THOUSAND MILE JOURNEY BEGINS WITH FIRST STEP

MBABANE – Like the old hen, which lifted its buttocks only to realise it had laid a golden egg, Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) Chairman Mark Carmichael, wore a wall-to-wall that would have won a competition for any toothpaste advert on television.

Nobody could blame the PLE head honcho for having a feel-good factor after his organisation managed to clinch a highlights show deal with Eswatini Television Authority. The deal worth E512 000, is a groundbreaking one after the E2 million broadcast deal signed by the dearly departed PLE chairman, Victor ‘Maradona’ Gamedze, collapsed five years ago.
The new deal only means Eswatini Television Authority will be allowed to get clips from the MTN league games and then produce a weekly highlights show. The TV station will be paying a sum of E64 000 a month for the footage to the PLE.

Having assumed office on September 20, 2020, faced with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which briefly stopped the MTN league in the 2020/2021 season, the new PLE Executive Committee has had to try its damndest to fit square pegs in round holes with no knockout tournaments in sight. With shoe-string budget, only one competition being played since they took over, the PLE has had to go cap-in-hand to bigger brother, the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) awash with FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s millions of dollars, to keep the fires burning.

Confronted with some Executive Committee members scoring own goals on an integrity issue, Carmichael desperately needed some good and positive news after a difficult year and a half in charge. The Eswatini Television Highlights show deal gave him a reprieve yesterday, and for once in a long time he could laugh so hard even his wisdom tooth was sparkling.
 While Acting Eswatini TV Chief Executive Officer (CEO)Kenneth Maziya, was modest personified, he could not hide the unbridled joy of how the local content could boost their viewership with the MTN  league game highlight show. Ground-breaking stuff? Yes, given how the previous broadcast deal collapsed as the government funded TV stations faced financial challenges, the new deal could be the start of a long journey that could help emancipate local football for the financial oppression it is currently facing.

Grow

E512 000 may look like pocket-change compared to what other broadcasters are paying (Multi-choice is paying the Premier Soccer League E600 million per season) but for little Eswatini this is the first baby-step. “We are confident that our fans who can’t make it to the stadiums will be happy with the partnership we are signing here today, and as the PLE, we are happy with the support you have given us and we will grow from strength to strength,” Carmichael said with a beaming smile. Charity indeed begins at home. The PLE has received a barrage of criticism regarding their SuperSport TV deal, given the teething problems still there for all to see in the local league and perhaps, the Eswatini TV would be a perfect start to get to understand the intricate world of television.

As the all-too-powerful South Africa’s Premier Soccer League Chairman, Dr. Irvin ‘Iron Due’ Khoza, told the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) on why exclusivity on the broadcast deal is important. “Income is distributed to clubs‚ who invest in developing and attracting football talent through paying better salaries‚ investing in academies‚ facilities and competent football management. Overall‚ these investments improve the quality of the content‚ making it more attractive and generating greater viewership interest,” he said. One day, yes maybe one day, football would be able to get its true value as the country’s biggest single content provider. For now, this is the starting point. This is a ground-breaking deal. Indeed, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step!

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