NBC goes for one EPL match

Having secured the rights from the English Premier League (EPL) to broadcast its elite soccer league, the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) is only in a position to broadcast one live game per weekend.

In addition they will broadcast delayed matches and highlights. NBC TV and its radio services will simultaneously broadcast the EPL matches.The NBC’s director general, Bob Kandetu, made the announcement on Saturday, which coincided with the start of the new 2007/2008 EPL season.Kandetu said the acquisition of rights to broadcast the matches was aimed at enhancing the quality of the NBC’s service to the Namibian population.The NBC’s general manager of television services, Claudia Iikela, said the national broadcaster would not be able to fit in more than one match per weekend because it only had a single television channel and could not cancel standard programming such as news bulletins.This means that the NBC will screen fewer than 80 matches during the season.The NBC has not yet disclosed the exact cost of the deal, but Kandetu promised that it would be communicated to the public at a later stage.There has been intense competition for the rights to televise the popular EPL matches in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.Digital Satellite Television (DStv), the pay television channel that has in the past provided massive coverage of the EPL through its SuperSport channels, lost out on a bid to screen 80 per cent of the EPL matches.SuperSport will only screen 20 per cent of the EPL, which amounts to two live matches each weekend.www.namibiasport.com.naNBC TV and its radio services will simultaneously broadcast the EPL matches.The NBC’s director general, Bob Kandetu, made the announcement on Saturday, which coincided with the start of the new 2007/2008 EPL season.Kandetu said the acquisition of rights to broadcast the matches was aimed at enhancing the quality of the NBC’s service to the Namibian population.The NBC’s general manager of television services, Claudia Iikela, said the national broadcaster would not be able to fit in more than one match per weekend because it only had a single television channel and could not cancel standard programming such as news bulletins.This means that the NBC will screen fewer than 80 matches during the season.The NBC has not yet disclosed the exact cost of the deal, but Kandetu promised that it would be communicated to the public at a later stage.There has been intense competition for the rights to televise the popular EPL matches in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.Digital Satellite Television (DStv), the pay television channel that has in the past provided massive coverage of the EPL through its SuperSport channels, lost out on a bid to screen 80 per cent of the EPL matches.SuperSport will only screen 20 per cent of the EPL, which amounts to two live matches each weekend.www.namibiasport.com.na