The Nation Newspaper

Tag: LMC

  • LMC charged on effective league management

    THE Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has decried the promotion of foreign football leagues among others at the expense of local leagues and therefore enjoins the League Management Committee to see to the effective organisation and management of the Nigeria football League, while collaborating with the association for their projection.

    This was contained in a communique issued at the end of an expanded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the association, held at Bovina Hotel, Ilorin, Kwara State last weekend.

    SWAN equally condemns the way its members are being disallowed from covering league matches in some stadia, saying sports writers should be seen as partners-in-progress.

    The association praised the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Coach Stephen Keshi-led technical crew, for the team’s victory at the 2013 edition of the African Cup of Nations and their recent Mandela Challenge in South Africa. The association, however, calls for adequate preparation for the World Cup qualifier against the Flames of Malawi on September 7.

    The house also praised Blessing Okagbare for her heroic performance in the on-going IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia, and charged the nation’s sports Ministry/ National Sports Commission to evolve a viable youth development programme towards discovering more hidden talents for future international meets.

    The association also enjoined sports federations to always ensure that the association is adequately informed about their programmes within and outside the country to ensure effective publicity.

    SWAN praised the Kwara State government for facilitating the hosting of the Expanded NEC meeting of the association and for its continued support for Kwara State SWAN’s activities and programmes, describing the chapter as a model for others.

    Finally, it congratulated the new Pillar of Sports in Nigeria, Chief Donatus Agu Ejidike on his appointment, and tasked him to brace up for the challenges ahead.

  • LMC warns clubs against corporate ambush

    LMC warns clubs against corporate ambush

    Glo Premier League clubs have been reminded that they must obtain the express approval of the League Management Company (LMC) before engaging in any commercial match day ceremonies with parties that have no commercial relationship with the League.

    This directive has been communicated in a statement from the Office of the Chief Operating Officer of LMC, Salihu Abubakar which also informed the clubs that change of match days must be approved by the LMC or the clubs involved will face severe financial sanctions.

    The statement read: “I am also to let you know that the only commercial interest allowed for holding of any activity or ceremony or event however so named within or outside the immediate precincts of match venues, are only those with a sanctioned relationship with the League Management Company Limited. For the avoidance of doubt, only Globacom and SuperSport meet those criteria this football season (2012/2013).”

    The LMC said it has taken these steps to secure appropriate value for the commercial assets of the League which is being strategically exploited for the benefit of all stakeholders.

    “We are determined to enhance the valuation of all aspects of commercial windows of opportunities available to the League and its members. As a result, we will impose heavy financial and sporting sanctions on any club, visiting or hosting and their FAs should they allow any interest that seeks to undermine the commonwealth potentials of the League by whatever design or guise,” Abubakar declared.

    It said existing relationships between some clubs and other parties are being reviewed to streamline future contracts that will protect the commonwealth of the League and the participating Clubs.

    According to the League COO: “We are protecting the commonwealth of the League and its participating clubs by not allowing what smacks of ambush marketing to threaten the real valuation of all sponsorship opportunities available to the clubs as single entities and as a collective represented by the League Management Company.”

  • Away matches ‘LMC should partner with airlines‘

    Fatai Amoo, the Head Coach, Sunshine Stars FC of Akure, on Monday appealed to the League Management Company (LMC), to partner with the operators of various domestic airlines in the country.

    Amoo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that this was to ease the stress and risk the various clubs experienced while travelling by road to honour their away matches in the league.

    The coach, speaking on the backdrop of the participating clubs’ poor performances in away matches of the league, noted that travelling long distances by road was stressful and contributed to most away losses.

    He said that the LMC could liaise with local airliners for low charges from the various clubs, saying many of the clubs were not properly funded.

    “Even if the clubs are to wear the airline company’s logo on their jerseys, that’s not a problem, it can be arranged. I’m appealing to the LMC to please partner with some local airlines for the sake of away matches. Sometimes these players are stressed from travelling to really far states to play.

    “And this adds to the woeful outcome of our away games. You find that when we have impeccable home matches, the clubs usually go for stressful away matches and lose,’’ he said.

    According to him, after long distances of road journeys, players need enough rest before their match to ensure stiffer competition in the Globacom Premier League.

    “All the Globacom registered clubs travel by road to honour their away matches; this is affecting not only Sunshine Stars but all the other teams in the league. The journey is so long and tedious that the players are exhausted even before the game,’’ Amoo said.

    He added that the matches in the league were so tightly scheduled and gave no room for clubs to rest a while before honouring other matches.

    The coach said he was unhappy with his team’s recent away results, adding that a lot needed to be done in that regard.

    “I’m not happy about our away record. It’s really appalling and this is because of this uncomfortable circumstance the players are put in, in terms of long trips.

    NAN reports that Sunshine Stars currently occupy the 7th position in the league with 37 points after 26 matches.

     

  • NPFL: Owumi queries N5.27b deal

    NPFL: Owumi queries N5.27b deal

    The former Chairman of the Nigeria Professional Football League, Davidson Owumi, has queried the legality of the League Management Committee to sign a future deal on behalf of the clubs.

    The LMC had announced on Monday that they had secured a four year N5.27 billion television rights deal that will kick off in 2015.

    In a text message sent to Futaa.com on Tuesday morning, Owumi wrote:

    “This is celebrating illegality. A duly elected board got the N5 billion MTN deal signed, sealed and delivered, who told Irabor and his private company, the LMC, that a duly elected board cannot get a N10 billion television deal for the clubs?

    “Who owns the LMC? How much are the clubs entitled to in the deal, going by the articles and memorandum of the registration of the LMC?

    “Please where is the 2015 contract? Do you sign a marriage certificate while courting? “

    Meanwhile, Futaa.com understands that the tenure of the LMC may be extended. The LMC was supposed to midwife a new, elected League board at the end of the current season.

     

  • LMC warns against disparaging comments on the league

    The League Management Company (LMC) have frowned at growing recourse to negative statements in the public domain on outcome of Glo Premier League matches by club officials and players. LMC has therefore warned that it will henceforth sanction individuals who engage in this practice that brings the League into disrepute.

    The LMC in a statement from the Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar said it will no longer condone such comments by club officials including coaches and managers as well as their players whose comments will lower the integrity of the League in the eyes of the public. It reminded the clubs that existing regulations have provided appropriate channels for conveying grievances and protests against perceived wrong doings by match officials or opponents.

    “The LMC wishes to admonish clubs who have issues with the outcome of matches or conduct of match officials to take advantage of existing procedures and channels of seeking redress and desist from statements to the press and on social media which not only prejudices public opinion but also questions the integrity of the league”, the statement noted.

    The LMC wishes to also assure clubs and their fans that all acts of proven poor officiating and misconducts on the part of match officials will attract adequate sanctions on the culprits.

    The statement said: “While the LMC will not accommodate acts of violent physical and verbal attacks on our appointed match officials and any persons within the jurisdiction of a match, proven acts of misconduct against any of them will be sanctioned in line with prescribed regulations.”

    Football is a beautiful game that is meant to be enjoyed in victory or in defeat. Fans and officials must therefore learn to accept results and allow the LMC to take care of disciplinary issues for the game to grow.

  • GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE LMC gives Kwara Utd 48-hour ultimatum

    LEAGUE Management Committee (LMC) has handed Kwara United FC of Ilorin a 48-hour ultimatum to reverse the decision of the Kwara State government that set up a new management committee to run the affairs of the club or face a ban from the Globacom Premier League.

    Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, on Monday constituted a five-man committee headed by his Chief of Staff, Toyin Sanusi, with the state Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Hajia Ramat Abaya, Team Manager, Agboola Ibrahim Basambo, Coach Samson Unuanel and the Secretary, Olusola Shehu as other members to ensure a smooth day-to-day running of the team, a decision that has been condemned by the league’s ruling body.

    The Chief Operating Officer of the LMC, Salihu Abubakar, told SportingLife that the decision of the state government to set up the committee amounts to government interference in sport which negates the rules governing the constitution of club management in the elite class.

    According to Abubakar, if the state government fails to reverse its decision before the ultimatum expires, LMC will deliberate on the development and issue the necessary sanction.

    “It’s not that we have banned Kwara United. We got a news report that the state government has set up an interim management committee, and that is illegal.

    “For us, as far as we are concerned it is an illegal thing because the rule says clearly that there is no way you can set up an interim body to run a club,” Abubakar informed SportingLife on Tueday.

    “Article 1.9 says the league body will not recognise any interim management committee, that is one. Secondly, they appointed commissioners into the committee and the same Article 1.9(4) says government functionaries, special advisers, commissioners and so on shall not be allowed to be part of the club management.

    “You can see that Kwara United have breached such article, so we give them 72 hours (now 48 hours) and if they don’t revert to the status quo, that is, the management we know, we’ll sanction the club and it is automatic suspension from the league.

