National Sports

FAM , Mibawa, Zuku sign K350m Mpira TV deal

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) yesterday unveiled a Mpira TV football production and broadcasting deal worth K350 million per year.

The deal, signed with Mibawa Studios, Simbanet and Zuku Television at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre, will see Mibawa producing content for  Mpira Television to be broadcast on Zuku  channel 064.

Nyamilandu (L) and Dziko putting pen to paper

Zuku and Simbanet replace Kiliyekiliye following the collapse of a deal between FAM and Malawi Digital Broadcasting Network Limited.

FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said this time the association is optimistic that Zuku will enable Mpira TV to reach out to more subscribers with clubs getting 80 percent of the proceeds.

He said: “We have learned  a lot of lessons. We are here to correct the shortfalls. We are coming back stronger with serious partners who have  invested a lot. They have been appointed in a transparent manner.”

Nyamilandu called for the stakeholders to move with the change as football will no longer be free.

He said: “Days are gone for football to be used for a song. If you want football pay up. If you want football images pay up. Don’t abuse our rights. Football is no longer free.”

Simbanet and Zuku Television country director Elias Dziko said they are ready to join the transformation of Malawi football broadcasting.

He said: “Football is a way of  life. It brings communities together. It has the ability to bring together both old and young, men or women, friends or foes. It is a beautiful game enjoyed beyond by masses.

“But the Covid-19 pandemic made it difficult to watch football at stadiums.  I must commend FAM for thinking of a way to bring football to the masses. We at Zuku are happy to be part of the events that are unfolding. Zuku will be able to beam this content in every corner of this country.

“Not only in Malawi but even beyond since we are in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. We should be able to expose Malawi talent beyond the borders to about 250 000 subscribers.”

Sulom president Tiya Somba Banda said it was high time football commercialisation took off through television broadcasting rights.

He said: “We have been talking about commercialisation of football in Malawi through broadcasting rights for 14 years having started this process in 2007 when Sulom wanted to engage South Africa Broadcasting Corporation.

“We have gone through a journey where we have met misfortunes. Fortunately, we have reached this stage because people have refused to fail.”

Mibawa Studios are host content producers, having met minimum requirements as set up by Confederation of African Football (CAF) after FAM advertised bidding for the services.

The studio’s chief executive John Nthakomwa said they did not choose football by chance.

He said: “Our view is that we cannot be a channel that is doing everything to perfection. We needed to specialise. So we chose entertainment and sports.

“Football is not just something we are doing by chance. It has been a five-year journey. We invested and we sacrificed.

“We have covered over 200 games, that’s more than any station. We worked for it and we deserve it. FAM, Sulom, CAF, Fifa and Cosafa trusted us.”

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