FKF-PL: StarTimes, Homeboyz distance themselves from delays

Nairobi City Stars

Nairobi City Stars striker Nicholas Kipkirui celebrates after scoring against Kakamega Homeboyz during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match at Ruaraka grounds on June 19, 2021.

Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Besides the football matches, Homeboyz Entertainment has in the past year produced the Kenya Open golf tournament and World Rally Championship. FKF is, meanwhile, said to have engaged another separate firm to produce this season's matches.

StarTimes and Homeboyz Entertainment have distanced themselves from delays experienced by viewers in accessing the live feed of two Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League matches aired at the weekend.

Viewers on StarTimes only managed to access Saturday's game pitting KCB and AFC Leopards on the China-owned Pay-TV platform at the 30th-minute mark, while Sunday's clash involving Wazito and visiting Kakamega Homeboyz was broadcast from the 68th minute.

StarTimes boasts a Sh800 million, seven-year deal as the league's official broadcast partner with Homeboyz Entertainment acting as FKF agents in producing the matches.

Alex Mwaura, StarTimes Public Relations Manager attributed these delays to a "production issue" that FKF is mandated to organise and "better placed to handle."

"We're looking forward to receiving the report detailing what went wrong," he explained.

A spokesperson for FKF confirmed these delays were a result of "challenges in the transmission of images to the satellite."

And Myke Rabar, Homeboyz Entertainment's Chief Executive, said his firm did not produce the two matches despite having a three-year agreement with FKF.

"We did not produce the games last weekend as we were not alerted by FKF," said Rabar.

"We have a three-year contract with FKF touching on 2020/2021, 2021/2022, and 2022/2023 seasons. It entails producing a minimum of 100 league games per season in HD (High Definition). All the games produced last season were indeed of high quality. StarTimes have been very comfortable with the stellar production. We are yet to meet FKF to deliberate on the new season calendar."

Besides the football matches, Homeboyz Entertainment has in the past year produced the Kenya Open golf tournament and World Rally Championship. FKF is, meanwhile, said to have engaged another separate firm to produce this season's matches.