MTN LEAGUE GAMES BLACKOUT ON SBIS

MBABANE – Soccer-loving listeners endured a nightmarish weekend as SBIS did not broadcast live the start of the intriguing MTN League over the past weekend.

Instead, the Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS) siSwati channel opted to give listeners updates of the league start in yesterday morning’s Sport Show, anchored by Nathi ‘Mdockies’ Hlophe.

The eagerly awaited ‘holy grail’ of local football finally got underway last Friday with epic matches, through to Sunday. Insiders at the radio station confided in this publication that management, through the marketing department, was allegedly looking at how the national radio station can benefit from the mileage given in the broadcast of matches.

Swazi MTN started sponsoring the Premier League of Swaziland (PLS) during the 2002/2003 season with a E300 000 package. During last Thursday’s launch at the telecommunications heavyweights’ Mahlalekhukhwini House in Ezulwini, a massive E4.1 million sponsorship was announced, taking MTN’s carrot to local elite football to over E25 million over the years.

SBIS Director Martin Dlamini and his Deputy Gcinangaye Tsabedze did not answer numerous calls from this publication on the matter. MTN’s Senior Manager Communications Meshack Maseko said they had no idea on the matter as SBIS has not engaged them.
“What I know is that we are PLS sponsors and not aware of the matter since no one from the station has engaged us,” Maseko said.
PLS Chief Operations Officer (COO) Pat Vilakati said his office had not received any concerns regarding the matter.

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