NPFL put pen to paper with Startimes for five year TV broadcast deal

The governing body of the Nigerian Professional Football League earlier this year signed a $5m broadcast deal with Propel Sports Africa.

The governing body of the Nigeria Professional Football League has penned an exclusive five-year broadcasting deal with digital broadcasting company, Startimes Nigeria, Soccernet.ng reports.

This deal means Nigerians will be able to get NPFL matches and highlights from the comfort of their homes and televisions as Startimes Nigeria is the only company with the rights to broadcast the league games on TV.

With negotiations already in the works after a mobile broadcast deal was signed with Propel Sports Africa earlier this year, the StarTimes deal was confirmed today during the contract signing ceremony in Abuja, with officials of NPFL and the NFF in attendance at the Sheraton Hotel.

It was confirmed that the deal will run through five years and is worth about 1.6 billion naira, with the potential of a 50 million naira annual increment.

Coverage is set to start on November 18, 2023, with two NPFL games to be televised for viewers via the StarTimes decoder and mobile application.

However, from 18th February, 2024, coverage will be extended, with four games being broadcast every weekend for the next two years, to ensure the matches will be accessible to a larger audience.

This news will come as a relief to fans at home and abroad as it’ll serve as a platform not only to watch the league from the comfort of their homes but to also export the content of the NPFL to audiences abroad, thereby attracting more investors.