Amazing Study of Factors That Influences Football Fans' Behavior in Nigeria [Read this Research Findings]

What You Can Learn About Football Fans Behavior in Nigeria 
There's this wracking that "Every Nigerian is a football coach." They all know what went wrong or what the real coach should have done to win the game.

In reality, according to research findimgs, over half of the country's population of 200 million people are football consumers - in one way or another.

We may rightly say that Football is enshrined in the present day Nigerian culture. Environmental factors play a great role as to how and to what extent this people become so involved and committed to the football sport; not discounting individual factors too.

Think about your own involvement in football activities as a child, a youth or an adult in Nigeria. Something or somebody got you interested.

1. Environmental Factors
Amazingly, the first toy most boy child in Nigeria gets, most probably will be a ball... and daddy or the older ones begin to kick the ball around the child, teaching him and getting him interested in the beautiful game.

In Suburbs, children run outside the street to kick around anything that they may deem as a ball... later it snowballs into games like monkey post, five-asides, street tournaments and joining a boys club.

When youths finish watching their favorite Premier league, Uefa Champions league games on television at viewing centers in the neighborhood, they gather and then try to replicate such skills they saw from the stars.

In high brawl areas, where kids usually watch these games from their home (household), they could go to near by pitch to practice... and then influence their parents to enroll them into football academies.

They also influence their parents to purchase merchandises of their favorite clubs or stars. Apart from global superstars like Messi or Ronaldo, most Nigerian youth support European teams that have high performancing Nigerian or African players in the team.

Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid are some of the teams that have large following in Nigeria. Liverpool is presently gaining more new fans because of the performances of Sadio Mane of Senegal and Mohammed Salah of Egypt.

These teams dominate fans discussions at the newspaper stands, street talks and arguments at bars and viewing centers. These interactions influences the purchase of replica jerseys, souvenirs and memorabilia of these European teams.

Fans also bet big time, showing commitment to these european leagues. They attempt getting rewarded for their vast knowledge and intimate following through gambling on outcome of games.

2. Technological Factors
Nigerians follow and support European leagues and teams far more than the domestic league. This behavior have been attributed to the influence of live broadcast of european football on cable tv and the Internet. Ironically, the domestic league and clubs are scarcely on any media platforms.

Cable television provided by the leading Multichoice DStv, broadcast these European leagues into 37% households in Nigeria. And the business of viewing centers and sport bars have even made European football more popular among the people in Nigeria.

Nigerian football consumers are now more sophisticated than what any domestic league or tournament can deliver. Therefore, fans scarcely patronize even the elite Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Any quality player discovered in Nigeria are quickly exported abroad to Europe, that further weakened the domestic leagues and their sub-standard quality hardly appeal to fans.

3. Individual and Gender Factors
Self concept and perception do influence the consumption or participation in football. Other individual factors may be physical characteristics of a person or stage in life cycle.

There are people who are not swayed by bandwagon effect. Most women in Nigeria may even prefer less physical contact sports than football. Women football is still in it's early growth stage and only 22% of the women folk participate or actively follow the sport. Football is still largely seen as a man's game.

Physically challenged may have limited or no participation at all. Though, we also discovered that some physically challenged persons are most passionate supporters and followers of football in Nigeria.

4. Stages in life and Family Cycle 
Football is a youth game. Singles from 11 to 35 most actively consume football. Young couples within these age range may still be active consumers.

But as couples get older and children challenges take more of their attention, their football consumption reduces to the bearest minimum, while they pass the baton to their children.

Lately, making money from football betting are keeping more elderly men's interest in the sport. Gamblers who are not football fans perse, are now interested to make money out of football.