7 Bullets for League Management Company | The Battle to ‘Revolutionize’ Nigeria Professional Football League.

 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.