NO BROADCAST FOR SWAZI TV, CHANNEL S

MBABANE – ‘The PLS has a product, you want it, you come buy’. This is the succinct response given by PLS and Manzini Sundowns Chairman Mark Carmichael yesterday when he was asked to clarify Swazi TV and Channel S’s positions in as far as coverage of the Ingwenyama Cup final game between Mbabane Swallows and Royal Leopard was concerned.

The national television broadcaster, Swazi TV, is reported to have unsuccessfully tried to get rights to the game but found the PLS had crossed the border to tie a deal with SuperSport who will broadcast the match live.

“We have not barred or blocked or refused anyone to go the stadium. For match coverage, it could be a different story. It is my understanding that we had a contract with Swazi TV which is expired as far as I know. We have a product and if you want it, you come and buy, we are open as we’re Swazis,” Carmichael diplomatically responded.

However, upon further questioning, he made it clear that all live broadcast rights for this match tomorrow were handed to SuperSport.
“Swazi TV and Channel S know what happens in as far as live broadcast rights are concerned. We have a product and as an Executive Committee, we put our product on SuperSport’s table. We haven’t sold it to anyone but it’s a pilot project which if they like the product, then it’s good for our football,” he explained.

Carmichael said the clubs under the PLS had a product, the organisation as well which made them answerable to the teams. He said if the local stations could market their product and make it big then all the better and their doors were always open to negotiation.

Specifically asked if journalists from these stations would be allowed anything from the game, be it clips or interviews, he insisted that both stations knew what to do for broadcast rights and that tomorrow, it was all SuperSport in as far as the match is concerned.
Ingwenyama Cup Management Committee Secretary and PLS COO Pat Vilakati, when reached, said the matter was handled by the Executive Committee.

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