A deal between Zimbabwe’s Econet Media and the English Premier League for broadcasting rights will see to it that games are available on a free-to-air basis for football fans across sub-Saharan Africa.
The three-year agreement will start during the 2016-17 season and run through to 2019.
Econet’s Kwesé Sports will air a live match every Saturday afternoon for subscription-free views in 50 African countries.
The rights also give the channel access to preview shows and post-match highlights programming.
“Premier League clubs enjoy passionate support across sub-Saharan Africa and these rights are important to ensuring that as many fans as possible can follow and enjoy our competition,” Richard Scudamore, the executive chairman of the Premier League, said in a statement.
The growing number of successful football players in England who are from Africa such as Yaya Toure and Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez has made the continent be one of the fastest growing fan-bases of the English top-flight football.
The move is expected to grow this audience which was at 260 million last season.
South Africa’s Multichoice are currently owning broadcast rights for the league in Africa. Accessing Supersport however comes with a cost of $40 a month for a limited number of games every week and can go up to as much as $100 for full access.
Kwese TV, which is owned by Zimbabwean businessman Strive Masiyiwa, was launched only last December and its arrival could start to challenge the near monopoly that Multichoice has enjoyed.
“We want to make this league available to fans across sub-Saharan Africa,” Joseph Hundah, the CEO of Econet media, said. “We hope to widen access to this property.”
