The Ethiopian Premier League Share Company stated they are working to secure a TV rights deal with some media companies being considered. Premier League general manager Kifle Seife told Ethiopian Reporter that the top flight is deliberating on the potential media companies that can take on the rights to showcase games.
South African-based SuperSport holds the rights to showcase Ethiopian league games and the five-year deal will elapse at the end of the current season. Seife said the league board is trying to examine options for future campaigns. "Back in November the board convened to discuss about this matter. The main question was what if SuperSport doesn't extend the deal. We are doing research about it and we hope to get results by January. We still seek to work with Super Sport though."
SuperSport bought the TV rights for five years in a deal that cost $68 million. SuperSport is expected to end their relationship with the league after 2025, leaving the league with no broadcaster. SuperSport's parent company, Multichoice, agreed to sell all of its shares to French pay TV company Canal Plus back in June. The new development will push the broadcaster not to extend their deal inside sources told Pan-Africa Football.
Seife further stated they have opened talks with other broadcasters. "We have started talking to BeIN Sports, Azam and local broadcasters. The other is Telecast. It is a streaming service provider that is owned by Ethio Telecom. These are now our options."
A tender process is expected for the TV rights deal if SuperSport pulls out as expected. SuperSport has only broadcasted two rounds of games this season and will start broadcasting after week 19.
The Ethiopian Premier League games are now live streamed on Facebook but the production quality has been criticized by fans.
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