StarTimes to hold talks with GFA over 10-year contract

Head of Marketing at StarTimes Ghana, Akofa Dzankui

StarTimes Ghana’s head of marketing, Akofa Banson has said her outfit will in the coming days hold talks with the new GFA administration over their deal with the association.

The Chinese pay TV firm signed a decade-long contract with the GFA in 2016 to acquire media rights for the Ghana Premier League, MTN FA Cup, the Ghana Women’s League and all products owned by the association.

The deal however stalled following the Number12 documentary that indicted some key personalities in Ghana football and brought Ghana football to a halt.

There have been reports that StarTimes are unhappy with happenings in Ghana’s football and were looking to abrogate the reported US$ 17.9 million deal with the GFA.

But in a chat with pressmen on the sidelines of the launch of the Football Bundesliga School, Akofa Banson clarified that StarTimes remain interested in the deal and will meet the new GFA to discuss the way forward.
She spoke of the readiness of her outfit to review some sections of the contract and agree on a deal that will be mutually beneficial to the parties involved.

“We are glad that there a new team in place and we congratulate the president, vice president and his team. We are very happy that finally this has happened. As we’ve always said we are still interested in partnering the FA for Ghana football. So, we are in talks to see how we can get back in the picture with them to do football as we’ve done in the past”.

“We’ve not hidden the fact that we are still interested in partnering the FA, the Ghana Premier League any other properties that are available for us. There is a new FA and a lot has happened so we are opened for everything. We are opened to discuss and do whatever will take Ghana football forward”, he said.

Meanwhile the Ghana Premier League is set to return in December after the initial date was postponed by the FA.

Following the Congress’ acceptance of Olympics and King Faisal into the competition, 18 clubs will compete in the first league season of Kurt Okraku’s GFA.