The Chief Consultant of AfroSports Television, Rotimi Pedro, says monopolising broadcast rights of football and other sports is detrimental to the development of sports.
He said this at a press briefing on Thursday in Lagos against the backdrop of the tussle over the broadcast rights for the 2023 Africa Nations Cup (AFCON).
The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) and New World Televisions (NWTV) have both confirmed that the 34th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Nations Cup 2023 Cote d’Ivoire will be available to Nigerian viewers.
“We’re here today to officially announce how Nigerians will consume their passion at AFCON. We have championed the freedom of sports. We believe that every premium sports should be available on free tv. You don’t have to pay subscriptions of N17, 000 . We have advocated for this for 25 or 30 years coming.
“We have successfully championed the freedom of sports, we don’t have to pay to consume premium sports we don’t to see the next Okocha or Kanu.
“At Afrosports, we believe in our pay off line, that suggests we there’s a strong connection between free sports and the development of sport. We’ve brought the biggest tournament in the continent been available and consume sports freely and the motivation to go out there and practice what you see on tv.
“Even in developed markets, in Europe all the games are available on free tv, fifty percent subscription fifty percent free where they watch all the games of the World Cup Euros, there’s a reason for that, the reason is to develop the next generation and broaden their imagination so they believe in their dreams,” he said.
Pedro, reiterated Afrosports’ is commitment to bringing Nigerians the of football in Africa. Which he believes will motivate young impressionable players.
“What we’ve done in Africa is to keep the premium sports that can motivate the next generation to only four percent of the population. We pride ourselves as being able to bring premium sports to a widest number of audience for free.
“We want to maintain this, we’ve gotten the right to air 52 matches we’ve partnered wit NTA, TVC, AIT, Wazobia TV. No need to pay subscriptions to watch the Super Eagles play at the 2023 AFCON.
In addition, Afrosport has been awarded with a Pay TV license for the Pay-per-View TV rights, with the exclusive authority to licence Pay TV broadcaster, Supersport.
“This news has been eagerly awaited, and can put Nigerian fans at ease that they will be able to enjoy unprecedented coverage of the AFCON this coming January,” Pedro said.
Similarly ace sports broadcaster Deji Omotoyinbo said Nigerians should stay tuned to a very vasatile and cerebral panelists during the Nations Cup.
“Nigerian have the personnel no matter how we try to colour this. We would have fantastic and brilliant ex-international and football analyst to give us the in depth analysis.
“Expect the best quality broadcasting and analysis. We can’t continue to stiffel the development of football and sports when all that is considered is how to commercialise everything.
“Imagine the marginalisation. it’s only 4.2 million Nigerians that have decoders, what happens to the remaining millions of people who can’t afford to pay N17,000 for subscription,” Omotoyinbo said.
AFCON is scheduled to kickoff from Jan.13 to Feb. It will be available on the Afrosport alongside NTA, AIT and all affiliate members of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria amongst a network of Free-to-Air channels across Nigeria.