Given the pedigree of Nigeria professional football
league (NPFL), it’s the last thing you would expect that Nduka Irabor led
League management Company (LMC) would take the bull by the horn. For three
seasons or so, it has paid lip service to its determination to ‘revolutionize’
Glo Premier League.
Pardon me to say, but we’ve begun to see LMC as a
toothless bull dog that only bark but don’t bite. Either the club owners are
more powerful and have pull-off their teeth or they just lack the will power
and authority to bounce on the offenders. The question remain, do we continue
to run our football league like this. LMC must seriously look into these 7
bullet points:
NPFL doesn’t satisfy football consumers in the
country. It has failed to meet the needs and yearnings of the large consumers
market in Nigeria.
The short sighted reliance on government funding,
which politicize football rather than long term investment in quality
organization of the league that will attract and retain both fans as well as Sponsors.
The non-marketing or lack of foresight in marketing
football league, which focus on just playing matches rather than identifying
and satisfying the needs and yearnings of football consumers in the country.
Corporate sponsors are scared off in large part,
because of NPFL poor public image resulting from match fixing scandals, free
for all sharp practices and leadership strife.
Poor club welfare packages and non-respect of
contractual agreements, resulting to mass flight of players, lowers the
standard of the league.
Fans are the most important factor in the business
of football. For without them, there’s nothing left to cheer or consume the
game. Fans are the lifeline of any professional football league to making
profit, gain respect and reputation. No professional league can survive without
fans.
Fans don’t necessarily go to watch the most
prestigious league like EPL. Instead they are more likely to get involved in
leagues that continually appeal to their emotions through mass media.
Research has shown that frequency and quality of
television and radio broadcast were key factors that influenced fans attendance
to league matches. Mass media hypes strengthen fans interest and help overcome
whatever objective they might have about the league.
Everything is packaging! But will LMC learn the
lesson and begin to do the right things as Glo Premier League kick-off its 2015
season this weekend. Time will tell.
