While there are well documented issues on the difficulties of generating revenues in domestic African football, there are increasing signals that the tide could be slowly turning.

Without question, African football leagues do not earn revenues comparable with the leagues in Europe.

However, their challenge is to emulate European leagues and tailor monetization on similar business models- the Rwandan Premier League seems set on that path as it has signed a major sponsorship deal with AzamTV, a Tanzanian pay TV company making strides in East Africa’s pay TV market.

The deal, which sees AzamTV designated as title sponsors, is valued at $2.3 million over a period of five years.

As part of the deal, AzamTV will begin live broadcast of the Rwandan Premier League thus expanding the broadcast reach and brand of the Rwandan League.

Announcing the deal, AzamTV representatives in conjunction with officials from the Rwanda Football Federation, expressed their delight that an agreement was reached between both parties.

For the Rwandan Premier League, the new sponsorship deal represents significant revenue and exposure for the top fight across East Africa as AzamTV will broadcast the league in Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda and also in Kenya.

To grow its appeal, this sort of exposure is crucial as local leagues in Africa continue to deal with the overwhelming interest of local football fans in European leagues.

In the past, the Rwandan Premier League has been sponsored by Primus beer and Turbo King- two brands operated by Braliwa, Rwanda’s largest brewer with majority shares held by Heineken International.

Asides sponsorship, the other major revenue streams for league football is the sale of television rights. Rwanda’s Premier League should aim to become the leading light in East African football and command significant appeal.

While Africa remains a big football market, perhaps it is smart to focus on growing the popularity of leagues in sub-regions before attempting to take on the rest of the continent where strong brands like South Africa’s PSL and Nigeria’s NPFL would provide tough competition.

Africa’s commercial football industry is still nascent as corporate Africa is still warming up to the idea of becoming more dominant players. At the very least, Rwanda’s Premier League appears to be doing something right.

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