FKF unveils StarTimes as official broadcast partners, KTN gets free to air rights
Football
By
Rodgers Eshitemi
| Nov 26, 2020
The seven-year deal worth USD 1.1 million (Sh110million per year) will see the Premier League matches aired on StarTimes through Standard Media Group's KTN (Free to air), Burudani TV (Pay TV) and 463 on the satellite platform.
The much anticipated 2020/2021 FKF Premier League season is set to kick off this weekend with nine matches on the card.
As part of the deal, the Chinese pay television company will also broadcast 30 National Super League matches and national team Harambee Stars' friendly matches.
But the deal was unveiled amidst protests from four clubs namely Gor Mahia, Ulinzi Stars, Mathare United and Zoo over the broadcasting rights.
READ MORE
Doctors set 90-day ultimatum for pay talks, warn of strike
Kenya, Italy adopt four-year cooperation plan after Ruto-Meloni talks
The quartet has refused to write an endorsement letter backing the deal between the federation and the Chinese company.
While FKF insists they own the collective rights of leagues and competitions under Article 81 of its constitution and 13 teams have since signed up, the dissenting four clubs have stood their ground terming the broadcast rights as their “intellectual property”.
However, speaking during the unveiling ceremony, StarTimes CEO Hanson Wang, reassured his company's commitment to supporting Kenyan football.
"We have progressively kept our vision as StarTimes as the most affordable pay television platform that will be broadcasting the Football Kenya Federation Premier League on our BTV channel 172 on Terrestrial platform and 463 on the satellite platform," said Wang.
“We are committed to seeing the success of the BetKing Premier League and are looking forward to mutually beneficial collaboration with the federation, teams, players, media and other key partners where each one of us will be called upon to take Kenyan football to the next level."
Even as he extended an olive branch to the dissenting clubs, FKF President Nick Mwendwa termed the broadcasting partnership as a new dawn for Kenyan football.
"We have yet marked another important milestone today in Kenyan football by launching a broadcast sponsorship for the BetKing Premier League. This sponsorship will go a long way in encouraging competition in our top leagues particularly the BetKing Premier League, improve the standards of football and even help improve the economic incentive of the game," said Mwendwa.