Kumasi based Asante Kotoko Football Club and Smart TV have signed a major three-year deal for the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, GBC, to be the exclusive broadcaster of the first ever football club television in the history of association football in Ghana – Kotoko TV.
As part of this sponsorship deal, Smart TV on Friday September 24 2010 at a handing over ceremony at the Club’s Secretariat in Kumasi, presented to the management and the playing body of Asante Kotoko FC a brand new 30-seater Hyundai County Bus.
Kotoko TV will be aired exclusively on GBC’s Digital Terrestrial Television on the Smart TV decoder and is slated to start airing by the end of November 2010.
Content to be transmitted on the Kotoko TV includes;
• Behind the scenes access to the Club - including interviews with the coach and past and present players of the club.
• Classic match actions celebrating some of the Club's greatest moments such as the memorable match between Kotoko and Zamalek which came to be known as the Miracle of Kumasi.
• Circles Corner – That is to capture fans preparation prior to Kotoko Matches, meetings, travels of Kotoko Fans as well as interviews with key circle members.
• Dressing Room access before and after all Kotoko matches.
• Kotoko’s Training and Travels both within and outside Ghana.
The deal includes sponsorship and marketing rights, access to players and intellectual property including trademarks.
Philip Baidoo, Ashanti Regional Director of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, said:
“Our vision of providing Ghanaian soccer fans with quality viewing experience is not only limited to the quality picture and sound that digital terrestrial television provides but also the provision of quality soccer content”
“Consumers who have Smart TV Decoders can also watch quality matches from the English Premier League, Italian Serie ‘A’, as well as matches from the Belgian, Scottish, American and Japanese leagues.”
The GBC’s DTT service is currently available in Greater Accra, Kumasi and parts of the Central Region. Smart TV decoders are available through distributor outlets (with Smart TV display signs) in Accra and Kumasi.
According to Yvonne Osei-Tutu, Country Manager for the Distributors of Smart TV Decoders, "We are excited to be part of this ground breaking initiative. Kotoko TV will be seen exclusive on GBC’s DTT network and consumers can view it by buying a Smart TV Decoder.
For us it is a medium for the club to communicate with its teeming fan base across the length and breadth of the nation and we will explore further platforms for creating similar opportunities for other clubs throughout the country as part of our corporate social responsibility of enhancing the quality of the local premier league.”
It is a delight for Kotoko fans to know that they can from November 2010, follow all the exploits of their favourite club. All the fine details that were not visible to them will now be available to them courtesy Kotoko TV.
The exciting part is that, with a Smart TV decoder, Kotoko fans will not only enjoy Kotoko TV but also quality television viewing experience – a blend of the finest in football, entertainment and news at the best picture and sound quality thanks to the new DTT network currently rolled out by GBC.
Source: Kotoko
