...TV3 Pulls Out Of KPL Sponsorship Deal
The Ghana Football Association is faced with imminent lawsuits from its media partners over the 2003 Kinapharma premier league. TV3 has announced its withdrawal from the sponsorship deal and is also threatening legal action.
The Soccer controlling body entered into exclusive contractual terms with TV3 as the official TV station for the league, Joy FM as the Official English radio station and Peace Fm as the official Akan radio station for the league.
But the FA’s ineffectual handling of the contractual arrangements has led to several pirates getting on board and denying the media partners their exclusivity. TV3, the official TV station of the league is heading for the law courts.
TV3 describes it as a blatant disregard for the contract, an untoward situation that sets the clock of business back.
The Accra based private TV station was shocked to find out that state broadcaster GTV was permitted to telecast live, a Kinapharma premier league match on Sunday from the Accra Sports stadium.
GTV again showed highlights of the league on its Sports Highlights program on Monday night, all in violation of the standing agreement between TV3 and the GFA, which permits only TV3 to telecast highlights of the premier league.
TV3 has described GTV’s actions as a blatant disregard for the contract that exists between them and GFA.
The FA says while it has not entered into any agreement with GTV, the state broadcaster has a sub contract with Crystal TV, a TV station which has bought the rights of the league for international broadcast.
The question emerging is whether Crystal TV which has not got rights for the local broadcast can enter into an agreement with GTV to show the matches locally.
But even then, Crystal TV has not got the right to screen live matches so how can it then enable GTV to screen a live match? TV3 says it is going to sue the GFA for breach of contract and will demand appropriate compensation.
Joy Fm, the official English Radio Station is also asking the Football Association to explain why Radio Ghana was allowed to run live commentary on the eleventh week league fixtures of the premier league.
The existing agreement with the GFA grants Joy FM the sole right to enter into any broadcasting arrangement with a radio station for live English commentaries.
Joy FM, appalled by the incident is meeting the GFA later Tuesday on the matter.
The Joy Fm-GFA meeting is expected to be followed up by a meeting of the Ghana League Clubs Association- GHALCA.
GHALCA is also unhappy with the way the GFA has conducted its business with the media partners of the premier league and Kinapharma, the title sponsor.
The pharmaceutical company has also threatened to back out of the 1.5 billion cedi sponsorship with the Ghana football Association for the premier league.
