By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) on behalf of its affected members has written to Discovery Sports Limited (DSL) management about the decision to ban all Ugandan radio stations from broadcasting the English Premier League Games with out their consent.
This follows a Public Notice with respect to the claimed acquisition of English Premier League (EPL) Intellectual Property Rights by DSL in Uganda.
Through a notice that was shared on social media, Timothy Kajja, a sports lawyer, revealed that DSL had reportedly acquired exclusive rights to broadcast all English Premier League games in Uganda via radio and becomes the major broadcaster of all English Premier League games over radios outside of the United Kingdom.
The @Nab_Uganda has issued a statement in respect to the Public Noyice issued by DSL in respect to their EPL rights https://t.co/kqri38Ka6K
— Obadia Ismail Otim (@ObadiaOtim) August 31, 2022
According to Kajja, talkSport was this year awarded the Premier League live radio broadcast rights packages for the next three football seasons until 2025 and DSL now has exclusive rights in Uganda.
Further, all radios will need to acquire a sub-license from Discovery Sports Limited which is licensed by the EPL. Betting companies will also need a sub-license to use Club names, EPL logo and player images.
“Any further live radio broadcasts of EPL games in Uganda, or use of the above-mentioned intellectual property without a sub-license from DSL, will constitute a violation of DSL’s broadcast and intellectual property rights by such Radio Stations,” Kajja said in a statement.
DSL has also been granted exclusive rights to hold/use the EPL logo, the EPL anthem, club names, and logos, according to Kajja, and the development has been communicated to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board.
However, According to NAB, this was done without determining the extent of authority and authenticity thus the need to have a one-on-one meeting with decision makers to see the way forward.
“On behalf of our members, and in acknowledging your Public Notice in respect to the acquisition of English Premier League (EPL) Intellectual Property Rights, we hereby invite you for a meeting on a date and time of your choosing preferably next week or at your earliest convenience,” NAB write in an August 31 letter.
According to NAB, the purpose of the meeting is to understand and seek full disclosure in respect to the mandate DSL holds to determine the extent of authority and authenticity of the claim.
NAB further seeks to understand the nature of the license by DSL to establish whether it (DSL) got due authority to stop anyone rebroadcasting from a primary licensee.
These, NAB said will enable them to advise and guide its members accordingly.
The English Premier League remains a popular league in Uganda, where youth make up more than 70% of the population.
Local radio stations are partly to thank for the English league’s popularity, as many of them provide live commentary of the league games to locals.
