SuperSport come to town

the domestic game and help transform the top-flight clubs from paupers into financially-stable entities – will inch a little bit closer to reality with a landmark development next week.
SuperSport have agreed to broadcast live the blockbuster midweek Castle Lager Premiership tie between Dynamos and champions Motor Action, scheduled for Rufaro on Wednesday next week, on one of their television channels.
The live coverage of the derby, featuring the two championship-chasing Harare clubs, is being used by SuperSport International as a test case as they prepare for an expected deal to acquire the television rights of the domestic Premiership, beginning from the 2012 season.
SuperSport have also agreed to broadcast live the inaugural Mbada Diamonds Cup final, scheduled for Rufaro on November 27, as part of the groundwork that is being laid for their expected arrival on the domestic Premiership season from next year.
The Mbada Diamonds Cup final will feature either Dynamos or FC Platinum versus Motor Action or Zimbabwe Saints and the winners are expected to pocket US$75 000 and are also guaranteed US$150 000 for the costs of their participation in the Caf Confederations Cup next year.
SuperSport International will use their Outside Broadcast vans, currently stationed in Zambia where the pay-per-view television giant have a deal to cover the Zambian top-flight league, for the two special assignments in Zimbabwe next week and on November 27.
Twine Phiri, the PSL chairman who has helped turnaround the fortunes of the domestic Premiership by bringing in major sponsors like Delta Beverages and Mbada Diamonds, confirmed yesterday that their negotiations with SuperSport International for a possible partnership were gathering momentum.
“What we can advise the nation right now, without fear of jeopardising our negotiations with SuperSport, is that both parties have agreed that SuperSport broadcast live the league match between Dynamos and Motor Action at Rufaro on Wednesday, November 9, 2011,” said Phiri.
“SuperSport have been looking at our proposals for a partnership and negotiations have been going on for some time but they have now been taken to another level because groundwork is now being prepared for a possible long-term deal which could see our matches coming out live on SuperSport.
“The game next Wednesday is test case for SuperSport and they will be back again to broadcast live the Mbada Diamonds Cup final at Rufaro on November 27 as part of the groundwork that is being prepared.
“Obviously, from our side as PSL we have to say that we are extremely delighted that we are seeing our negotiations moving out of the boardroom and seeing something happening at the grounds and that is always refreshing because it means you would have moved from point A to point B.
“We remain dedicated, as a management of the league, to try and get the best deals for the PSL and it has always been our intention to rope in SuperSport to come in as the official broadcaster of our matches and, in turn, the clubs will then be getting something into their coffers for their rights.
“We believe this is a landmark development and, while a deal has not yet been struck between SuperSport and us, we are excited because we can see some movement that promises so much for the future.”
The PSL boss said a deal between SuperSport and the local top-flight league would change the face of local football.
“No doubt about that, such a deal would change our game for the better because we have already seen it happening in the countries where SuperSport have gone to bed with the leagues there and the status of the clubs and the lives of the players has improved significantly,” said Phiri.
“We have seen it happen in Zambia, Kenya, Angola and South Africa is a very big example of how the big money that comes from television rights can transform the status of the clubs and the players.
“So, this is not a Mickey Mouse deal and, on our part, we just need to keep demonstrating that we are professional, while our partners do the groundwork, and we wait and see where this will take us, obviously, hoping that it will all end up with us getting something good out of it.
“We are not the only ones competing for SuperSport’s attention because the top-flight leagues in Mozambique and other countries also want that share and we need to provide a product that suits what our prospective partners want for their television programmes.
“That is why it is important that we are not found coming short, as a league, when the two matches are broadcast live on SuperSport this month.”
Phiri said a full-house at Rufaro in both matches will help create an atmosphere that will show that the domestic game has a constituency, in terms of fans, and deserves its place on the SuperSport channels.
“Hopefully, we will get a big crowd because you don’t want a test run that shows an empty stadium and we will also get quality football with our players showing that they have the skills that deserve to be seen by fans in other countries on the SuperSport channels,” said Phiri.
Phiri also said the PSL would also approach the regulating authority – Transmedia – to ensure SuperSport secure the
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necessary clearance to transmit the games from Zimbabwe.
The arrival of SuperSport usually means that the clubs in the top-flight league also get monthly grants, for their upkeep, which wipes away the burden of having to foot the bills associated with running the clubs.
SuperSport is owned by the Naspers Group of South Africa and is the world’s biggest broadcaster of live rugby and cricket matches and also the globe’s biggest broadcaster of the English Premiership matches.
It broadcasts the majority of English Premiership matches live, either in Standard Definition or in High Definition, and has a 24-hour HD channel dedicated to the English Premiership.
SuperSport’s financial muscle has revolutionised Super Diski and turned it from the 50th richest league in the world, not so long ago, into the seventh richest league on the globe today that dwarfs all the other top-flight leagues on the continent.
This year SuperSport signed a R2 billion deal with the South African Premiership, giving the clubs their financial weight, which enables them to get the best talent that emerges from this country.
SuperSport also have a deal, worth approximately US$10 million and spread over five years, with the Kenyan Premier League while they also ventured into the Uganda Premier League this year with a US$5 million deal.
SuperSport have also heavily invested in the Zambian Super Division, which is also bankrolled by MTN, while a lot of money has also been poured into the Angolan top-flight league.
Zimbabwean clubs have been crying for such a partnership, saying it will not only slash the costs of running their entities but will also help them invest in their best players, helping to keep them on the home front rather than seeing them being lured by teams in the region.