StarTimes has completed another long-term deal for an African domestic league, this time in Senegal for the country’s top tier, Ligue 1.
Pay-television operator StarTimes has been attempting to acquire rights to a domestic league in a Francophone country for over two years, having previously tried and failed to acquire rights to the Cameroonian Elite One and the Côte d’Ivoire Ligue 1.
Its deal for exclusive pay-television rights to the Senegalese Ligue 1 will run for 10 seasons, from 2018-19 to 2027-28. StarTimes has similar ten-season deals for domestic leagues in Ghana and Uganda. Public-service broadcaster RTS will continue to show one Ligue 1 match per week.
The acquisition of a Francophone league aids StarTimes’ mission to expand its footprint in Francophone Africa, where pay-television operator Canal Plus dominates the market.