FKF’s continued partnership with KBC for airing FKFPL matches has attracted criticism.
Questions have been raised over the necessity of the Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) partnership with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) for airing FKF Premier League (FKFPL) matches.
The federation had previously in 2023 unveiled KBC as the official Free-to-Air (FTA) broadcast partner for the league in a deal signed under the previous FKF regime led by former president Nick Mwendwa.
The seven-year agreement saw KBC receive USD 1.25 million (approximately KES 162.5 million) for the first season, with an annual increment of USD 100,000 (KES 13 million).
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In return, KBC committed to airing 68 matches per season—two per match week—across its television and radio platforms.
The necessity of this deal has come under scrutiny after FKF President Hussein Mohammed recently reaffirmed the federation’s continued partnership with KBC.
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In a statement shared on his X page, Mohammed highlighted his recent meeting with KBC’s top leadership, to discuss strategies for enhancing the visibility of Kenyan football.
“In a bid to enhance the visibility of Kenyan football and promote the sport to a wider audience, I paid a courtesy call to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), one of Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) esteemed broadcast partners,” wrote Mohammed in a tweet.
“We discussed ways to elevate the visibility of Kenyan football and innovative approaches in amplifying the reach and engagement of the sport on a national platform,” he added.
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However, his remarks attracted criticism from football fans, who questioned the rationale behind maintaining the deal with KBC, especially given the national broadcaster’s limitations in airing high-profile matches.
One social media user expressed skepticism about the deal, pointing out discrepancies in the broadcast arrangements.
“The previous regime signed a rip-off deal with KBC, which was supposed to pay twice as much as Azam but only gets low-profile matches. How is that possible? KBC should be the main league broadcast partner and air high-profile games each week.”
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Currently, Tanzanian broadcaster Azam TV holds the primary FKFPL broadcast rights, airing four matches per match week on its pay-TV and digital platforms.
This arrangement leaves KBC with a limited selection of games despite its multimillion-dollar deal.
The FKF initially signed a seven-year deal with Azam Media Limited in August 2023, valued at USD 1 million (KES 130 million) for the first season.
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This deal marked the return of FKFPL to mainstream broadcasting after SuperSport terminated its contract with FKF in July 2020.
Critics argue that FKF should explore alternative TV channels to enhance local league coverage.
“Why can’t the federation scout for another TV channel other than @KBCChannel1, which has proven unreliable in broadcasting FKFPL matches? It’s high time other Kenyan TV channels were given a chance,” wrote another user.
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As the debate continues, questions remain about the financial prudence and long-term impact of the FKF-KBC deal.
While the partnership aims to increase local football’s visibility, the effectiveness of KBC as a broadcast partner is increasingly being challenged by stakeholders and fans alike.
