Clubs in the dark on Uganda Cup TV deal

We have all been screaming loudly about Alpha Ssali’s incredible goal for Proline against Myda. Had it not been televised by UBC, many would only hear about it in word.

The collector’s item saw him collect up a pass near the box, ghosted past the first opponent before nut-megging the second and ingeniously sent the ball into the net. Find it.

That his dad, Moses Ssali, aka Bebe Cool, is a renowned musician mattered a lot. It wasn’t the most important the teenager will score. It was only Proline’s fourth in the 4-1 triumph in the Uganda Cup.
Therein lies the first tangible benefit of the Stanbic Uganda Cup broadcast move, dubbed ‘trial project’ by Fufa.

The big gamble
“Fufa is helping with production of matches and UBC is providing airtime, Fufa hired a production company and is meeting the production costs. Stanbic Bank is yet to meet any broadcast costs,” Fufa Communications director Ahmed Hussein revealed.

“At the moment, we are giving out the product for free to attract sponsors and show the masses that Ugandan football is a big product. We are taking a big gamble. Stanbic and Plascon remain tournament sponsors.

“We’re going to broadcast six matches at round of 32 and plan to show 25 matches this campaign. There is a plan of having all the quarterfinal matches relayed live. Such magical moments like Ssali’s goal have been happening here but we missed it out on TV.”

Allegations

It is alleged that production of Uganda Cup TV games is done by Faisal Musenze, who previously worked with PearlSporto broadcasting – a company started in 2013 by Fufa president Moses Magogo and his partners. The same company produced Fufa Big League and regional qualifiers at Njeru recently.

African banking giants Stanbic and Kansai Plascon sponsor the tournament to a tune of Shs300m (annually) and Shs132m (over two years), respectively.
The tournament winners will this year bag Shs50m and in a shortened version, only Uganda Premier League and Fufa Big League teams are drawn from the round of 32, getting Shs1.5m each for the start.

According to Obal Atubo, of Red Rhino, the agency that handles the Uganda Cup deal for Stanbic, the UBC broadcast is a welcome gesture and they are glad to be tapping into the mileage created.
“We’re happy to be the tournament sponsors at a time Fufa is broadcasting the matches. We’re still in some negotiations regarding that matter,” Atubo said.

‘Anonymous’ broadcast company
Although Hussein is comfortable revealing Fufa’s innovative gesture, he is not when confronted with availing the details of the company in charge of match production.
“I don’t know the company yet,” he says.
Score has independently learnt that the production is done by a one Faisal Musenze, who previously worked with PearlSporto broadcasting company.
It is a company that was started in 2013 and one of its principals is Fufa president Moses Magogo.
The same company was behind the Fufa Big League and regional qualifiers at the Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru, recently and broadcast on Fufa TV.

An expert in local sports TV production revealed that a match can go for between Shs3m to Shs5m. For Caf matches that require higher standards, production goes for $80,000 (about Shs292m).
Expect quality - UBC
Veteran broadcaster Dean Kibirige, the UBC head of archives, says that minimum production standards call for at least five cameras.

“There must be one at the top of the VIP area, a camera at each of the four corners, a roving camera at the touchline and a crowd camera. This production has them all,” he says.
Though not better than the StarTimes Uganda Premier League production on Sanyuka TV, Kibirige says the picture is of quality because it is relayed via satellite not U-live or data.

“Fufa is enjoying the benefit of working with government. They got the airtime because of their previous harmonious working relationship with UBC,” he said.
Clubs still clueless
Majority of the club officials we talked to expressed hope and a tinge of displeasure that the deal, good as it may be, was thrown to them at last minute and has many unexplained clauses.

“We don’t have a clear flow of the deal because we received it on last minute. Marketing-wise, it helps especially in the Covid-19 era, our sponsors get mileage as opposed to less matches but we need to understand how clubs benefit directly,” Vipers chief executive Peter Njuba said.
Vipers also have a sponsorship deal with Plascon only signed recently.
Njuba’s KCCA compatriot echoes similar sentiments.

“We were not informed before. As far as I know, not even the CEO knew,” KCCA media officer Moses Magero opines.
“But, we have a limitation of 230 people so our craving supporters will get to watch match.”

With the fluid schedule, URA don’t know when they will be screened.
“We don’t know why we’re not among the six beneficiaries. We also demand to know the criteria used to select them,” Patrick Ochieng, the URA publicit said.
“Even in the league, we are only shown against big teams. In 15 first round games, Sanyuka TV has only telecast us against Police, Vipers, Express and KCCA only,” he added.

For Wakiso Giants, missing out on the first round may not be the biggest problem but clarification on the image rights is.
“We are bleak about the deal, but I know the image rights ought to be paid for. Their partnership is purely with Fufa. No wonder, there was no official unveiling of UBC as the official broadcast partners,” Wakiso Giants communications officer Ismael Kiyonga said.

Stanbic Uganda Cup

TODAY | 4PM
Wakiso Giants    vs.    Water        (Agg. 2-1)
Express    vs.    Kyetume    (2-2)
Nyamityobora     vs.    KCCA    (2-4)
Tooro United     vs.     Kataka    (0-1)
Calvary     vs.    Police    (0-5)
TODAY
UPDF    vs.    Arua Hill    (2-3)
Ndejje Univ    vs.    SC Villa    (1-0)
Mbale Heroes    vs.    Gaddafi    (0-1)

[email protected]