In a strategic move ahead of the highly anticipated 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), AfroSports, a prominent sports media company, has clinched exclusive rights to broadcast the tournament on Free TV throughout Nigeria. This groundbreaking development is expected to elevate returns on advertising investments, granting football enthusiasts unrestricted access to all 52 matches.
At a press conference held in Lagos, Mr. Rotimi Pedro, AfroSport Chief Consultant, unveiled the partnership with New World TV, the broadcast powerhouse that secured exclusive rights from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The matches will be accessible on over 20 broadcast stations within the country at no cost.
Speaking while in the company of Mr. Deji Omotoyinbo, AfroSport Content Consultant and Mr. John Uwarie, Executive Director of DAAR Communications, Mr. Pedro emphasized AfroSport’s commitment to making premium sports, such as AFCON, available on Free TV. He highlighted the significant role free sports broadcasting plays in fostering social development, particularly at the grassroots level. The move aligns with AfroSport’s mission to inspire the next generation of athletes by ensuring widespread access to top-tier sports content.
“We are here today to make an announcement as to where and how Nigerians would be able to consume their passion, which is the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations which is football, and the Africa Cup of Nations comes at the pinnacle of that passion. And, as usual, we at Afrosports, the ethos of our existence itself, is in our payoff line, which suggests that we champion the freedom of sports, freedom of sport, meaning we believe quite strongly that every premium sport, indeed, should be available on free TV. You don’t have to be able to pay a subscription before you can consume premium sports. And why we’ve done that for 25 years or 30 years now is to bring the biggest sports tournaments to free TV without having to pay 17,000 every month to watch the next Okocha play for Nigeria,” Pedro told journalists in his opening speech.
“We believe there’s a strong connection between free sports, and the growth of development of football, or sports on TV, or generally, the connection between sports being available and consumed freely, and the motivation to go out there and see what you see and practice what you see on TV. So that’s the trust of the community has been across for many, many years. We don’t believe, particularly in a developing economy like Africa, that people should be paying to consume sports. It’s even more important, it’s even more delicate when you consider that even in developed markets. Like in Europe, all the games of the Euros are available on free TV, even though it’s 50%. So distribution 50% free homes.”
Pedro further elucidated AfroSport’s advocacy for the accessibility of premium sports on free television, underlining the pivotal role of sports as a catalyst for social development. He stressed the potential of sports to inspire and empower young athletes to chase their aspirations, aligning with AfroSport’s longstanding commitment to fostering inclusivity and providing opportunities for the next generation of talent.
“In the UK, for example, for all the games are delivered on free TV: all the games of the of the Euros are available on a free TV, all the games of the FA Cup are available on free TV. There’s a reason for that – reason is to develop the next generation of people that will take up this sport, as opposed to keeping it on Sky TV,” Pedro said.
“What we’ve done in Africa, whether by default is to keep the premium sports that motivated the next generation on a premium strategy to 4% of the population of the country. So we are proud to say that we pride ourselves on the back of the fact that we bring it to the widest possible audience for free, and we are championing that fight we have been for the last 25 years. And we believe we will continue to do that in the Africa Cup of Nations this year, it’s no different. We do the same thing over and over again and want to retain the premium sports on free TV. That’s the reason why we’re here. ”
“It’s been a battle for the last two months to make sure the rights holders respect the law of the land in terms of keeping free sports. First of all, it was 29 matches but we fought and fought and we’ve got 52 matches on free TV. We’ve got it now. And we’re here to announce that we’ve got it and the African Cup of Nations will be available on free TV across the free-to-air broadcasters in the country. We partnered with the Nigerian Television Authority. We partner with AIT, Silverbird and TVC, as well as 20 other board members that will deliver the signals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations to the widest possible audience in Nigeria.
“I believe it’s the start of a new beginning for sports broadcasting. In Nigeria. We have a situation where the new broadcast would kick into force in 2020. And we are practically demonstrating the first test case of how sports acquisition should be conducted.
“Hence the reason why there’s so much noise around who has the rights and who hasn’t got the rights. And we believe that we are clearing that up bit by bit. I will take questions and answers in terms of the right situation and also say to Nigerians that it’s here and it’s available on your TV without paying a subscription. That’s the trust of this press conference. We believe, particularly when the national team is playing, it must be classed as an event of national importance. And we believe the regulators recognise that as well, in terms of, ‘we don’t have to pay a subscription to see the Super Eagles play’ – is as simple as a document to put in a logical nutshell. And that’s the reason why we have championed that battle.”
Furthermore, Mr. Pedro underscored the imperative of safeguarding mainstream broadcasters that have witnessed diminished advertiser patronage. He emphasized the vital role of regulatory enforcement in nurturing the growth of the broadcast sector in Nigeria, particularly in addressing the concerning decline of Free to Air (FTA) platforms.
Attributing the decline of advertising spend on these platforms to the dominant position of major players in the industry, Mr. Pedro noted that this phenomenal is indicative of a pressing issue that requires regulatory intervention to ensure the preservation and vitality of these platforms. The call for protection echoes a broader concern for the diversity and health of the broadcast landscape, urging regulatory bodies to actively uphold and enforce laws that foster fair competition and sustained growth in the industry.
In collaboration with key broadcasters like the Nigerian Television Authority, AIT, Silverbird, TVC, and 20 other partners, AfroSport aims to deliver AFCON signals to the widest possible audience, breaking down economic barriers and making the tournament a national event accessible to all. The press conference marks a pivotal moment in sports broadcasting, setting a precedent for accessible and inclusive sports coverage in Nigeria.
The decision to broadcast the AFCON matches on Free TV signifies a broader accessibility for Nigerians, thereby opening up greater opportunities for advertisers to maximize returns. This move ensures that a wider audience, beyond subscription-based platforms, can engage with the show, creating a more inclusive and expansive advertising landscape.
