Live Streaming: Confusion Hits NPFL As Propel Sports Demands Payment from League Body

Palpable confusion has enveloped the Nigeria Premier Football League Limited (NPFL LTD) over its contract with Propel Sports to stream live league matches in some designated league football venues for the 2023/24 league season.

The contract with Propel Sports was reported to have fetched the Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye-led NPFLL a whopping $5 million when it was signed, with a funfair, in May 2023.

But according to the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Ibrahim Gusau who spoke to our correspondent in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, after the 79^th Annual General Assembly of the FA, the table has suddenly turned somewhat muddy. Gusau expresses shock and worries over the sudden turn-around by Propel Sports to demand payment from the NPFL.

Gusau said:  “I asked those running the league to help me understand the main purpose of this Propel Sports. As a streaming broadcasting platform what kind of contract was signed between the then IMC ( now NPFLL) and the company? Because the league has not kicked off, yet the company wants the League body to pay.

“Is it not the company that is supposed to pay IMC or Am I dreaming?  The NFF needs to go through the terms of the contract that was signed between the two parties.”

Gusau also took a swipe at the Elegbeleye board over what he described as Broadcast Right’s suspected shady deals.

Hear him: “Also, some greedy set of people want to turn down Startimes’ offer. A mouthwatering 10 years contract for the broadcasting TV Right for the apex league (NPFL) is said to be on the table, but some members of the league body want to subvert this in the disguise that they want more money by bringing in another broadcaster with less bid.”

Gusau’s apprehension emanates from the fact that it was widely reported during the contract signing that  Propel Sports would pay, only to start demanding an upfront payment from NPFL  for live streaming of league matches even when Nigerian league followers are still lost about when the league body will commence the 2023/24 season..

“What kind of business is this?” the president asks rhetorically.

It could be recalled that during the Davidson Owumi first  elected executive reign as Chairman of the Premier League, the company that won the broadcast right at that time paid the NFLL a huge sum of money yearly and also paid the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, to run live coverage of the league matches.

It will therefore be foolhardy for the same Owumi to compromise the success of the league if really the NPFL agreed to pay Propel Sports a dime for live streaming of league matches.

According to TheCrest findings, tongues are widely wagging, wondering why the secrecy of these contracts. Where the contracts formally advertised in public media as requested by law, inviting interested parties to tender?  Clearly not. It will seem as this public policy issue has been asked of current football authorities with deaf response. Interested football pundits are alleging this is how we attract legal brouhaha. Anyone can ask under FOI for this information for disclosure of what process that led to selection of all these “sponsors”

That may be coming soon, our background report reveals.