We won’t give equipment, staff to StarTimes for GPL telecast - GBC

Television broadcast of Ghana’s Premier League (GPL) and FA Cup, which begins this weekend, is likely to suffer a major setback as the country’s state broadcaster fights back hard after losing the bid for the broadcasting rights.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Wednesday, January 8 announced StarTimes as the television rights holders for the 2019/2020 season league, a decision that shocked the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

According to the GBC, it was “unfairly” treated by the local football governing body, contending its 1.1 million-dollar bid per year was higher than the 1.05 million dollars by StarTimes.

It asked that “the right thing must be done”, but the GFA explained in a statement Thursday, January 9 that GBC’s bid fell below valuation, pointing out that the “evaluation of bids is not only about the financials”.

‘Unofficial request’ for collaboration

The GBC has in a latest decision taken Friday rejected any form of collaboration from StarTimes for the implementation of the broadcast rights, sources within the state broadcasting corporation disclosed to 3news.com

According to the highly placed sources, officials of StarTimes have since Friday morning “been calling and sending text messages to senior [GBC] officers seeking collaboration to telecast the GPL”.

But the GBC, the sources said, resolved at the Friday meeting that it is not opened for such collaborations as was the case in the immediate past.

It has accordingly directed its head of technical production not to release any GBC staff and equipment to StarTimes to telecast or broadcast the GPL matches this weekend, the sources said.

“Any staff who will violate this directive is expected to face the full disciplinary procedures of the corporation,” GBC is said to have warned.

“Staff are therefore to stay away from any unapproved collaboration with StarTimes until further notice” it added.

GBC staff and equipment have heavily been used by StarTimes in recent times for most of its productions.

The latest move by the GBC could cost StarTimes which may not be able to deliver its mandate under the broadcasting rights contract with the GFA.