Ban live telecast of foreign leagues – Daara

The Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association, Ibrahim Saanie Daara says the Parliament of Ghana must pass a law to prevent Ghanaian free-to-air television stations from showing live foreign league matches in the country.

Football administrators have attributed the low patronage of the local game to the live telecast of foreign leagues, and the spokesperson of the football governing body believes that the introduction of a law to put an end to the live telecast of the foreign leagues, by local televisions would improve attendances at league centres.

Speaking to Accra-based Montie FM, Saanie stated that the Parliament of Ghana must emulate what their counterpart in England has done, which has improved the English game.

“In England, parliament has introduced a law that does not allow their local free to air Television stations to show foreign league games live. They only allow pay-per-view stations like Skysports to show the foreign leagues. So, in response I think the Parliaments in Africa, especially in Ghana must introduce a law that stops our local TV stations from showing live EPL matches.”

“During the day, you will see TV3 or GTV showing live EPL matches. Parliament has to do something fast because the packages that are not available in England to free-to-air stations are given to African stations at a cost because it’s a ploy to get fans on our continent to follow their league when they won’t allow this in their country,” he concluded.

At the moment, TV3 is the only station that telecasts the English Premier League live on Saturdays whilst GTV, GTV Sports Plus and Metro TV show the German Bundesliga.