Econet Media and the NFL reached an agreement that will see Econet Media's Kwese Sports "become the exclusive linear TV broadcaster of NFL content in a number of markets in sub-Saharan Africa as part of a five-year deal," according to TELECOM PAPER. The deal -- brokered by ESPN Media Distribution -- includes live games and will kick off at the beginning of the '16-17 season. The agreement is part of a multi-year deal that includes, at a minimum, five live games per week during the regular season including Thursday Night Football, three games each Sunday, Monday Night Football, "as well as every game of the NFL playoffs" and the Super Bowl. As part of the agreement, Econet Media "will be making select games available free-to-air." Econet Media "will also be the broadcast flagship for ESPN NFL studio content" -- such as NFL Live and Sunday NFL Countdown -- and archive programming from NFL Films on Kwese Sports, giving African fans "comprehensive coverage throughout each season" (TELECOM PAPER, 7/25). WORLD SCREEN's Joanna Padovano reported Econet Media "will help promote the popularity of American football in sub-Saharan Africa as the NFL strives to expand its fan base in the region." The agreement will give Econet Media broadcast rights in Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Swaziland, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe (WORLD SCREEN, 7/25).
