Share
- Champions to receive N150m
By: Abiodun Adewale.
The 20 clubs in the Nigeria Premier Football League will get a take-off grant of N10m each as the organisers announced that the 2023/24 season will begin Saturday September 30 after double postponements, just as the prize money for the season has been increased from N100m to N150m.
This comes almost three weeks after its last postponement, which was indefinite.
In a circular sent to all the clubs and signed by the Chief Operating Officer of the league, Davidson Owumi, which was obtained by our correspondent, the NPFL board said the league was commencing with the hope of securing the deals which forced its postponement.
“The 20 clubs will, as was done last season, receive a take-off grant of N10m each to smoothen your operations as the season starts. We are, therefore, expecting all the clubs to as a matter of urgency forward their respective account details to the NPFL secretariat for the transfer of the said amount as the season is set to commence on Saturday September 30,” the letter read.
After the initial postponement from August 26 to September 9, the league was supposed to kick off with a fixture between 3SC and Plateau United in Ibadan while other games were scheduled for the following Sunday.
It is believed the new date will follow the previous arrangement as matches will also be streamed live on the NPFL Live app, which was launched recently.
The NPFL board also said it is anticipating other broadcast deals in the course of the season.
“Starting with our marketing activities, it has to be noted that the offer from StarTimes has been adequately attended to and exhausted. Noteworthy is their proposal for a 10-year partnership, which is not obtainable in sports marketing anywhere in the world. Although we have also made a counter offer for five years.
“Ten years will mean we are locking up our assets for that duration of time. We are still hopeful, they, or other prospective partners will still show up since talks are ongoing. Any success achieved will enlarge the economic frontiers of our league and by extension the clubs, as we progress.”