THE ENTRY OF SUPERSPORT International as the official broadcaster of the Kenya Premier League means the local football scene has finally hit the jackpot. The era of big money associated with football around the world has finally arrived in Kenya.
Supersport has signed a $13.5 million, four-year deal with KPL and the money will be used to develop and market the game through the competition in the next four years.For the first time since East African Breweries Ltd pulled out of the sponsorship of the league over a decade ago, Kenyan clubs will actually earn money for their efforts, unlike now the clubs have to pay to play and there is no prize money to be won.
Clubs have also been paying for match referees' transport and allowances, raising questions about the credibility of the competition, especially in cases where some clubs pay referees more than others, creating opportunists for manipulation.
The monies from the Supersport deal will among other things finance for the payment of referees' allowances and fund club activities.
But the biggest development is that for the first time ever, the rest of Africa will get to watch Kenyan league football via satellite television.
Supersport International says $5.5 million will be spent on broadcasting rights and a further $8 million on new media rights, production costs and website maintenance. The latter includes a new website developed by Supersport that will offer up to date information on the KPL.
Kenya Premier League's Bob Munro said, "This is a new dawn for Kenyan football. We are moving forward. Our vision is to become the best competition in Africa."
The broadcasting deal is already attracting interest from the country's corporate sector, with several players seeking to sponsor the Premier League. A number of corporate institutions are said to be lining up to purchase the naming rights of the league which will mean more income for clubs and better pay for players, coaches and referees.OVER 80 MATCHES ARE lined up for live transmission on Supersport, the sports channel that also relays the English Premier , Spanish and French leagues. The TV channel also televises the South African, Nigerian, Angola and Zambian leagues.
"This is an opportunity for Kenyan players to market themselves. With matches being shown across Africa, top clubs in Europe will be monitoring Kenyan players," said Thomas Mlambo, soccer commentator for Supersport.
The Kenyan league kicked off on March 1 and clubs are looking forward to an exciting season.
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