Tag Archives: Africa Cup of Nations

Sky Sports to air AFCON games

December 16, 2021NewsAfrica Cup of Nations, Comcast Communications, Gary Hughes, Sky Sports, Veron Mosengo-OmbaGary

UK-based sports channel Sky Sports has revealed plans to air all 52 matches from the Africa Cup of Nations tournament live.

The tournament, which was meant to be played in June and July 2021, will now be played in Cameroon between January 9 and February 6, 2022.

Sky Sports director of football Gary Hughes said: “This is excellent news for football fans, who love to watch the best players in the world, including Mohammed Salah, Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez.

“We’re delighted to be adding this fantastic competition to our ever-expanding football offering in the UK and Ireland, which already includes Premier League, EFL, Scottish Premiership and FA Women’s Super League, as well as international action in the form of World Cup Qualifiers, placing Sky Sports as the home of live football.”

Veron Mosengo-Omba, general secretary of the Egypt-based Confederation of African Football (CAF), added: “It is important for CAF to ensure that the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, being the single-biggest sporting event on African soil, and prime content, is accessible all over the world.

“This event is consumed not only by Africans but enjoys a global audience. In Cameroon next year, we are planning an event bigger and better product that will attract millions of viewers.”

Sky Sports is part of the European pay TV group Sky, which is in turn owned by US cable group Comcast Communications.

tagged in: Africa Cup of Nations, Comcast Communications, Gary Hughes, Sky Sports, Veron Mosengo-Omba

AUB, Canal+ work against ACON piracy

October 26, 2021NewsAfrica Cup of Nations, African Union of Broadcasting, Canal+ Group, Gregoire NdjakaJohn Winfield

Officials from the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) and French broadcasting giant Canal+ Group discussed issues relating to TV signal piracy during a recent meeting held ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (ACON) football tournament.

With the 2021 tournament set to take place in January and February next year after being postponed due to Covid, the meeting was aimed at ensuring technical and legal measures are put in place to secure the signal of African channels broadcasting the tournament.

According to the AUB, piracy was a significant problem during the last ACON, which was held in Egypt in 2019. African broadcasters spend significant money to acquire the rights to show the games, while also relying on ad revenue earned during their coverage of the tournament.

AUB CEO Grégoire Ndjaka said: “Our permanent concern is the protection of TV signal. The fight ought to be carried at all levels. Are you allowed to screen the match? If yes, there is no problem. Secure your signal. But if you don’t have a broadcast contract, should you be allowed to operate illegally while others are paying? That’s the problem.”

From a technical point of view, Alexandre Gruner, director of channel relations and partnerships at Canal+, said; “If we have compelling evidence and take note of any illegal activity on Canal+ bouquet concerning AFCON or the FWC [next year’s Fifa World Cup], rest assured, we will suspend your signal.”

Sebastien Punturello, MD of Canal+ Senegal, added: “I spend at least 20-30% of my time fighting signal piracy. For several years, we have actively led the battle thanks to the support of local authorities, our relations, various ministries and the National Audiovisual Regulatory Council – CNRA Senegal.

“Almost everywhere on the continent, television signal piracy is developing using handcrafted techniques, helped by ICTs and other rival groups whose audience rates sometimes compete with those of Canal+, whereas they haven’t acquired the right to broadcast in certain territories in sub-Saharan Africa.”

tagged in: Africa Cup of Nations, African Union of Broadcasting, Canal+ Group, Gregoire Ndjaka

AUB, Canal+ fight against TV signal piracy

October 22, 2021NewsAfrica Cup of Nations, African Union of Broadcasting, Canal+, Gregoire Ndjaka, Sebastien PunturelloGary

Officials from the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) and French broadcasting giant Canal+ met in Dakar this month ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations to discuss television signal piracy and how it threatens intellectual property rights.

The meeting was aimed at ensuring technical and legal measures were put in place to secure the signals of African channels, whose governments spend huge sums of money to acquire the rights to sporting competitions.

Both parties also spoke out on the issue of broadcasting rights, since TV channels depend on the advertising market during major competitions.

The AUB said that during the African Nations Championship, held in Cameroon in January and February, several of the 32 games delivered were screened illegally.

Grégoire Ndjaka, CEO of the AUB, said: “Our permanent concern is the protection of TV signal. The fight ought to be carried at all levels. Are you allowed to screen the match? If yes, there is no problem. Secure your signal. But if you don’t have a broadcast contract, should you be allowed to operate illegally while others are paying? That’s the problem.”

From a technical point of view, Alexandre Gruner, director of channel relations and partnerships at Canal+, said: “If we have compelling evidence and take note of any illegal activity on the Canal+ bouquet concerning the Africa Cup of Nations or the FWC, be rest assured, we will suspend your signal.”

Sebastien Punturello, managing director of Canal+ Senegal, added: “I spend at least 20-30% of my time fighting signal piracy. For several years, we have actively led the battle thanks to the support of local authorities, our relations, various ministries –culture, communication and justice – as well as [Senegal’s] National Audiovisual Regulatory Council.

“Almost everywhere on the continent, television signal piracy is developing using handcraft techniques, helped by [technology companies] and other rival groups whose audience rates sometimes compete with those of Canal+ whereas they haven’t acquired the right to broadcast in certain territories in sub-Saharan Africa”.

tagged in: Africa Cup of Nations, African Union of Broadcasting, Canal+, Gregoire Ndjaka, Sebastien Punturello

DStv, GOtv to air Africa Cup of Nations

June 13, 2019NewsAfrica Cup of Nations, DSTV, GOtv, Martin Mabutho, MultiChoice NigeriaGary

MultiChoice-owned pay TV channels DStv and GOtv will broadcast the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) live when it is held in Egypt this summer.

The 52 matches of the 32nd edition of the tournament, held between June 21 and July 19, will be offered live on GOtv and in HD on DStv.

The competition will be held at six venues: Cairo International Stadium; 30 June Stadium, Cairo; Al Salaam Stadium, Cairo; Alexandria Stadium; Suez Stadium; and Ismailia Stadium.

The event will feature a 24-team format for the first time and the SuperSport broadcast will feature expert opinion and insight from top commentators and veterans.

Martin Mabutho, MultiChoice Nigeria’s chief customer officer, said: “We are thrilled to continue to cater to our customers’ football appetites with one of the most anticipated football tournaments of the year, and what makes it even more exciting this time around is that most of the countries we operate in are represented in AFCON 2019.”

The tournament will kick off with a match between Egypt and Zimbabwe at Cairo International Stadium.

tagged in: Africa Cup of Nations, DSTV, GOtv, Martin Mabutho, MultiChoice Nigeria