NPFL restart: Fans have to stick with clubs to ensure league growth amidst the superfluous disgruntle by organizers

According to reports, the Interim Management Committee, IMC has decided that the new kickoff date for the new Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL season is set to kickoff on the 8th of January 2023.

The committee also confirmed that meeting will be held on the 28th of December, 2022 to discuss the schedule for the league, which will be played in an abridge format following the delayed start, which has seen a lot of time already wasted.

Clubs have also been informed that the deadline for the completion of their licensing ahead of the 2022/23 season is the 28th of December, and teams that failed to meet the deadline face the prospect of being barred from participation.

The decision to finally adopt the abridge format was concluded due to the lengthy of time wasted since the conclusion of the previous season back in mid July, where Rivers United was crowned Champions following a remarkable campaign, which saw them record 77 points, the most in a 38 game a season in the league history.

The format was proposed in October after the failure of the League Management Company to ensure the start of the new league season, which was earlier scheduled for the weekend of September 23.

After looking at the various options best available to ensure that the Nigerian domestic league make up for lost time in order to help players who maybe set for trials in Europe, it was concluded that an abridge format can only best solve the distortion.

Speaking in October on considering the abridge format for the new NPFL season, NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau said: “We have looked at various options and the best option available to us now is to play abridge league to end the season on time.”

In terms of sponsorship, the league is not experience so much good and this amongst other factors contributed to the decision to desolve the league management company back in September.

Even till now, the Interim Management Committee is struggling to really attract sponsors ahead of the start of the league, which is why the take-off grant for each participating teams for the new season is yet to be confirmed.

Chairman of the Interim Management Committee, IMC, Gbenga Elegbeleye in a recent interview revealed:

“We'll give them a take-off grant, but the amount will be determined by our sponsors. We haven’t given a specific amount but we'll try to raise some money for a start. All the stories about N500m, N25m or N10m are untrue.”

The chairman also stressed that the league games will be broadcasted live on Nigeria Television Authority, NTA as the league has been given assurance by the media company. Albeit it might not be accessible for cable network in the first few games but will be later on.

Despite the committee also proclaiming to have played and still playing their part to ensure the start of the league, it is not to be forgotten that their incompetency has surely portrayed a negative image of the developing league to the public.

However, that may not be obvious as of now but until the eventual start of the season, when teams are unable to pull spectators as they had done in the concluded season.

Meanwhile some clubs and managers have rejected the adoption of the abridge format but the IMC has warned that these clubs can withdraw from the league if they don't want the approach as the committee’s decision is final.

The period of delayed restart has obviously not been well accepted by enthusiasts and now the league will have to restart the phase they've already passed all-over again which is winning the fans over.

This will be a challenge to face at the start of the season. The abridge format will mean the clubs will not play up to the 38 league games a season because it will see the 20 clubs divided into two groups of ten in each.

This will also impact negatively, the income of teams as they will not be able to play up to the 19 home games a season, while it will also be difficult to attract fans in the early days, the league will not last much longer to convince a good percentage of fans to start attending stadium to see games.

The NFF as well as the IMC have made efforts to ensure the continuity of the league, which is expected of them and while their fault in the delay might be overlooked, but the potential impact of the delay, which is to become more obvious once the league starts will still be blamed on them.

But it is the clubs that will bear much the consequences in the aftermath. In the last season, the league was engaged by football fans in the country and clubs were able to generate more from ticket sales but the expectations ahead of the new season isn't promising.

According to a fan; “We actually don't get what is going on behind the scenes but the result of everything is obvious. The NFF, LMC and the IMC have all failed the clubs, league and the fans of that NPFL.

Last season, I really developed a lot of passion for the league and so did almost everyone of the locals around here in Ogun State, even so as our representative in the league, Remo Stars enjoyed a successful campaign which saw them finished third.”

“We were all pumped in anticipation of what the new season beholds but unfortunately, the delayed restart has swayed our eagerness and not many is interested in going to the stadium again.” our source reported.

Ahead of the meeting on the 28th to discuss the schedule, it will be interesting to learn the prerequisites for which these clubs will be grouped because obviously not all will be favoured by the arrangement.

It is also worth noting that three of the four teams representing the NPFL in the continental competitions have been eliminated and only defending Champions, Rivers United remains, and have also been relegated to the Confederation Cup from the Champions League.

This is bad advertisment for the league but performances on the continent is just minor of the crisis the league is currently battling, and albeit it is what it is, it is worth celebrating that at last, the league has received green light to get the new season underway.

To avoid any potential setback for the league, fans have the bigger role to play and first is accepting the imperfections of the league and not hold onto the lack of commitment from the stakeholders, play their own part by attending stadium and continue to grow their interest for their local teams.

The future is bright if fans stay loyal to the league and reverse is the case of they failed their own teams.

Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi