Chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Nigeria Professional Football League, Gbenga Elegbeleye, says the body is unaware of any proposed commercial dispute‑resolution meeting with Total Promotions Limited concerning the league’s title and broadcast rights. In a notice dated 17 February 2023, solicitors for Total Promotions wrote to the IMC chairman, copying the Minister for Youth and Sports Development, GTI Group and SuperSports International. The letter highlighted a window to resolve lingering title‑rights issues that had been repeatedly breached by various league organisers.
Total Promotions outlined the contractual history with the different league organisers and urged the IMC to treat those contracts as assets and liabilities of the league. The notice also acknowledged the IMC’s intention to re‑award TV rights to GTI Group and SuperSports. “It is important to note that while there may be a succession of managers or operators of the Nigeria Premier League/Nigeria Football League/Nigeria Professional Football League, contracts and liabilities made or incurred by previous managers or operators of the same league cannot be disregarded or wished away,” the letter read.
The letter further warned the IMC to avoid further legal conflict over the rights and proposed a meeting to settle the differences. “We have heard your rumored move to ignore the court order and ongoing litigation, including our client’s entitlements under the contracts, and to proceed to re‑award the television broadcast rights to SuperSports and GTI Group. It would be wrong for you to try it. Our client is willing and hereby proposes a meeting of parties for amicable resolution of this matter so that the league may come alive again. A window of opportunity for settlement of the commercial dispute has now been opened for you to consider.”
When asked about the IMC’s stance, Elegbeleye simply replied, “I am not aware.” SuperSport’s General Manager, Felix Awogu, also reiterated that the company does not hold the NPFL TV rights. “We don’t have the right or commercial dispute to resolve. The letter was also sent to our office in South Africa and there is no move to follow up any of the things in the letter,” he told The Guardian.
The Guardian had reported that, before the 2023 season began, Total Promotions warned the IMC and the Nigerian Television Authority of the legal implications of broadcasting the league while it still held the title and broadcast rights. Nevertheless, the NPFL started in January with selected matches aired on NTA and streamed via the Nigeria Football Fund YouTube channel before the league entered a mid‑season break in February.
Comments are closed for this story.