END OF THE ROAD? FKF's marketing company wants deal renegotiated, citing poor quality of league

AFC Leopards vs Gor Mahia - kpl.
Gor Mahia striker Meddie Kagere dribbles the ball past Emmanuel Ngama of AFC leopards uring the KPL encounter on April 12, 2015 at Nyayo Stadium. PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO
 

The media company contracted by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to market its activities, including the FKF Premier League, now wants the deal renegotiated, we can reveal.

According to confidential correspondence in our possession, MP & Silva has raised issues to do with the quality of the FKF Premier League clubs and the absence of Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards from that league. They have also raised the issue of the KPL League, which has the top clubs in the country, and the involvement of SuperSport.

They want the deal renegotiated before tomorrow, when they are due to make the next payment. In signing the contract with FKF, MP&Silva guaranteed Sh2.3b ($2.5 million) a year and would recoup their money from a segmented rights deal with a Pay TV broadcaster, Free To Air broadcast, online and radio rights.

The rights agents have already delivered Azam TV on a three-year Sh69.8m ($750,000)-a-year deal, but must now bridge the Sh139.5m ($1.5million) difference to ensure FKF league clubs get the promised Sh1 million a month for broadcast rights.

 

SECOND DIVISION TEAMS

“We are quite concerned about the developments of the level of quality of the new formed (sic) league, as we currently do not have neither the AFC Leopards nor the Gor Mahia FC joining from the former KPL this season and all other teams being made up of previous second division teams,” says Roberto Dalmiglio, the COO of MP & Silva in a communication to the FKF president dated April 10.

“On top of that, there is now another league running this year, with the KPL teams. We found that the above has a significant effect on the market values we are being offered for the media rights of the new league which are considerable below the original ones, when the first structure and plan of the league was presented...” he says.

SUPERSPORT DEAL

“Top of this our concern also regards the future of SuperSport deal with KPL, at this purpose we would appreciate to be systematically involved while you deal with KPL in order to release the MOU whose due date is June 2015,” he says.

“Considering the above, we believe we should review our deal and proceed with a drastic change of the structure of minimum guarantee as a form of compensation for the loss of quality, the running of two leagues simultaneously and therefore the reduced offers we have been getting for the media rights,” he said.

“Therefore we suggest to negotiate between now and when the next payment is due on May 16 to come to a mutually-agreeable compromise to ensure our continued co-operation on this exciting project,” he said.

This comes in the wake of another war of words that has erupted between FKF and KPL over alleged forgery of signatures of KPL clubs chairmen by FKF, but which the latter has vehemently denied and even demanded an apology.

KPL has alleged its 16 members were cited as having attended a Special General Meeting called by FKF in Kakamega on January 30 and their names contained in the attendance sheet “thereby purporting and implying that they attended as delegates the Special General Meeting in Kakamega”.

“As you are aware, this is not true. The only Chairman of a Kenyan Premier League club who attended the SGM was Mr Moses Adagala of Muhoroni Youth FC. It is therefore clear that the attachment of that purported attendance sheet to the resolutions is a forgery and/or the making of an unlawful document which is intended to mislead,” says KPL Chief Executive Officer, Jack Oguda, in his letter to FKF dated April 7.

But Oguda’s counterpart in FKF, Michael Esakwa shot back, breathing fire. “We make reference to your letter of April 7 referenced... and the resolution of the Special General Meeting in Kakamega on January 30, 2015.

“The resolutions as appended and signed by myself and the President of the Federation reflect the true record of the SGM which was duly convened and constituted. Therefore the resolutions arising therefrom are binding to all.

“We however take great exception to the attached sheet of delegates which is not an authentic document from the federation and does not reflect the attendance of the special general meeting of 30th January 2015, which as per Article 10 of the FKF Constitution comprises the following members:

FKF branches, FKF Premier League clubs, FKF National Super League, FKF National Division One, FKF recognised association for football coaches, FKF recognised association for football referees.

“Your appended list of delegates does not match neither conform to the standard attendance list of a general meeting. We need an apology from you for giving misleading and fabricated information. This is obviously a forged document,” he said.