Whoever Thought This Day Will Come?

Entertainment in Ghana just got better! Not with the mediocre performances by some of our artistes or the below par film productions, but by the power of the Satellite Television. Gone are the days when the right to own a Satellite TV decoder was the preserve of the privileged few in the society. Now everyone who is even on an average income can afford to own a decoder. The growth of the Satellite TV in the country has been phenomenal with subscription base of operators increasing by huge percentages. And now thanks to one particular area of entertainment, more operators should start flooding the market soon. That area of entertainment is sports and specifically soccer. In addition to long time monopoly holders DStv (forget about the pirate style small operators that were dotted around), new entrants Gateway Broadcast Services appear to be leveraging well because they have decided to use their right to air over 75% of the English Premiership matches as their trump card. The premiership had been made hugely popular in Ghana by DStv because of the coverage and analysis etc, getting to a point where collapsing cinema houses found new business in screening matches for a fee. Though soccer is global in scope, since time immemorial, most people have known soccer to be synonymous to the English Premiership with the Spanish La Liga, Italia Serie A trying to play catch up, at least in the minds of many Ghanaians. Controversial though it might be, this assertion takes its authority from the branding of the English Premiership as the best in the world. It is thus not surprising that most players all over the world dream of plying their trade in England at least in their lifetime. Funs of the game are also not left out in the craze to patronise the English Premiership. In a soccer-crazy nation like Ghana, the Satellite TV has been the biggest blessing to soccer fans in the nation. The mushrooming of fan clubs of English teams like Chelsea Fan club, Man U Supporters Union, Arsenal Supporters Union and other such groups is a testimony of the good that satellite TV has brought to Ghanaian football fans. Not only do these passionate supporters of the game get to watch their favourite players, but fans also get the opportunity to travel to England to watch some of the matches when they win tickets for matches in raffles organised by some corporate bodies. The economic impact of Satellite TV on the country in general is also without doubt, very huge. Most drinking and food joints that have Satellite TVs which broadcast the English Premiership make good sales during match days. These days it does not even matter if it is Reading FC playing Wigan Athletic, soccer- loving Ghanaians are willing to pay and watch. With the shouts of 'gooal', 'aahh' and 'oohh', the adrenaline-packed English premiership has added a new touch to the soccer menu of the Ghanaian football fan. Though there are always winners and losers in the game, there is an ultimate winner in all these, and that is the entertainment industry in Ghana. This change has occurred at the appropriate time. Entertainment in Ghana is no longer boring and monotonous thanks to the power of the Satellite TV.