Tanzania's sports minister announces the new deal

GTV is a relatively new player in Africa, and has signed a five year, $3.5 million deal with the Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF).

At the same time their more established rivals Supersport, have promised $2.7 million dollars to the Football Association of Zambia (Faz).

The pair have swiftly become bitter rivals in the search for viewers across the continent.

Rights to the English premiership are at the heart of that contest, but televising local leagues has become an important tactic.

Both the deals signed this week involve the showing of local matches on tv stations available across the continent.

A new era

The BBC's Emmanuel Muga, in Dar es Salaam, says the money from GTV will allow the TFF to buy equipment, pay transport and increase prize money.

They are also hopeful of attracting more sponsorship on the back of the deal, to go with the $3.6 cash injection promised by mobile phone operator Vodacom earlier this year.

"This is a new era for our football; we believe we will attain the same level of growth as other countries where leagues are televised," TFF President Leodegar Tenga said.

Meanwhile, the more established South African outfit Supersport has signed a $2.7 million sponsorship deal with Faz.

The agreement runs for four years, and each club in the Zambian Super Division will get $25,000 on top of the hundreds of thousands going to Faz each year.

The BBC's Kennedy Gondwe in Lusaka says Zambian league matches will be televised by Supersport as part of the deal.