Our attention has been drawn to various reports linking Kwese TV, an entity of Econet Media, to bids for Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League (PSL) television Rights. Econet Media wishes to make it clear that it has not submitted any bids nor entered into any negotiations for the said Rights and does not plan to do so now or in the near future.
As part of its strategy in Zimbabwe, Kwese has entered into arrangements with a number of local sports federations and will continue to develop further relationships with sports organisations. However the PSL tender does not fall under the Company’s current rollout of products, programmes and activities.
In the meantime, it is important to highlight that a critical part of Kwese TV’s current rollout programme includes the establishment of comprehensive in-country infrastructure directly and in collaboration with selected partners to support production of local sports and entertainment programmes.
Econet Media acknowledges with gratitude the enthusiastic and overwhelming support it has received and continues to receive from Zimbabweans and will continue to build on its strategy to bring top quality entertainment at affordable prices whilst creating employment for entrepreneurs and young people.
In 2005 Econet withdraw sponsorship from PSL following a dispute with rivals NetOne, who were then bankrolling club side CAPS United.
The publicity surrounding the feud was hurting the company corporate image, Econet claimed at the time.
The latest proclamation from Econet will come as a big blow for the seriously underfunded Zimbabwean football sector
In 2009, Econet had a change in heart, and began talks with PSL. But the talks did not yield anything.
But in 2014, Douglas Mboweni, Econet’s group chief executive, has maintained it will not return to sponsor football in the near future due to other pressing national issues such as funding the education and health sectors of the country.
The Econet Media’s sports content platform has signed an exclusive one-year deal with COSAFA which commenced last year in November with an option of extension for another two years.
The deal includes the broadcast rights for the COSAFA Under-20 tournament, currently underway in Zambia, and the women’s tournament.
