League matches back on Mpira TV
TNM Super League matches can now be beamed on Mpira Television after the High Court last week set aside an injunction Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) obtained restricting FAM from using Mibawa Studios to produce content.
The public broadcaster, through its lawyers Makiyi, Kanyenda & Associates, sued Football Association of Malawi (FAM) for engaging Mibawa Studios as content producers despite MBC emerging as the successfully bidder.
But High Court of Malawi Judge Dingiswayo Madise set aside the injunction pending negotiations between the two parties.
Both sides yesterday confirmed the court order and said while the negotiations are ongoing, Super League of Malawi (Sulom) can beam matches on Mpira Television, a channel run by FAM.
Lawyer representing MBC David Kanyenda said in an interview: “Negotiations designed to reach an amicable settlement are underway. I am not at liberty to divulge the specific details of the same, but we anticipate a permanent solution in the foreseeable future.”
Sulom president Tiya Somba Banda yesterday also confirmed that the matches will be on Mpira TV.
He said: “The court set aside the order and allowed parties to negotiate on the pricing, thereby allowing MBC and Mpira to beam the matches until the pricing is agreed upon.”
Somba Banda said following the court order, the Blantyre derby between Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Wanderers will be live on Mpira TV.
He said: “We will have a minimum of two games live on television per week.”
The beaming of the matches is a relief for football fans who have been starved of local football on local television following the FAM and MBC stand-off.
Soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda applauded the two parties for opting for negotiations.
He said: “At the end of the day, it is football that was going to lose. Right now football has won. Let’s hope successful negotiations will continue as planned.”
FAM unveiled the Mpira TV football production and broadcasting deal worth K350 million per year with Mibawa Studios and Zuku Television.
The deal designated Mibawa to produce content for Mpira Television to be broadcast on Zuku’s channel 064.
Zuku replaced Kiliyekiliye following the collapse of a deal between FAM and Malawi Digital Broadcasting Network Limited last November.
