Rwanda Premier League Board (RPLB) has turned down a Rwf200 million offer that Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) tabled to secure the broadcast rights of the 2023/24 topflight league.

The state broadcaster has been broadcasting this season’s league matches as negotiations with the League board were going on. However, they have been told to stop airing the matches from all their channels with immediate effect after the deal fell through at the last minute.

The league board says it will not accept the deal below Rwf400 million and since the negotiations hit a snag, RBA has withdrawn from the deal which would allow them to secure digital, audio and linear rights.

But the League Board members clearly communicated to RBA about their position in regards to the value of the said rights.

“We made it clear that we shall not entertain any bid less than Rwf400 million for full rights package,” a letter that RPLB Chairman Hadji Mudaheranwa addressed to RBA partly reads.

Following failure to meet the price tag, RBA has now been suspended from broadcasting the Primus National League matches starting with Match Day 5 which is will be played in the weekend of September 30.

In November 2020, RBA came to a consensus with Ferwafa to broadcast live league matches of the Primus National League and other competitions organised by the federation for a period of three seasons.

In that deal, RBA agreed to give exclusive coverage for 90 matches per season over the course of three seasons. That meant that the broadcaster was supposed to broadcast three league fixtures per match day.

RBA in return was guaranteed to take 10 percent of the Rwf640 million that Bralirwa gives the federation which equals to Rwf64 million a season.

The deal expired by the end of the 2022/23 season but, with the current asking price, the state media agency will have to return with an improved offer or the deal will be off until a new bidder expresses interest.