Multichoice and Betking take Ethiopia Football League to new Peak

Multichoice Ethiopia, through its subsidiary Supersport and Betking, cemented its investment into local sports by signing a sponsorship deal with the Ethiopian Premier League.

The details of the agreement in which SuperSport was awarded exclusive rights for broadcasting the Ethiopian Premier League matches poses an intriguing opportunity to support Ethiopian football and its fans and further affirm Multichoice Ethiopia’s commitment to investing in sport.

In contrast, Betking will be the title sponsor for the Ethiopian premier league. Betking is a digital entertainment and sports technology business that owns and operates gambling and its proprietary and product portfolio. The Ethiopian Premier League is heralding a new era in Ethiopian football with the backing of one of Africa’s leading home of sports, SuperSport and Betking.

The deal and initial direct investment from SuperSport and Betking will span over the next five years and benefit all the teams participating in the league, directly impacting and helping the players. The aim of the investment is for SuperSport to continue building sports broadcasting capability in the country; with this in mind, SuperSport has committed to investing in building infrastructure to enable quality footage for broadcasting while simultaneously building skills development opportunities tanning, and knowledge sharing.

Through this investment and the partnership with the Ethiopian football League, the league will enjoy international exposure to give Ethiopian football players a platform to put Ethiopia on the world football map. Commenting during the signing ceremony held in Addis Ababa, Multichoice Ethiopia Managing Director Gelila G, Michael said:

“Ethiopia as a country is passionate about football, and as a business rooted in the country and committed to providing content that resonates with customers, we are extremely excited to have the broadcast rights for the Ethiopian Premier League.”

“For us, this investment is an opportunity not only to place Ethiopia on the world stage in the short-term but to be part of developing skills, creating indirect job opportunities and developing a sustainable sports offering in the long-term which forms part of our overall business strategy and commitment to Ethiopia,” – Gelila G Michael continued.

In another first, the league will be sponsored by betking, Africa’s fastest-growing digital entertainment and sports technology company. Allen Mclnnes, managing director of Betking in Ethiopia, said, “we are proud to be announced our partnership with the Ethiopian Premier League today- football is a central part of our business, and this platform not only gives us added reach in an important jurisdiction, but also allows us to put something back into the grassroots of the game we all love.”

DStv Ethiopia, through SuperSport, is now the proud home of Ethiopian football, and this commitment to supporting and developing local content for the audience is an integral part of the company’s commitment to the country. The investment is characteristic of the company, which has a long legacy in the country recently reaffirmed its intentions to continue to grow and expand its reach across the country. Ethiopian football and its fans will no doubt benefit from having such an experienced and committed partner to help to increase the sport over the next few years. “this partnership enables us to take the league to the next level and continue to build the brand through partnering with SuperSport to enhance broadcast quality and develop skills. This poses an opportunity not only for the league but for the teams and players as well.

SuperSport’s investment into the league is already a testament to the local talent. Our football history is a proud one, with our country being one of the first teams to form the Africa cup of Nations. This partnership will allow the country to strive to reach its former prestigious ranking,” – said Lieutenant Fekade Mamo, president of the Ethiopian Premier league company.

This announcement is in line with MultiChoice’s overall investment in Ethiopia and its aim to ramp up its local content offering. “For us, this investment brings the transformative power of media to life. It shows that DStv not only brings entertainment to Ethiopian viewers in their language and voice but can enable the industry to grow, create jobs, contribute to the economy, and most importantly, inspire a nation,” – Gelila G, Michael.

Though, recently Multichoice acquires a 20percent stake from Betking for around $ 81.0 million. Subsequently, the deal also includes earn-out payments for up to an additional $31m should Betking meet a specific target between December 2022 and December 2024.

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