According to
reports, The Organized Private sectors spend N200 Billion yearly on sponsorship/branding and what a view. Even in recession period.
NFF budget yearly
is N7 Billion. Assuming clubs in the league get N1Billion each from private
sectors, we could've seen just 15% -20% of these private sector spend, coming
to football yearly and all the problem about money in football would have been
solved. Infact, Nigeria Clubs will have more money to throw around than before.
However, in reality,
it’s easier said than done, but system must be in place. In all fairness to the
present board of NFF and LMC, they are trying to put the systems in place and
rightly so.
I can feel these
guys (the NFF and LMC echelon) vibes. They are visionary, business-oriented
persons.
Personally, these
are people we need. Forget about attitudes, egos and perceived-pride. And who
doesn't even have egos or traces of pride in them? I think these shouldn't be
used to judge these guys or form an opinion about them.
That aside, it’s
more easy to say, NFF should go and meet private sectors, but the later aren’t FATHER-CHRISTMASS or reckless politicians. You can't just go to meet them and
they dole-out money just like that.
However, Journalist
and Football followers’ alike need to understand that there is a clear
difference between philanthropic, CSR, and Sponsorship/Investment gestures.
More often they mix it together.
Nigerian football
(National and leagues) doesn't need philanthropic or CSR gestures, we need
serious private sectors investments. For instance Globacom can put N50 million
into NFF, but can go ahead to celebrate it out there with N500 million in
ego-tripping advertisements and what a view. But In all honesty, who that money
helped in football circles? Yet, to some people, its sponsorship.
And this is where
the issue is. When it comes to private sectors committing to real INVESTMENT,
they are so meticulous, critical, value their brand and for them, perception is
key. They can easily walk away if they read of suspect, any discrepancy,
scandals or what a view.
I have done some
bit of football marketing and I know how hard it is in reality.
The truth is,
systems must be in place. Indeed, for the first time in many years I am seeing
an NFF trying to put systems in place. Pulling the National Assembly to pass
the NFF bill among other things.
Of course, with
my above assertion football can run smoothly without government funding, but
the cabals against it are still having a field-day. Many of these cabals are in
government or attached to government.
Sadly there are
some football followers and journalist alike who had been brainwashed that
football will die if government hands off, same too in our clubs.
But I just wonder
what a club who hitherto had been going cap-in-hand to collect just a
N80million - N120million per season suddenly get a lifeline of N1billion
private funding per season will do, I am sure, one or two of these Clubs might
fancy the idea of pricing Real Madrid C Ronaldo and Barcelona, Messi.
In as much as we
all desire this from the NFF, I believe, stability is key for them. What had
helped LMC to a greater extent is that.
Also we need to
either help or come to respect the NFF way of managing their relationship with
government and their representatives( the sport ministry, ministry of Finance,
budget office et al) pending the time they get their system fully in place and
get their bill passed.
The Falcon imbroglio
is the recent classical example. If the NFF had gone their way to call a
press conference and place the truth we finally got now, it would have seemed
as though, they are embarrassing the government. It will even be so easy to
read a political meaning to it like, Oh! They are PDP; they want to scuttle APC
government and all that.
But these guys
first took the bashing before they now come out to tell us the reality, that a
part of government are being economical with the truth and other part is
definitely tightfisted.
Finally, I know
Nigeria football will pull-through and the time is even now. But we must all
support the NFF and even the LMC to create a virile and 100% private
sector funded football industry that we will all be proud of.
@IamFOJ
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