abuja - The conflict between the Nigeria Football Federation and the Nigeria Premier League which led to the late take off of the 2007/08league season is over, NSC Director-General, Dr Amos Adamu, declared

“The fight is over,” Adamu said at the Globacom Premier League International Seminar in Abuja. Adamu said the crisis was good for the health of the game in the country, adding

that if it had not happened at the time it did, it would still have occurred in future and would have been worse for the game and image of the country.

He said the league took charge of the business side of the game while federation was in charge of the game’s administration.

He noted that FIFA’s statute recognises the league chairman as the vice president of the federation.
He said the leadership of both bodies should have mutual respect for each other and have belief in themselves.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that papers were delivered on television and media reportage in the development of the Globacom Premier League, Improving Players performance through Nutrition and hydration.

Dele Adetiba, CEO of Total Promotions, urged clubs to involve the fans, saying the venues must be good. “What we do to involve the fans is paramount.”

Once you involve the fans and they asked for more, the media comes in. Let’s work on the product and money will come in,’’ Adetiba said.

In his contribution, Mumuni Alao, Managing Director of Complete Sports, noted that the league has to make itself presentable to the public.

He said the pitches were the major problem of the league as the poor condition of most pitches were a hindrance. Alao advised the clubs to increase their supporters’ base as it would enhance their chances of getting sponsors. Head of Supersports Africa, Garry Rathbone, said the Nigerian league was getting audience outside, adding that the company had acquired two Outside Broadcast vans to beam live matches of the league.

Rathbone said the achievement of Nigeria’s national teams was an indication that the future of the league was bright.

He described football as a global entertainment industry and pledged that Supersports would do its best to make the Nigerian league part of the industry.

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