Editors PickNational Sports

Broadcasting rights deadlock

A misunderstanding on FAM’s packaging of broadcasting rights has put off local broadcasters who shunned the May 14 2014 deadline for bids submission, thereby denying teams income from the industry.

FAM marketing manager Dan Tambala confirmed that none of the stations met the deadline to acquire the rights for local and international matches.

FAM offices
FAM offices

“We called for bids and we will flight the advert again in the papers this month. We are partners with the media, so we will gradually move towards professional rights marketing over time. We will continue engaging media houses until rights become beneficial to all football stakeholders,” Tambala explained.

Several clubs Weekend Nation contacted wondered why radio stations continue to cover the matches for free. Rights can range from K80 000 per match whereas international matches fetch $10 000 (K4 million) locally.

One of the leading stations that cover matches, Zodiak Broadcasting Station’s sales and marketing director Africano Phiri on Tuesday faulted FAM’s categorisation of the bids.

“They should have individualised the games instead of categorising them as we may not cover all games in a particular category. They should rather look at the number of games we are covering out all these categories,” Phiri explained.

He said they have kept away from broadcasting FAM-regulated cups, but only Super League games which Sulom regulates.

FAM advert indicates that even league games should be sold as being in category three of the rights alongside regional leagues.

Another official for a broadcasting station revealed that they were buying such rights from Sulom. FAM had wanted to package all football rights and sell them at once before the start of every season.

The rights are principal sources of income for clubs elsewhere. Local high-profile matches can cost up to K1.2 million, but the broadcasters recently convinced FAM for a bargain looking at what the broadcasters can afford.

The broadcasters also agreed such rights should not be sold in blocks to one broadcaster, but an independent non-media agency so that all stations can access them.

The rights fall in four categories with category one comprising all international matches for all national teams, the Presidential, Standard Bank and Carlsberg cups.

The bidding documents were available at FAM at a non-refundable fee of K5 000. The documents were supposed to be deposited at FAM with opening of bids then earmarked for May 21 2104.

“FAM is committed to delivering premium quality audio visual product that represents the improved quality of the game in order to attract audience, listernership and viewership,” reads an advert which FAM posted on www.fam.mw.

“FAM invites all media houses, agencies or any eligible bidders to tender for Audio Visual media broadcasting rights for the 2014/15 season in the following categories.”

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