Tanzania' s media group signs 80 mln USD partnership with Burundi' s soccer federation

The Tanzania-based Azam media group Thursday signed with the Burundian Football Federation (FFB) a financial agreement worth 80 million USD whereby games of the Burundi' s Primus League will be transmitted live on Azam TV channels in Tanzania, the FFB chairman said here on Thursday after signing the agreement.

"Burundi will gain a lot because games constitute a major tool for cohesion amongst people. Besides, Burundi will become famous as the Burundian National Television will be among the Azam TV channels. Therefore activities done in Burundi will be broadcast in Tanzania and will therefore be known," said Senator Reverien Ndikuriyo, chairman of the Burundi Football Federation (FFB).

Ndikuriyo called on soccer fans in all Burundi' s communes to buy Azam decoders in order to watch TV channels distributed by the Azam media group.

For his part, Azam Media Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rhys Torrington said that everybody in Tanzania is proud of soccer.

"When Burundian soccer players came to Tanzania three times last year (2014), they beat us. There is something mystical and exciting about soccer in Burundi," said Azam Media CEO Rhys Torrington.

Torrington said Azam Media was founded 15 months ago in Tanzania, adding that Azam Media is a TV service that provides, via satellite, very cost-effective entertainment programs for people.

He indicated that Azam Media transmits at least three games live every weekend and added that decoders will be sold in Burundi in the next few weeks. Endi