This was a star-studded line-up that left guests awestruck. Many of them whipped out their phones for the obligatory wefies.
Datuk Zainal Abidin Hassan, Azman Adnan, Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, Razman Roslan, Nizaruddin Yusof, and Safee Sali were among those introduced as Astro’s new pundits for the Malaysian football league this season.
The new ‘signings’ were revealed at a hotel in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, yesterday. This comes after Astro was named the official broadcaster for Liga Malaysia for the next three years.
Astro will air 244 matches, comprising the Sultan Ahmad Shah Cup, Super League, FA Cup, and Malaysia Cup, this season. It will dedicate two channels (CH803 and CH804) for the domestic league and provide 13 supporting programmes, ranging from pre-match analysis to engaging fans at the stands.
The reveal demonstrates Astro’s commitment in providing athletes in the country an opportunity to advance their careers beyond the sporting arenas.
The broadcaster, via its 24/7 sports channel Astro Arena, has seen sports heroes trade in their national jerseys for microphones throughout the years. Among the national athletes who found a footing in the industry are former squash player Sharon Wee, ex-netball athlete Nurfariha Abdul Razak, former shuttler Tan Boon Heong, and ex-national sepak takraw players Alice Harun and Azlan Mubin.
“Azlan is a great example. He played sepak takraw for the country and right after he left the sport, he got into broadcasting,” said Nicholas Andrew John, Astro’s vice-president and head of sports.
“When he joined us, he opened doors and we got more former athletes joining us. The same can be said about (former international footballer) Shukor Adan and the instrumental role he played upon joining us.
“We cover local sports extensively, so it’s an obvious and logical thing to do … to offer our former athletes an opportunity to be part of the industry, whether it is in front of the camera or working behind the scenes.”
He added there was a whole range of opportunities available for the national stars – from being part of the production units to strengthening the marketing or business development teams.
Safee, a former striker for Harimau Malaya, is scheduled to announce his decision to hang his boots for good on Feb 21. Ex-shuttler Goh Liu Ying, who retired from badminton at the Malaysia Open last month, is also expected to be part of Astro’s latest line-up.
“It’s a win-win situation for all, really. For us, as broadcasters, having a star-studded line-up further strengthens our credibility. This is evident when we liaise with present athletes and even national sports associations, as they are dealing with those who have been part of the system.
“For the athletes, we welcome them to use our platforms to further advance their careers. An athlete can continue to inspire the youth and the community, even without donning the national colours.
“We also hope to help them become better speakers and better storytellers.”
Will team Astro be signing up more former athletes? John didn’t rule out the possibility.
“Our doors are open. It’s been open all this while. If we need more reinforcement, we will surely be providing our heroes an opportunity to be a part of the company,” he added.
