Nairobi News

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SuperSport, Azam TV battle goes to Cecafa


TV broadcast turf wars have spilled over to the Kagame Cacafa Club Championship following reports that SuperSport has bypassed on the opportunity to televise some of the matches in the tournament from the Chamazi grounds in Dar es Salaam.

According to reports from Tanzania, regional football body Cecafa had identified the Chamazi grounds – which is home to local side Azam FC – to stage some of the matches of the annual tournament, but SuperSport are said to be concerned by the heavy branding of Tanzanian Pay TV Azam at the venue.

Sources have told Nairobi News that SuperSport’s crew is concerned that televising matches at Chamazi grounds would inadvertently market their media rivals.

INCREASING COMPETITION

“SuperSport is categorical, they are not keen on working from the Chamazi grounds, which is understandable. The venue has Azam logos all over, so the stadium will not be hosting any matches,” our sources revealed.

Other venues primed to host the matches are the Karume Stadium, plus the 60,000 seater National Stadium.

The Cecafa stand off is the latest predicament for SuperSport who are facing increasing competition from Azam for sports broadcast rights in the region, having lost the battle to televise the Ugandan league to the Tanzanian firm.

Azam has also infiltrated Kenyan football, which for the last several years has been monopolized by the South African company.

The two-week long Cecafa Kagame Club Championship featuring 13 teams drawn from 10 East and Central African nations, begins on Saturday in Dar es Salaam with Gor Mahia as Kenya’s flag-bearers.