LIVE-STREAMING BLACKOUT

MBABANE – Just when the MTN Premier League is heating up, there is a blackout of the live-streaming platform that was allowing fans to watch some of the games live.

With football fans banned from attending football matches in stadiums due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) and MTN Eswatini introduced a live streaming platform where football fans watched their favourite teams at a cost.
The arrangement was to benefit the teams who were set to take 78 per cent of the funds raised while MTN Eswatini pockets the remaining 22 per cent. The PLE was to divide the 78 per cent, with 25 per cent going to administration, PLE’s 30 members receiving 50 per cent, the hosting team taking 15 per cent and 10 per cent for the away club. The live-streaming was one method that was to benefit the teams while fans remained banned from attending matches at the stadium. Teams were generating income through gate collections especially the big three teams being Manzini Wanderers, Mbabane Highlanders and Mbabane Swallows.

MTN Eswatini’s Lando Dlamini confirmed that they had frozen the live-streaming. “We have parked the live streaming for now as we are working on finalising negotiations for contract renewal with the PLE. We are also exploring a new model that will excite all the stakeholders,” she said. Dlamini said they could not share the financial details of the live-streaming due to confidentiality. According to the PLE’s first round report, the live-streaming platform needed more of a marketing drive as it did not generate enough revenue. The platform was launched on April 1, 2021 with PLE Chairman Mark Carmichael and MTN Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wandile Mtshali present. PLE Chief Operations Officer Pat Vilakati could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone rang unanswered for the better part of the day yesterday.

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