Econet Media Group has denied bidding for the right to broadcast the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League through their digital broadcast flagship Kwese TV.
The TV Rights had been put on public tender after the previous rights holder, Supersport TV a flagship of Multi-Choice left the country when their deal expired soon after the 2016/17 football season.
The nation had high hoped that the entrance of Kwese TV into Zimbabwe’s broadcasting airwaves would bring commercial vibrancy into the passionately loved football game through beaming of more local games across the country.
But alas! Zimbabwe’s local football seems to be very far away from redemption as the leading commercial giants continue to ditch the local game due to the unattractive nature of the sport’s administration in the country.
We received the below official communication from the Econet Wireless Media team rubbishing rumors that Kwese might be bidding for the ZPSL TV Rights ahead of the 2018 football season scheduled to kick-off in March.
The statements reads:
Our attention has been drawn to various reports linking Kwese TV, an entity of Econet
Media, to bids for Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League (PSL) television Rights.
Econet Media wishes to
make it clear that it has not submitted any bids nor entered into any negotiations for the said Rights
and does not plan to do so now or in the near future.
As part of its strategy in Zimbabwe, Kwese has entered into arrangements with a number of local
sports federations and will continue to develop further relationships with sports organisations.
However the PSL tender does not fall under the Company’s current rollout of products, programmes
and activities.
In the meantime, it is important to highlight that a critical part of Kwese TV’s current rollout
programme includes the establishment of comprehensive in-country infrastructure directly and in
collaboration with selected partners to support production of local sports and entertainment
programmes.
Econet Media acknowledges with gratitude the enthusiastic and overwhelming support it has received
and continues to receive from Zimbabweans and will continue to build on its strategy to bring top
quality entertainment at affordable prices whilst creating employment for entrepreneurs and young
people.
