Most matches of second round of the 2021/22 StarTimes Uganda Premier League will be broadcast live on TV – StarTimes and UPL officials have confirmed.
This is set to be achieved after the adjustments in kickoff time headlined by early kickoffs.
Early kickoffs will start at 2pm and those games will be live on TV while the second games will now kickoff at 4pm.
“Majority of the teams will have all their games live on TV,” said StarTimes Uganda brand and marketing director.
“In the past seasons, the team that had most games on TV had like 10, but now we are sating that most teams will have all games live.”
The games will continue to be broadcast live on Sanyuka TV but StarTimes are working on having a standalone channel.
“We are growing the number of games on TV, that is the ultimate goal. We have a plan of introducing a standalone channel for the league which will come in the near future, probably at the start of the 2022/23 season” Lule continued.
The move means that Sanyuka will have a second production unit which will produce games at the second venue.
“Be assured that the new production unit will do a great job, and we have full confidence in them.”
The second production Unit company was not named but rumours have it that it’s the controversial Satelite company that has produced the Stanbic Uganda Cup and Women Football League for UBC tv.
The adjusted fixtures will be released later in the day.
Early Kickoffs Harsh On League?
Some league stakeholders especially the teams will feel that a 2pm kickoff match is an atrocious decision.
Given that most games are played during working days, fans may struggle to leave their work places to access the stadium.
And that may affect the gate collection for clubs.
“The situation demanded that we make some adjustment specifically on kickoff time,” said UPL CEO Bernard Bainamani.
“Our stakeholders were demanding an adjustment. from 3pm 4pm.”
Bainamani said that clubs will be allowed to have as many fans as they can after lockdown was lifted, given that in the first round, entrance was restricted on only 200 fans.
“But clubs will have to continue following SOPs that include sanitizing and keeping masks on.”
Lule said that fans will be able to watch the games via the StarTimesOn App. “Our members who are not able to watch games during working hours, we are discounting the cost of watching games at only Sh26000.”
