The Vision to Make NPFL the Best League in Africa - What LMC Has Achieved in the Last Five Years [2015 - 2020]?

 

The Vision of the League Management Company (LMC) to make Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) one of the best leagues in Africa where a clear vision written on their website as itemized:

• To introduce a corporate governance culture which will guide its internal management style and coordinate the smooth running of the league;
• To restore the integrity of the beautiful game in the professional and elite class;
• To strengthen the developmental process of young footballers who will feed into the professional teams;
• To bring transparency and credibility to the management of the league;
• To return professionalism to the premier league thereby bringing it in line with international best practices resulting in optimum commercial benefits for the premier league and Nigerian Football;
• To enhance the commercial potentials of the league and ensure an equitable distribution of the derived income therefrom, as well as creating employment across the country. 

Here, we want to look at some key indicators to see how far LMC have gone, what they have been able to accomplish over the last five years from 2015 - 2020.

As we all know, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are the owners of NPFL....and established LMC in 2012 to organize and adminstrate the league. LMC came on board with so much promises to transform the elite League., from the time of the first Chief Excutive Officer, Nduka Irabor to the present man at the helm of affairs, Shehu Dikko.  

We will look at key indicators as IFFHS Ranking, NPFL clubs performances in CAF competitions, Business and Commercial attainments and affiliations. 

1.  IFFHS Ranking

In 2012, the NPFL was ranked as the best league in Africa and 24th best in the world by the IFFHS, the rating puts it a spot above the Scottish Premier League for the year. But since then, things has gone worst,. IFFHS presently ranked NPFL as 8th in Africa and 57th strongest league in the world. Far lower than what it was when LMC took over the same year 2012.

2. NPFL clubs Performances in CAF Competition

Winners of NPFL and the second place clubs qualify to play in the CAF Champions League,  while the third place club and Federations cup winner play in the CAF Confederations cup competition. For the last five years, Enyimba, Enugu Rangers, Lobi Stars, Plateau United and Kano Pillars had participated in either CAF champions League or the Caf Confederstions cup, without much progress or success. 

Enyimba and Dolphins are the only Nigerian clubs to have won CAF competitions since this Millienum. Enyimba won CAF champions League back-to-back in 2003 and 2004 respectively. While Dolphins FC won the CAF Confederstions cup in 2005. 

- NPFL Clubs Ranking in Africa

According to CAF rankings as at November 1, 2020, no Nigerian club was ranked among the top 20 teams in Africa. In fact, on six Nigerian clubs made the top 50 ranking in Africa. 

Enyimba, the best club in Nigeria is ranked 22 in Africa; followed by the second best in Nigeria,  Plateau United ranked 32 in Africa; 3rd best in Nigeria, kano Pillars ranked 37 in Africa; 4th best in Nigeria, Enugu Rangers ranked 44 in Africa; 5th best in Nigeria, Dolphins ranked 46 in Africa and Lobi Stars ranked 49 in Africa. 

That's another indicator that NPFL hasn't improved that much since LMC tookover. 

3. Commercial indicators

The commercial value of NPFL is nothing to reckon with. LMC still largely depend on government disbursement for its operations rather than it's business dealings. 

I. Ticket Revenue: Gate takings still remain low as stadium attendance in NPFL games average 5000 spectators per match. So, the ticket revenue are next to nothing; hardly enough to meet stadium maintenance expenses. 

II. Sponsorship: since LMC tookover the running of the league, there hasn't been any title sponsorship. There's a lot of issues and bottleneck surrounding this, which the LMC have not been able to resolve. 

By now, we expected the league management to settle the issues surrounding the breach of contract between NPL, GLO and MTN (the last two title sponsors of the elite league) 

Apart from Rivers United shirt Sponsorship deal with Eunisell, no NPFL club has a shirt sponsorship deal running. This shows that the corporate community do not still have confidence in the league and no brand would want to associate with it. 

iii. Media Broadcast Right: LMC were able to close $34 million TV broadcast right with SuperSports in 2012. But the cable station opted out in 2018, due to business related as well as issues bothering on breach of contract. 

Since SuperSports left, NPFL games and highlights are no longer broadcast on TV. And that's a great drawback for fans engagement and  support. 

LMC has recently closed an undisclosed deal with RedStrike marketing. And as part of the deal is on a more robust TV broadcast package. 

4. Affiliations

LMC partnership with LA Liga for capacity building and exchange of ideas started on a bright note on 2015, which saw NPFL all star team travel on a Spanish tour in 2016. Not much is going on in that regard now.