LIBERIA : LBF in shaddy deal

Written by Anthony A. Stephens

Star sport has seen a copy of the much talked about contract entered into by the Liberia Basketball Federation and the Premier Service Group.
The three page document was signed by the two entities on 5 October 2009.

The contract between the Liberia Basketball Federation and the Premier Service Group was witnessed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The value of the highly publicized deal is an annual fee of ten thousand United States Dollars for the period of three years -subject to reviewing by the LBF.

According to the document 25 percent of the ten thousand dollars fees are to be paid to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

No reason was mentioned for the allocation of the money to the Sports Ministry.

The agreement did not however mention any benefits for teams showcasing in the league.

The much talked about contract also give the company the sole authority of marketing all advertising spaces and items of the LBF as well as the exclusive right to renew any contract signed between the LBF with any entity.

This means that the Lone Star Cell contract with the local basketball house can only be renew by the Premier Service Group and not the LBF anymore.

Authorities at the Liberia Basketball Federation have so far remained quiet on whether the Lone Star Cell contract which had a month left on it before the Premier Service Group deal was entered into will be renew.

Star Sports has understood the incompletion of the Lone Star Cell contract has brought some mix feelings among executive committee members of the LBF.

They are still divided over the manner in which the Premier Service Group deal was reached.

Some are even calling for the re-visitation of the contract, while others believe deal was rightly done.

The argument over the legality of the contract lives on.