Sports Radio Brila FM and Megalectrics Limited became the first radio stations to be issued Radio broadcast rights of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) following the signing of separate Memorandum of Understanding between the stations and the League Management Company (LMC).
Megalectrics Limited based in Lagos is the owners of radio broadcast licenses of Beat FM, Classic FM and Naija FM while Sports Radio Brila, the first all sports radio station in Nigeria operates the Brila 88.9 FM stations in Lagos, Onitsha, Abuja and Kaduna.
A statement from the LMC described the issuance of the non-exclusive rights to the stations as ‘part of our deliberate strategy to take the Nigeria Professional Football League live matches to the people where they are especially in the inner cities and villages”.
The LMC noted that studies indicated that radio remains the most preferred medium of information in Nigeria and “it is also based on this that we sought radio broadcast partners to take this league which is a strong unifying platform for Nigerians to the people, most of who cannot afford alternative sources of electricity power”.
In the deal, the radio stations are entitled to undertake live broadcast of NPFL matches and also produce twice weekly preview and review shows featuring interviews, analysis and public opinions on the players, the matches and the clubs.
The LMC said it will welcome interests from other radio broadcast stations that have the capacity to undertake live broadcasts of NPFL matches.
“The expansion of the NPFL reach is part of our vision to grow the brand, offer greater and extensive experiences of the matches through the media and also deliver value to the fans and sponsors”, the LMC said.
It further expressed optimism that with the entry of the two radio stations with their different audience segments, “the NPFL is poised to add new target groups that includes the eclectic urban youth segment and those of the inner cities”.
There are no right fees attached to this deals as we consider it as a core social investment activity of the LMC to grow the NPFL”.
