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By André Lowe
The television rights fiasco involving the Jamaica Football Federation, Television Jamaica (TVJ) and cable channel SportsMax, took another twist this week, as information gleaned by the Sunday Herald, revealed that the latter might have reneged on their contract with the island’s football governing body.
This has resulted in both companies holding a contract to broadcast the upcoming local World Cup qualifiers, which the JFF has admitted to being in the dark, as to the direction to go.
However, new information is suggesting that the cable station may have surrendered that right, after failing to meet clear stipulations that were reportedly established on their contract.
As was first reported by the Sunday Herald several weeks ago, SportMax was sold the television rights to broadcast local friendly internationals involving the national senior team by the previous Crenston Boxhill–led administration at a value of $60 million in cash and kind.
The figure and the privileges it brought were shared by another local network, CVM-TV, with both entities paying $15 million each in cash and the remaining amount in marketing support.
That contract, which also included rights to the Red Stripe Cup competition, reportedly contained a clause that afforded “first right of refusal” for local World Cup qualifiers to the cable station.
A deadline of June 30, 2007 was established by the Boxhill administration as the last day for SportsMax to declare their interest.
SportsMax, however, reportedly registered their interest in a letter that arrived at the JFF’s St. Lucia Avenue secretariat on July 17, 2007, over two weeks beyond the deadline, which according to the source constitutes a nullification of the right of refusal. It should be pointed out that both offices are virtually a stone’s throw from each other.
Several gleaned internal documents revealed that up to late October, there were no finalities regarding the contract with SportsMax.
Amidst all this, a contract was signed with rivals, TVJ that gave them the rights to broadcast World Cup qualifiers at home. According to Sunday Herald sources, TVJ has already paid over the $3 million signing on fee and has agreed to meet the $2 million-a-match fee asked for by the Boxhill’s team during negotiations.
This represents a $500,000 increase on the sponsorship package for the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, which saw TVJ and CVM forking out $750,000 each.
Also, according to a well-placed member of the previous administration, that body was not keen on doing any further business with the cable station for several reasons, including its reach (coverage of the island) and “delinquency” in payments.
The official pointed to a particular instance where the entity reportedly paid over monies for the Red Stripe Cup competition months after the final had been played.
JFF president Captain Horace Burrell, speaking at a press conference at the organisation’s New Kingston office, revealed that both organisations have already pointed out that they will be holding the federation to the signed contracts and that the situation may pose a serious threat.
Said Burrell, “TVJ went a step further to make a deposit, having secured the rights from the federation. The situation currently is that TVJ has stated clearly that they will not give up their right, because they are the rights holders.
“On the other hand, SportsMax is not giving up either, because they are saying they have the first right of refusal and that was never exercised,” he added.
Officials from all the parties involved were unavailable for comment up to press time yesterday.
The television rights fiasco involving the Jamaica Football Federation, Television Jamaica (TVJ) and cable channel SportsMax, took another twist this week, as information gleaned by the Sunday Herald, revealed that the latter might have reneged on their contract with the island’s football governing body.
This has resulted in both companies holding a contract to broadcast the upcoming local World Cup qualifiers, which the JFF has admitted to being in the dark, as to the direction to go.
However, new information is suggesting that the cable station may have surrendered that right, after failing to meet clear stipulations that were reportedly established on their contract.
As was first reported by the Sunday Herald several weeks ago, SportMax was sold the television rights to broadcast local friendly internationals involving the national senior team by the previous Crenston Boxhill–led administration at a value of $60 million in cash and kind.
The figure and the privileges it brought were shared by another local network, CVM-TV, with both entities paying $15 million each in cash and the remaining amount in marketing support.
That contract, which also included rights to the Red Stripe Cup competition, reportedly contained a clause that afforded “first right of refusal” for local World Cup qualifiers to the cable station.
A deadline of June 30, 2007 was established by the Boxhill administration as the last day for SportsMax to declare their interest.
SportsMax, however, reportedly registered their interest in a letter that arrived at the JFF’s St. Lucia Avenue secretariat on July 17, 2007, over two weeks beyond the deadline, which according to the source constitutes a nullification of the right of refusal. It should be pointed out that both offices are virtually a stone’s throw from each other.
Several gleaned internal documents revealed that up to late October, there were no finalities regarding the contract with SportsMax.
Amidst all this, a contract was signed with rivals, TVJ that gave them the rights to broadcast World Cup qualifiers at home. According to Sunday Herald sources, TVJ has already paid over the $3 million signing on fee and has agreed to meet the $2 million-a-match fee asked for by the Boxhill’s team during negotiations.
This represents a $500,000 increase on the sponsorship package for the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, which saw TVJ and CVM forking out $750,000 each.
Also, according to a well-placed member of the previous administration, that body was not keen on doing any further business with the cable station for several reasons, including its reach (coverage of the island) and “delinquency” in payments.
The official pointed to a particular instance where the entity reportedly paid over monies for the Red Stripe Cup competition months after the final had been played.
JFF president Captain Horace Burrell, speaking at a press conference at the organisation’s New Kingston office, revealed that both organisations have already pointed out that they will be holding the federation to the signed contracts and that the situation may pose a serious threat.
Said Burrell, “TVJ went a step further to make a deposit, having secured the rights from the federation. The situation currently is that TVJ has stated clearly that they will not give up their right, because they are the rights holders.
“On the other hand, SportsMax is not giving up either, because they are saying they have the first right of refusal and that was never exercised,” he added.
Officials from all the parties involved were unavailable for comment up to press time yesterday.
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