A landmark sponsorship deal has been announced by StarTimes after taking over both the naming and broadcast rights of the Uganda Premier League and FUFA Big League.
The latest development brings to an end of the short-lived FUFA-Sports Broadcasting Limited partnership signed early this year.
The new deal revealed on Thursday morning at Hotel Africana Kagera Hall will cover 10 years thus the top flight league becoming StarTimes Uganda Premier League and the second tier league is now StarTimes Big League.
The brief ceremony was attended by the StarTimes top officials CEO Andy Wang, Vice President, Branding and Marketing Head Aldrine Nsubuga and PR Manager Christine Kikomeko
FUFA’s top brass had President Eng. Moses Magogo, Chairman Marketing and Communications Rogers Byamukama, FUFA Deputy CEO Humphrey Mandu, Uganda Premier League Board Chairman Arinaitwe Rugyendo and FUFA Marketing Director Esther Musoke
Other UPL board members Peter Kibazo, David Serebe, CEO Bernard Bainamani Bampaire and Head of Marketing Roy Mundeyi
StarTimes CEO Andy Wang
‘The rights secured include distribution of all audio and visual transmissions while the media and commercial rights include public viewing, distributing all content for media and commercial rights. We took the decision to give back to the people of Uganda through football because of the passion they have towards the game. Football touches a lot of people from the grassroots It is our way of thanking the public for supporting our business and making us the leading pay television with 70% market share after only eight (8) years. This is arguably the biggest sponsorship deal in Ugandan sport. Today could be the turning point in the direction of Ugandan football.’
FUFA President Eng. Moses Magogo
“Football is developed by many stakeholders. StarTimes are part of the key external stakeholders who have contributed to the growth of the game in Uganda. We are so grateful that today we enter into a huge partnership with StarTimes. ‘We are aware that we still have a lot to do in order to achieve that but we are confident we are on the right path. The deal with Startimes is in line with our Vision of becoming the number one football National in Africa both on and off the pitch. Sponsors are strategic shareholders in football and it’s incumbent upon the football fraternity, leaders, players and everyone to support StarTimes who have selflessly demonstrated their goodwill to see Ugandan football progress with this historic sponsorship. The enabling environment that FUFA has created by improving the image of the local football and setting in place visible systems and structures to improve the game is now paying off’
Aldrine Nsubuga- StarTimes Vice President in Charge of Branding and Marketing
‘Today is a very historic day in Ugandan football. We don’t just want to entertain football fans with foreign football. We want to be relevant to local football fans. We want them to appreciate their local football and support it with a greater passion which is why we want to bring the local league in every household through our broadcast platforms’
Arinaitwe Rugyendo-Uganda Premier League Board Chairman
‘The UPL board is glad to get another sponsor for the top flight league. We know the value of sponsorship in club football. This will help in creating more competition among clubs. Sanity leads to good things like sponsorships we are witnessing in football’
Christine Kikomeko-PR Manager of StarTimes
Christine Kikomeko-PR Manager of StarTimes during the announcement of the deal today‘Our appeal to Ugandans is to demonstrate the same goodwill to us in supporting our business and embrace our brand. We all call the 16 UPL clubs and FUFA Big League clubs to support StarTimes by mobilizing their fans and local communities where they are based to join the StarTimes family. This is how the football marriage will work for the benefit of all parties’
