TV rights dilemma for JFF
By Andre Lowe
The Jamaica Football Federation is likely to find itself in a television rights swirl, as it is understood that former president Crenston Boxhill signed a deal with a local broadcasting entity, which is in breach of a previous arrangement with a competing broadcaster.
The new deal involves the selling of TV rights for the Reggae Boyz’ CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches, which is throwing further suspicion over Boxhill’s administration, which, according to the new body headed by Captain Horace Burrell, had been involved in a number of irregularities during their four-year stint in office.
Information reaching the Sunday Herald is that the recently ousted administration signed off on a contract, affording exclusive rights to a local media outlet to broadcast World Cup qualifying games involving the national senior team.
This despite the existence of an earlier signed agreement, which offers the second company the right to ‘first refusal’ on the right to broadcast the games.
The “illicit” contract was reportedly signed during the recent nomination period for the JFF presidency, weeks before Boxhill was forced to leave office.
JFF Treasurer Gary Sinclair confirmed the reports and labeled the situation as “extremely unfortunate and possesses serious legal and commercial implications” for the federation.
“A contract was signed by the previous administration giving a local media entity the right to broadcast the World Cup qualifiers involving Jamaica while another agreement, which was signed earlier gave another company the right to refuse or match any offer that came on the table.
“They did not get that chance and the federation can find itself in a serious position both from a legal and commercial perspective if each party decide to stick out on the contracts that they signed,” said Sinclair.
“It really is a dilemma. Two parties have a contract that virtually gives them the right to the same thing and if they both decide to hold us to it, then the programme is going to have a lot of other issues to contend with. These are just some of the issues that we have inherited and will have to work to find a way through,” he stated.
he JFF is planning to engage both companies in discussion with the intention of finding a compromise.
It is further understood that an initial payment of $3 million was paid over to the JFF by the controversial contractee, none of which can be found on the JFF books.
The Sunday Herald tried several times over the weekend to contact Boxhill via his cell phone, which rang without an answer.
By Andre Lowe
The Jamaica Football Federation is likely to find itself in a television rights swirl, as it is understood that former president Crenston Boxhill signed a deal with a local broadcasting entity, which is in breach of a previous arrangement with a competing broadcaster.
The new deal involves the selling of TV rights for the Reggae Boyz’ CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches, which is throwing further suspicion over Boxhill’s administration, which, according to the new body headed by Captain Horace Burrell, had been involved in a number of irregularities during their four-year stint in office.
Information reaching the Sunday Herald is that the recently ousted administration signed off on a contract, affording exclusive rights to a local media outlet to broadcast World Cup qualifying games involving the national senior team.
This despite the existence of an earlier signed agreement, which offers the second company the right to ‘first refusal’ on the right to broadcast the games.
The “illicit” contract was reportedly signed during the recent nomination period for the JFF presidency, weeks before Boxhill was forced to leave office.
JFF Treasurer Gary Sinclair confirmed the reports and labeled the situation as “extremely unfortunate and possesses serious legal and commercial implications” for the federation.
“A contract was signed by the previous administration giving a local media entity the right to broadcast the World Cup qualifiers involving Jamaica while another agreement, which was signed earlier gave another company the right to refuse or match any offer that came on the table.
“They did not get that chance and the federation can find itself in a serious position both from a legal and commercial perspective if each party decide to stick out on the contracts that they signed,” said Sinclair.
“It really is a dilemma. Two parties have a contract that virtually gives them the right to the same thing and if they both decide to hold us to it, then the programme is going to have a lot of other issues to contend with. These are just some of the issues that we have inherited and will have to work to find a way through,” he stated.
he JFF is planning to engage both companies in discussion with the intention of finding a compromise.
It is further understood that an initial payment of $3 million was paid over to the JFF by the controversial contractee, none of which can be found on the JFF books.
The Sunday Herald tried several times over the weekend to contact Boxhill via his cell phone, which rang without an answer.
Copyright © 2005 Sunday Herald. All rights reserved
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