Pay TV market: StarTimes moves to cut more pie

Nigeria’s multibillion naira thriving Pay Tv market is experiencing some interesting developments with more entrants joining the lunch. Six- year old StarTimes with operations in 13 African countries is pushing ahead in Nigeria’s fascinating market as it  is determined to increase its market share and footprint in the Nigerian and African digital TV market through innovative marketing strategies. Daniel Obi assesses its marketing strategies including its recent deal to broadcast Copa America live to Nigerians.

StarTimes, a global technology company that operates a pay Tv network has a mission in Nigeria and it is to become an influential international media group. Since its establishment in China in 1988 and subsequent extension of operations in other countries, the pay Tv has kept its eyes on the ball of its mission statement.

In 2010, the pay Tv was officially launched in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy in population and GDP. It sees Nigeria with about 170 million population, soaring FDIs and rising middle class as a market hard to ignore. In the last six years, the pay Tv has maintained a steady growth on account of combined consumer insight market strategies.

In addition to low fee for subscribers, the pay Tv which also operates in  13 African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda is progressively acquiring contents that would bond it with Nigerian consumers. One of such contents is football and this is based on the understanding of love of the game in Nigeria where many are really obsessed for the game.

Football as a game has dominated other sports in Nigeria and the love of football has over the years grown tremendously in the hearts of Nigerians. Today, European Premier League, Laliga and Bundesliga and to a lesser extent Nigerian Premier League have dominated viewership on Tv among Nigerians. Various names of foreign players are easily mentioned in Nigerian circles and sometimes streets and roads experience less traffic when there are popular matches in Europe. It is also not different when Nigeria is playing major international matches. Football is to men what movies are to women.

Based on this understanding, the digital television platform  which has in the past secured broadcast right of some major sporting events and international football competitions would from early next month beam to Nigerians the Copa America competition which starts on June 3 to 26.

This follows the acquisition of another exclusive broadcast right for the game across Africa. The Pay TV firm announced in Lagos that it has signed a fresh deal to beam the much anticipated Copa America Special Centenario edition live all over Africa.

The landmark edition which commemorates 100 years existence of Copa America and slated for  US will definitely glue viewers to their seats and have them thrilled as most of the superstars playing in European clubs will be in live action at the championship with 32 countries competing in games across 10 cities.

The company said aside enjoying superstars like Lionel Messi, Luiz Suarez, Sergi Aguero, Sanchez and many other notable players  in action, StarTimes viewers stand the chance to predict and win prizes like cash, LED Digital Television with inbuilt decoders, Projector Television sets, telcom recharge cards and other prizes. “There will be various programs on radio, television, online, on StarTimes App and social media platforms like facebook and twitter through which Nigerians can participate and win.

“The Copa America 2016 will be enjoyed exclusively on StarTimes sports channels, including ST World Football (Channel 254) and ST Sports Focus (Channel 250), all on StarTimes digital terrestrial and digital satellite platforms”.

Marketing Director, StarTimes Nigeria, Oludare Kafar, told BusinessDay that “StarTimes is very excited to bring Copa America Special Centenario edition onto the platform and believes the various matches will provide sport loving subscribers with some high quality entertainment. This is a historic moment for the championship and will contribute greatly to the development and followership of professional football within the African continent. We are excited to feed the appetite of football lovers all across Africa and are particularly glad that our viewers can enjoy all the games in its HD glamour and be a part by participating in our prediction games and winning fantastic prizes on StarTimes App and social media platforms.”

The participatory viewing  means the broadcast of the football competition would be interactive because, as according  to Kafar, StarTimes would be providing live studio where the audience can participate to win exotic prices. He said there will be prizes every match day and cash prices. Every match day N300,000 would be given out for 23 days including recharge cards and StarTimes TV.

The matches will be played at late hours, in the night for Nigerian audience because of time difference but viewers would also enjoy analyses by  Nigerian sports analysts. There will be predict and win which would be displayed on the screen and viewers can participate in it.

  “This is a big one for us because we know how important sports are to Nigerians. Therefore we are going all out to give full football content to our subscribers. He said broadcasting the competition to Nigerians means democratizing watching football content because as little as N1,200 on StarTimes bouquet, a subscriber could watch all the matches live. “We are giving value for money, top notch football content at very affordable price. This is because most of the best footballers would be at the competition, Lionel Messi, Suarez, Aguero, Sanchez and many more”, he explained.

Assuring on quality sound and picture delivery, Kafar said StarTimes which recently signed on Jonathan Akpoborire and Kanu Nwankwo, ex-Super Eagles players as  brand ambassadors has all it takes to attend to customers, be it existing and potential subscribers. He said the pay Tv currently has more than 60 transmission base stations across Nigeria.

After the Copa America, StarTimes which has about 150 channels in its bouquets also has plans to keep exciting Nigerian sports loving community as it plans to acquire other top notch sports contents for its subscribers. According to Kafar, it also has plans to be associated with some local sports. “We are also in discussion with other grassroots football. As we finalise details we will make it official”, he said.

In addition to other contents, including movies and documentaries,  the gradual and steady acquisition of sports contents, especially football, largely followed by many subscribers on pay Tv, is giving StarTimes which said it has invested over N20 billion in the Nigerian market, the vigor to cut more market share for itself in the pay Tv market.

Daniel Obi