By Daily Sports Nigeria on December 25, 2022

…as IMC moves to broadcast league matches

Chairman of the Interim Management Committee of the Nigeria Professional Football League, Gbenga Elegbeleye, has confirmed that the domestic topflight league will be broadcast live on television beginning from next season, adding that the new sponsors of the league will be unveiled on  Wednesday during the draw for the 2022/23 season.

The NPFL has not been on TV and has also been without title sponsors for several seasons, but the IMC might be in for a legal battle over these rights if parties involved in the existing debacle have not been consulted for a proper resolution of the rights ownership of the league.

“The NPFL will be on NTA (Nigeria Television Authority), as we have an assurance from them. For cable network, it might not start with the first few matches, but later on in the season,” Elegbeleye said during an interview on AIT.

“The league will start January 8, 2023 with draws for December 28 on 100 per cent abridged format, any club not ready might decide to leave.

“We won’t owe any referee for next season despite inheriting N500m referees debt,” he added.

The PUNCH had reported that in a bid to achieve its mandate of repositioning the league, last month, the IMC, held a meeting with the NTA in Abuja, with discussions reportedly centered on how the national TV could partner with the league body in broadcasting live matches of the NPFL to Nigerians.

The IMC was also reported to have opened discussions with MultiChoice to get SuperSports broadcast the league to the international audience.

Meanwhile, the protracted resumption date for the new season was only laid to rest last Thursday during the IMC and clubs’ representatives meeting in Abuja.

Elegbeleye said the IMC had plans to give the league a new face.

The IMC boss added, “It is not easy and it is very challenging and it’s the fact that the Nigerian league is not marketable based on past activities and the way sponsors perceive the league. They don’t see our league as something that is creative enough for them to invest their money in. Every investor wants return.

“The Kenyan league is on television, the Ethiopian league is on TV, the south African league is on TV and so many African leagues are on TV, but the Nigerian league is not. How do you now want investors to be interested without visibility for their business?”

However, if any of these moves by the IMC materialises, it may spell another legal battle that could cripple the league, once again.

From Globacom to Total Promotions, SuperSport, Next TV and then Red Strike; there has been a long debacle over title and TV rights of the NPFL, with court injunctions, which scared potential investors from investing in the league. Some of the above-mentioned firms pulled out of their deals with the NPFL to avoid the legal battles and drama.

As it stands, Total Promotions are the rightful owners of the broadcast rights of the league, thus any other move by the IMC for new broadcasters of the league might be resisted by the company via the court of law.

There’s an ongoing case in the Lagos High Court with Suit No. LD/997/2017 between Total Promotions and the Nigeria Football League Limited/LMC, with the latter the defendants.

After the IMC meeting with the NTA, our correspondent learnt Total Promotions wrote to both parties, warning them of the legal implications of broadcasting the league, while it still had the title and broadcast rights.

In the letter titled ‘Buyers Beware!’ and dated November 8, 2022, which was addressed to the Director-General of NTA, Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos, Total Promotions owner Niyi Alonge warned the television station against broadcasting the league.

“Please be informed that following the ongoing court tussle in Lagos High Court in Suit No: LD/997/2013 between Total Promotions Limited (claimant), Nigeria Football League Limited/League Management Company (defendants), the court ordered an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from interfering in any way with the performance of broadcast rights contract between the claimant and defendants,” the statement read in part.

“You (NTA) will therefore be well advised not to proceed with any further act that will amount to disregard of court judgments, including Supreme Court judgements as attached. NTA’s attempt to get involved in this matter of broadcast rights shall be viewed as contemptuous of judgements of the court, including judgement of the Supreme Court, the highest court of the land. Also, given the appeal by the LMC, that further makes the matter very sub-judice. You (NTA) have been put on notice.”

Source Punch Ng

Posted December 25, 2022

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