three years since 2015. This paled in comparison to SuperSport and GTV’s injections but remains the first to be seen out successfully. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Soccer. The Sports Broadcasting deal was too good to be true as it promised to give local clubs at least Shs150m per season but fell through as fast as it came.
- Their predecessors Azam injected in $1.9b (Shs5.7b) over three years since 2015. This paled in comparison to SuperSport and GTV’s injections but remains the first to be seen out successfully.
KAMPALA. Beneficiaries of the new StarTimes deal for local football are believed to have about Shs9.52b to share over the next four years. Last month, StarTimes unveiled a $7.24m (Shs27b) deal that saw them secure Uganda Premier League (UPL) and Big League (FBL) title and broadcasting rights for the next 10 years from the football governing body, Fufa.
Daily Monitor now understands from its sources that Fufa will get $680,000 (Shs2.38b) per year for the next four years. This money will be disbursed quarterly and will be shared among Fufa, referees, clubs in both leagues and the UPL secretariat. After the 2021/22 season there is an expected incremental value of 14.5 per cent that will see the clubs then earn $780,000 (Shs2.73b) per year for the next four seasons running from mid-2022 to mid-2026.
For the final two seasons of this deal (2026/27 and 2027/28) the money from the Chinese Pay Televison company it is said will grow by 2.5 per cent to $800,000 (Shs2.8b) per season.
So How StarTimes compares to past deals? StarTimes like to go in for the long haul. In Ghana two years ago, StarTimes penned a 10-year deal worth $17.9m (Shs66b) that saw the broadcasters acquire all media rights of the Ghana Premier League and other FA-organised leagues including that of women.
StarTimes are the fifth television entity to take over these rights here but there has been some gloom towards their investment in comparison to past deals.
Their predecessors Azam injected in $1.9b (Shs5.7b) over three years since 2015. This paled in comparison to SuperSport and GTV’s injections but remains the first to be seen out successfully. GTV, who signed a five-year deal in 2007 before going insolvent, and SuperSport in 2011 for the same period were to release $1m (Shs3.6b) per season.
Just before Azam, Sports Broadcast Limited – a new player that had only a production license in Uganda – had taken over UPL, Big League and Uganda Cup rights at $3m (Shs11b) for the next three years.
STARTIMES EXPECTED DISBURSEMENT
2018/19 – 2021/22: $680,000 (Shs2.38bn) per season
2022/23 – 2025/26: $780,000 (Shs2.73bn) per season
2026/27 – 2027/28: $800,000 (shs2.8bn) per season
