There are strong indications that the matches of the forthcoming African Cup of Nations in Ghana may not be transmitted live to the Nigerian soccer enthusiasts.

This followed the deadlock in the meeting between the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria and LC2 International that has the broadcast right of the continental soccer thriller.

Also, an alleged prohibitive demand of three million Euros for the transmition of the matches of the African Cup of Nations is threatening live broadcast of the matches in Ghana.

After series of meetings that ended in deadlock between LC2 International of France that holds the broadcast right of the continental soccer thriller and BON, Mallam Abubakar Jijiwa, the chairman of Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria thundered thus, “Either accept our final bid offer of 1.25 million Euros or there’s no deal with any broadcaster in Nigeria”.

Mallam Jijiwa also warned that, “We are unequivocal that there is no room for any upward movement in our bid. Any organisation in Nigeria that decides to accept and pay for the unreasonable, unprofitable and unmarketable offer from LC2 does so at its own risk as no broadcaster in this country will transmit the games not acquired through the collective BON platform”

He explained Tuesday that with less than two weeks to the commencement of the football tournament, the negotiation for the broadcast rights between BON and the company holding the rights, LC2 International of France for the tournament for the Nigerian territory is still inconclusive.

While expressing that BON had been condoning the previous hikes in broadcast right since 2004, Mallam Jijiwa said, “BON in the bid to ensure that Nigerian football lovers receive the live signals of African Cup of Nations have been in negotiation with LC2.

However, the negotiations have not been conclusive because of LC2’s insistence that BON pays an unacceptable prohibitive cost of three (3) million Euros for transmitting of matches for the Nigerian territory”.

He also stated that BON delegation represented by NTA’s Executive director (Marketing), BOB Executive Secretary and our consultant, OSMI Limited visited Paris recently where it met with officials of LC2, during which “BON gave cogent reasons as to why the Nigerian broadcasters consider the three million euros demanded by LC2 for the broadcast rights of African Cup of Nations for Nigerian territory as prohibitive, uneconomical, unviable and therefore unacceptable. pLS, FELLOW NIGERIANS, SHOULD WE ALLOW DIS TO HAPPEN?

CULLED FROM VANGUARD, 10/01/08