By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
The League Management Company (LMC) has confirmed December 27 as the commencement date for the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) 2020/2021 season.
The league organiser said the commencement date was arrived at after consultations with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the participating football clubs of the NPFL and Redstrike Media Group UK, the NPFL commercial rights holders and strategic commercial partners of the LMC.
The Federal Government through the Federal Minister of Youth and Sports Development was also briefed in this regard which included steps to be taken to ensure full compliance with the mandatory COVID-19 Protocols.
LMC said that the absolute need to ensure appropriate compliance with the clubs licensing regulations among other regulatory requirements resulted in the delay in commencing the league as envisaged.
However, the LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko said huge progress has been made especially in the areas of the infrastructure upgrade, noting that the support of the NFF and the Minister of Youth and Sport Development has been critical in attaining this level of compliance.
He further stated that, “In line with the core objectives of the LMC-Redstrike partnership, which is to repackage and reposition the NPFL as one of the best football leagues on all parameters, Redstrike Group has engaged a reputable and experienced production company from Europe, which will deploy state of the art facilities and other equipment for the television production of matches and activities of the NPFL to meet world class standards.
He added that the production company will be working with other domestic agencies that has capacity to deliver media contents of NPFL activities.
“This will enable the NPFL, in line with the best international benchmarks, to have full control of its content to be distributed, marketed and monetized across all platforms such as OTT, Mobile, Free to Air and Cable TV to ensure the widest coverage that can generate appropriate revenues to the NPFL”.
“The detailed and impressive production preparations have seen the assembling and engagement of very many Nigerians, technicians and other highly skilled football industry professionals”
“These preparations include the development of the NPFL.TV App, an OTT platform/channel for streaming the NPFL matches, which will also house all the apps of the individual NPFL clubs and provide the best possible fan engagement among others”.
The NPFL.TV app have since been made available for download on Google Play Store and will soon be on Apple Store.
