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StarTimes Ends NPFL Broadcast Deal, Cites Unsustainable Business Model
Last week, Elegbeleye led the NPFL board in a meeting with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to negotiate a new broadcast arrangement. However, the future of the deal remains uncertain due to leadership changes at the station.
The Chief Executive Officer of StarTimes, Joshua Wang, has confirmed the termination of the company’s broadcast agreement with the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), citing poor returns on investment as the reason for pulling out.
The development confirms The PUNCH’s earlier report on the cancellation of the deal.
In 2023, StarTimes signed a five-year broadcast partnership worth ₦6bn with the NPFL. However, the agreement has now ended after just two seasons.
According to findings, StarTimes withdrew from the contract due to low patronage of its decoders and pay-TV services, which made the deal commercially unviable.
Speaking at an NPFL event in Abuja, Wang explained:
“Since StarTimes has been the broadcast partners of the NPFL, during the past two seasons, we have tried to meet our promises to promote and broadcast the NPFL.
“But unfortunately, we are here because of these economic issues; we are not making it as a business partner for the pay TV business to be sustainable.
“Everything is business; we don’t have the capability to continue. I also heard last week that our partners NTA have taken over the broadcast.”
NPFL Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, also clarified that the contract had included a two-year probationary clause.
“Signing with StarTimes that time, we said that the first two seasons are probatory; after that we would discuss again on how to go further,” he said.
“Our last match in Lagos between Ikorodu City and El-Kanemi Warriors was live on NTA. We will still be going ahead with that until we finish the current discussion regarding the broadcast.”
Last week, Elegbeleye led the NPFL board in a meeting with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to negotiate a new broadcast arrangement. However, the future of the deal remains uncertain due to leadership changes at the station.
President Bola Tinubu had recently appointed Rotimi Pedro as NTA’s new Director-General on August 20, but later reversed the decision, reinstating Salihu Abdullahi Dembos to complete his three-year tenure.
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