A lack of technical capacity on the part of Botswana Television to produce football matches of high quality has come at a cost to the Botswana Football Association (BFA).
As a result of that BFA is set to part with over half a million Pula.
Botswana Television (BTV) which was given priority rights to produce the game between Botswana and Uganda forfeited those rights because they could not meet the standards set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
BFA chief executive officer (CEO) Kitso Kemoeng said as a result SABC was engaged by sport 5 on behalf of CAF to do production of the game.
Kemoeng explained that if the local broadcasters do not meet the standards set by CAF, the continental football mother body brings a production company that meets their own standards.
“If a production company is brought from outside the country, the member association, in this case the BFA, will have to foot the cost of the engaged production company. The local broadcasters if interested can then buy feed if they so desire. The host is responsible for the expenses of the production company,” said Kemoeng.
According to sources BTV was unable to produce the game because they were required to produce the game on high definition (HD), a specification the station could not meet.
Though the BFA CEO could not be specific on how much the BFA will be required to pay, it is understood that the BFA will lose USD 40 000, which translates into more than half a million Pula.
Contacted for comment, the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo in the Ministry for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, who is responsible for the department of broadcasting services said Btv has not procured the rights for the match, out of respect for our current engagement with BFA.
“I cannot say anything more than that in respect of the game and CAF requirements,” said Kaboeamodimo.
He could not explain whether his station fell short of the CAF set requirements or not. The senior national team has played the Uganda yesterday in CAF Africa Cup of nation’s qualifiers.
