Azam Tv And Kenyan League Sign Short Term Broadcast Deal

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) clubs are set to receive a financial boost this Friday as part of the Azam TV deal. According to seasoned Kenyan journalist, Eric Njiru, Azam initially intended to only pay two clubs – Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards. However, the Tanzanian broadcaster will now distribute KSh300,000 to each of the remaining 18 clubs in the league.

Azam had initially offered KSh4 million for the TV rights but have now agreed to double the amount to KSh8 million, with KSh2 million going towards referees’ payments. This is great news for the KPL and its clubs, as it will provide some much-needed financial relief amid the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new deal is reportedly worth $60,000 for a single weekend, which is a significant improvement from the previous arrangement. While this is not a large sum compared to other leagues around the world, it is a step in the right direction for Kenyan football.

Back in 2020, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) announced a $110 million seven-year deal with StarTimes as the league broadcaster. However, after just one year, StarTimes cancelled the contract citing poor execution by FKF.

In December 2022, there was renewed hope for Kenyan football fans when Ababu Namwamba, the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Sports and Arts, revealed that he had entered into negotiations with South African pay TV giants, Supersport, for their return to Kenya, five years after they left.

While Namwamba’s announcement was met with excitement, there has been little news on the progress of these negotiations since then. Fans and stakeholders are eagerly awaiting updates on the status of talks with Supersport, as the return of the broadcaster could bring much-needed stability and investment to the Kenyan Premier League.

The cancellation of the StarTimes deal was a setback for the league, which has long struggled with financial instability. The potential return of Supersport would be a major boost, not just for the league, but for Kenyan football as a whole. However, until there is more news on the negotiations, fans will have to wait and see whether this exciting development becomes a reality.