Kenyan soccer lures Chinese sponsor

Star Times pays $5 million to acquire rights to broadcast friendlies, brand team's kit

Star Times Kenya Ltd has signed a five-year deal with the Kenya Football Federation that will see the Chinese-owned pay TV company sponsor the country's national soccer team to the tune of 500 million Kenyan shillings ($5 million).

The deal was signed at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on July 2 and includes the media company acquiring rights to broadcast all friendly matches of the Harambee Stars men's soccer team, the Harambee Starlets women's team and the under-21 men's team.

The deal does not include qualifying matches for the Africa Cup of Nations or the World Cup. The African Football Federation, the Confederation of African Football and the International Football Federation already own full rights for those two tournaments.

The agreement was signed by FKF President Sam Nyamweya, FKF Vice-President Robert Asembo and Star Times Director of Sports Gary Rathbone.

Nyamweya thanked the company and said the federation had been struggling under heavy financial burdens. "KFF is extremely grateful to Star Times for this gesture, and we assure them of our unyielding commitment to this partnership because it is good for Kenyan soccer, and we have a duty to jealously guard it for our mutual benefit."

Rathbone says the deal with KFF shows that Star Times is fully committed to the Kenyan market and that the company would continue investing in the national teams to help the players succeed.

"As a brand, we are keen to see more households able to watch their national teams using the latest broadcast technology in the market," Rathbone says.

Star Times will use its brand on the team's jerseys as well as training kits during all friendly matches. Other merchandise that will be branded includes travel bags, caps and tracksuits. Outdoor advertising and branding is also included at match venues and surrounding areas during friendly matches.

The deal is the biggest sponsorship the Football Kenya Federation has struck for the country's national soccer teams and makes Star Times the third foreign media firm to have interests in Kenyan soccer after SuperSport and SportFive. The Star Times deal will see 100 million Kenyan shillings spent annually on the players in allowances, bonuses and travel expenses.

Star Times was established in 1988 in Beijing, and has more than nine million subscribers worldwide, with operations in 13 African countries. The company entered Kenya in 2012 and has invested more than $75 million in its nationwide network.

For China Daily