Television rights holder, StarTimes, has boosted the Ghana Premier League by a windfall as each club in the top-flight has received $5,000 as part payment of the rights deal.
The money from StarTimes comes as a massive boost for the 18 clubs in the top-flight in these hard times due to the coronavirus pandemic effect, which has brought about the lack of activity biting negatively, affecting the finances of clubs in Ghana.
A notice has been sent by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to clubs that part of their much-needed sponsorship deal money with Chinese broadcasters StarTimes has been received.
$5,000 has been credited to the bank accounts of clubs at a time that they are struggling to pay the salaries of their players when they have been inactive for nearly one month.
Because of the government’s order, football matches in the country has been postponed indefinitely to prevent social gathering and prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease.
Kingsley Osei Bonsu, the Chairman of Bechem United, who is also an Executive Council member of the GFA, confirmed that the GFA has told his club about the $5,000 from StarTimes.
“As a chairman of Bechem United, I received a message from the GFA’s General Secretary, Lawyer Prosper Harrison Addo that Startimes have paid part of their sponsorship deal into our (FA’s) account,” Lord Zico said.
“Is true there is something like that {we’ve received such an amount} and am sure once I have been informed, the General Secretary will, therefore, inform all the clubs.”
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) announced StarTimes as winners of the bid on 8 January, 2020.
The Chinese pay-tv operators emerged winners of the competitive bidding process after the GFA accepted their offer, which was the best among other bids.
A five-year agreement will be signed by StarTimes with the GFA worth $5.25m US Dollars to be the exclusive Television Rights owner of the Ghana Premier League and the FA Cup with immediate effect.
