AzamTv splashes $8m to buy broadcast rights of Burundi soccer

TANZANIA’S Azam Media Group has bought the rights to broadcast the Burundi Primus League soccer games on its Azam TV channels.
The deal with the Burundi Football Federation [BFF] is worth $8 million [Sh650 million] Kenyan publication coastweek.com reported while quoting Chinese news agency, Xinhua from Bujumbura.
Wider publicity
“Burundi will gain a lot because games constitute a major tool for cohesion amongst people. Besides, Burundi will receive wider publicity because the Burundi National TV will be accommodated in the Azam TV channels,” said BFF Chairman, Senator Reverien Ndikuriyo.
“Activities happening in Burundi will now also be broadcast in Tanzania and elsewhere that Azam TV operates,” he added.
Pride
Ndikuriyo urged Burundians to buy Azam decoders so that they could benefit from the new development and a wide range of Azam TV channels and programmes.
Azam Media chief executive officer Rhys Torrington said everybody in Tanzania was proud of football and also admired Burundi soccer.
Excitement
“When Burundian soccer players came to Tanzania three times last year (2014), they beat us. There is something mystical and exciting about soccer in Burundi,” said Torrington.
He added that Azam Media was founded 15 months ago in Tanzania and that it was a TV service that provides, via satellite, very cost-effective entertainment programs for the people.
He said initially Azam TV would transmit at least three games live every weekend and added that sale of decoders would begin in Burundi in the next few weeks.