Heartbreak for football fans as GTV folds up

By Gilbert Wandera and Robin Toskin

Anxiety and disbelief among local football fans greeted news of the closure of pay television channel GTV.

And as they tried to come terms with the reality, GTV’s erstwhile rivals DSTv would not immediately say if they would screen European and Africa league matches previously beamed by the Gateway Broadcast Services.

Wilson Tima, a patron at Hooters Restaurant in Nairobi, said his weekends would never be the same again without the English Premier League (EPL).

"It will affect our lifestyle and how we spend our weekends. Most of us are watching the league. It may call for radical changes in this area," he said.

Sudden closure

He also took issue with the sudden closure of the company saying they should have given at least a warning.

"They are going with our money. I had paid in advance hoping not to miss any match. Now I have to bear with the situation as it is" he lamented.

Tima said he hopes DSTV can buy out the rights for the remaining matches so, local fans do not completely miss out.

But speaking to FeverPitch from Nigeria, Gary Rathbone, Africa’s head of SuperSport International said they would not be commenting immediately.

"May be in the course of next week we would issue a statement but as for now we shall only continue screening what we have always been," he said.