Millions of Manchester United fans in Africa will soon begin to gain access to MUTV, under an agreement with StarTimes, the continent’s leading digital TV operator, following a new partnership between the two international brands.
Manchester United is one of the most popular and successful sports teams in the world, playing one of the most popular and spectator sports on earth. Through its 142-year heritage we have won 66 trophies, enabling us to develop the world’s leading sports brand and a global community of 1.1 billion fans and followers.
The club’s passionate community provides it with a worldwide platform to generate significant revenue from multiple sources, including sponsorship, merchandising, product licensing, new media and mobile, broadcasting and match day.
StarTimes is the leading digital TV operator in Africa, serving 13 million DVB subscribers and 20 million OTT users in over 30 countries, where it will distribute MUTV to subscribers under the new agreement with Manchester United. It is the biggest agreement of its kind by Manchester United in the region.
MUTV is the world’s leading TV channel in the area of club football, featuring first team and academy games, live manager’s press conferences, player interviews, award-winning documentaries and news, and combining forces with StarTimes means further expansion of access to football followers on its platforms.
StarTimes owns a content platform that features over 630 channels, including African local channels (75%) and international channels (25%). The company says its vision is to ensure that every African family can access, afford, watch and share the beauty of digital TV. Viewers in countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana will receive exclusive Manchester United content 24 hours-a-day via StarTimes platforms.
Phil Lynch, chief executive of media, Manchester United, said “we are proud to have hundreds of millions of passionate fans in Africa and this long-term agreement will allow them to get closer to the club through MUTV’s exclusive, round-the-clock content from Old Trafford and the AON Training Complex.
“MUTV is one of our most important channels for engaging with fans around the world, whether through linear or direct-to-consumer streaming platforms, and we are excited to be significantly increasing its reach through our new partner, StarTimes, in Africa.”
Also commenting, Kristen Miao, sports deputy director, StarTimes, said “Manchester United is one of the most iconic football clubs in the world. We are delighted to share MUTV with football fans across Africa as part as our commitment to enhancing our subscribers’ experience.”
