Nigerian professional league fans were welcomed back from the ‘compulsory’ recess occasioned by the pandemic with a first-of-kind innovation within the sports industry that brought the league to their palms.
The LMC, in partnership with Redstrike Media, launched the novel global gateway to the league. NPFL.TV Is both a mobile app and an internet-based window through which the world watches the Nigerian professional football league for men. Redstrike Media, managers of the platform, is ‘an international sports and technology rights holder specializing in emerging markets and undervalued properties.’
The contents on this app are, at the moment, enticing and there is room for more additions, improvements and reviews. It has within its content, such features as live matches, catchups (for already played matches), fixtures, teams, table, news and more. This is what the average Nigerian fan needs to be abreast of issues concerning the game. Remember that Nigeria is one of those countries where more than 85% of the fan population are both football coaches and analysis. As such, this app avails all the figures, the data.
As a new launch, the owners and the managers deemed it fit to make a free subscription bonus that runs from the beginning of this league season till March 31st, 2021. From April 01st, it will be paid subscription. With as low as N1,500 per month, fans can watch all the matches played in the NPFL for the week, for the month. Yes, all the matches because one can actually catch up.
Foreign and local coaches, foreign and local agents/scouts, national team handlers would all see the matches without having to go to match venues week in, week out.
Looking at the subscription amount, one notes that it is simply affordable, one single live match in a stadium could cost more than that. Another good angle is that since the pandemic has reduced drastically the number of fans to be present at a stadium for any particular match, fans can sit in the comfort of their convenient places (homes, offices, buses, bars, just anywhere) and watch these matches.
Football is business. Looking at the commercial angle, we come to intuit into the amount of revenue this app could generate in just one week. Let us assume that only 20,000 people subscribed for the app in one month, at N1,500, we are talking of N30,000 in revenue (independent of the NFF and the Ministry of Sports). The onus is on the League Management Company (LMC) to maximize the inherent opportunities by doing the needful.
The LMC needs to sensitize the general public about the app. A small population survey carried out today by the writer showed that a huge percentage of Nigerian fans do not know about this app. It also showed that many do not have interest in the Nigerian professional league. Brand communications and market positioning can go a long way in solving these.
As Redstrike Media promised, more features should be added to lure fans to use the app. One of these is making the app interactive. Create a fan base and allow fans to register and interact real-time. They can argue themselves out on the platform and by so doing, bring in more fans (referral and network marketing).
There could also be post-match analysis on the platform and allow fans to react to the issues raised. Fans could be made to vote the best referee of the month, player of the month, coach of the month, goal keeper of the month and club of the month, all on the platform. These things are fun and invariably increase viewership.
Most importantly, as it becomes more attractive to fans, so is it very attractive to Google for related adverts. Who gains? The LMC, Nigeria football, the fans. It is a welcome innovation and we are hopeful it would see the end of this season. Let it not go down the drains like other good initiatives. No contract breaches or such stuffs; no imposition; no bullying…
Azuka Edokobi is a Writer , a Farmer, a Supply Chain Expert and an Entrepreneur
