Sulom makes K24m from radio rights
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) made K24.5 million from radio broadcasting rights in the 2016 season.
Sulom treasurer Tiya Somba-Banda said from the sum, clubs will share K19.3 million, representing 80 percent of the gross.
However, the top earners—Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers—who stand to earn K4.84 million and K3.61 million, respectively, have expressed reservations on the timing of issuing out the payment.
Silver Strikers were third on K1.84 million whereas relegated Civo United were fourth on K1.37 million. Disbanded MTV Max Bullets were the least earners on K240 000.
The Nomads general secretary Mike Butao said: “The figures are only on paper. This revenue is from the 2016 season which we cannot access up to now.
“A team like Max Bullets might have used their share to avoid dropping out of the league mid-season and staying in the league.
“They would have every right to sue Sulom if you ask me,” said Butao.
He added: “And when you add this money to the TV rights, our share as a club comes up to K5.6 million from the rights and that is sad.”
The teams are supposed to get K2 million each from the K40 million revised TV rights deal with the K8 million remainder going to Sulom.
However, Somba-Banda said there is need to put things into perspective.
“Everywhere in the world, broadcasting rights are shared at the end of the season and not mid season. Hence, it is important to do some research before we start pointing fingers.
“The reason rights are paid at the end of the season is because media houses do not pay as and when games are played. As of now Sulom has not been paid 80 percent of this money from the radios for the record,” he said.
He also said this was the first time that Sulom has shared the radio broadcasting rights to the clubs, “and I believe it is important to be grateful at times.
“The radio stations also are in the process of grasping the concept that the 80 percent of the rights are supposed to go to the teams; hence, they are yet to plan their cash flows accordingly to ensure that the debt is settled soon.” n
