Sports
StarTimes owe GFA USD 950,000 – Kurt Okraku confirms arrears on broadcasting rights
Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku has confirmed that Chinese television broadcasting giant StarTimes currently owes the GFA an outstanding figure of USD 950,000, in relation to the Ghana Premier League's TV rights deal.
This confirmation is a huge addition to the emerging issues concerning financial transparency and commitment within the local football ecosystem.
Speaking candidly of the state of the league’s commercial deals, Mr. Okraku indicated that the GFA has made several efforts to have StarTimes settle the arrears.
The debt, which is said to be for several seasons, has impacted the association’s ability to invest in league growth, infrastructure, and club assistance.
The StarTimes-GFA television rights agreement was initially hailed as a benchmark agreement meant to bring financial heft to the Ghana Premier League and boost its coverage in the region.
That aside, one of the numerous reasons the long-term commitment of the agreement was not renewed when the contract lapsed was the delay in payment.
Premier League clubs, which live on media rights revenue, are also suffering.
Fans themselves are also becoming worried about the finances of the league. While the GFA is still negotiating with StarTimes, there is increasing pressure for an immediate resolution to safeguard the future of Ghana football.
Source:Fiilasports/ghanasoccernet
