Millions of sports fans in
Nigeria will step into a new world of sports entertainment with the launch of
Afrosport TV (afrosport.tv) on the Free TV DTT network.
Afrosport will be sub-Sahara
Africa’s first 24-hour free continent-wide sports channel in Nigeria,
delivering a quality and depth of service that is usually found only on Pay TV
channels, such as Supersport or StartTimes. Rolling out in Nigeria, with the
intention of developing a presence across Africa and the diaspora, Afrosport is
driven to change the narrative around Free-To-Air (FTA) sports provision on the
continent, by delivering bespoke content to an underserved and passionate fan
base.
Speaking at the launch of
the channel, Co-founder and Director, Andy Howes stated, “Africa has some of
the best Pay TV sports delivery in the World, that is vital to rightsholders
and fans alike. Afrosport will seek to focus on the 90% of fans who are not
able to subscribe to Pay TV and allow them to participate in the enjoyment of
the best of sport.”
“There is both a compelling
commercial and moral reason for Afrosport to exist. Commercially, with a
potential audience in Nigeria of more than 150 million people, Afrosport
provides a method of communication that is essential for brands to market their
products and will be an essential component for rightsholders – both global and
local – to establish a strong following for their products.
“Morally, when you consider
the powerful role that sports has played in societies, it is only right that a
continent that has given so much enjoyment to the world of sports through its
sons and daughters over the past 100 years and still continues to do so
currently should not face exclusion for a majority of its population when it
comes to viewing and enjoying sport.
Fellow founder, Rotimi Pedro
added, “Many will never get the chance to attend a World Cup, go to the
Olympics, or attend a match at Wembley or watch a NBA game at the Staples
Centre, and the TV is the closest that they will get to enjoying collectively
what is experienced in arenas around the world. Afrosport’s aim is to inspire a
billion dreams”.
Free TV is the public
private partnership, backed by Nigerian broadcast regulator/government and
INVIEW, and will be the default FTA platform as the long-awaited Digital Switch
Over (DSO) moves into gear with the roll out across the country, including
Lagos, Kano, Jos, Kaduna, Enugu, Oshogbo, and Abuja. Currently in over
1,000,000 TV homes with a target of over 25 million in the next 12 to 18
months.
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