    “All we know is that there was a management committee that we have been dealing with and that is the one we recognise, we don’t know any other one.”

    Under the government’s new set up, the Chairman of the Kwara United board, Barrister Bamidele Aluko, who was running the affairs of the club before, is to remain in an advisory position, but Abubakar said according to the rules, the board must be allowed to finish its tenure.

    “The appointment of a management committee is a tenured appointment; they have a full tenure of four years as provided for by the regulations, so they must be allowed to finish their term in respect of any new management.

    “If they don’t reverse to the status quo we will sanction the club and suspend the club from the league. We’ve given them 48 hours to do that,” Abubakar told SportingLife.

  • Maigari praises LMC at trademarks unveiling

    Maigari praises LMC at trademarks unveiling

     •As NFF receives N25m league licensing fee

    At a well attended event inside the Conference Room of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Nduka Irabor, the Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC) presented the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Brand Manual and a cheque for N25 Million representing the annual licensing fee of the LMC to the NFF President, Aminu Maigari.

    In return, Maigari turned to Irabor and the rest of the LMC team including Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi and Salihu Abubakar, heaping praises and commendation on the team for the innovations brought to the league under their management.

    The NFF President had in response to Irabor’s presentation declared the football governing body’s support and confidence in the activities of the LMC, especially in the area of driving the commercial aspects of the league and enlightenment of the general public towards attracting fans back to the stadium. Maigari sighted a match in Aba between Enyimba FC and Shooting Stars which he watched and expressed delight at the turn out of fans.

    In the NFF President’s words, “let me start by praising the LMC Chairman, I am proud of you as a team and I am proud of you individually. You have not let down the confidence we had in appointing you and, like you rightly said, football is money and there is nowhere in the world that football can run without money. You have demonstrated a savvy for football business and this can be seen in the amount of money you have brought here which has never been done in the history of the League and the NFF.”

    Maigari ended by pledging the support of the NFF to work with the LMC and the Clubs to improve the standard of the Glo Premier League. “We are proud of you, we are going to support you and work with you. We are proud of what you are doing and it is our belief that you have done a lot for the league…”, declared the NFF chief.

    Amidst a battery of photo journalists clicking away and video cameras rolling, Irabor explained that the Brand manual contained the various manifestations of the NPFL logo which will guide the application of the trade marks across different platforms to create a distinct business identity for the NPFL.

    Preceeding his presentation, Irabor remarked, “what we have come here to do is to make known our intent to make our professional league more prosperous. It has always meant to be the best, taking care of sets of football players which you can’t achieve without the clubs making money and the League body is meant to help the clubs make such money.”

    He further said that whereas the league had been dogged by various problems in the recent past, the LMC has been able to resolve some of those challenges. “The prospects haven’t been very encouraging in the recent past but we are beginning to turn things around, the horizon is bright, the future and the responses we are getting about the future is positive”, Irabor submitted

    Speaking on the trade marks, the LMC boss declared, “Mr. President, what we have here is a compendium of our trademarks and guide to how it can be applied and used which in business and the corporate world is a message to say, don’t mistake us for any other, this is who we are and what our mission is.”

    The event was attended by top NFF directors including the General Secretary, Ahmadu Musa, Club representatives led by their acting Chairman, Danladi Isaac, acting Secretary, Alloy Chukwuemeka and Chairman of Kaduna United, Sabo Babayaro and Barrister Shola Gberu Aluko.

     

  • LMC rescinds decision on NPL staff

    •Vows not to pay their salaries
    •NPL staff bank on NFF for rescue

     

    League Management Company, main Organizers of the Nigeria Professional League has reneged on their promise to settle about three months’ salaries of the staff of the Nigeria Premier League.

    NationSport scooped in Abuja yesterday that the LMC officials have told members of staff of the Nigeria Premier League as it was called then before it was re-christened Globacom Premier League, to look elsewhere for respite as regards their unpaid three months salaries since they were not in charge of the league when the said salaries were owed.

    A prominent member of staff of the NPL who does not want his name in print, told NationSport that they were now banking on the parent body, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to come to their rescue as regards the outstanding remunerations.

    “My brother we are currently facing the battle of our lives and we are only hoping the NFF intervenes in this matter before we die of hunger.

    Most of us are finding it very difficult to feed, pay our house rents as well as pay our children’s school fees. Its as bad as that.

    “We were told that our salaries were captured in the Globacom money for the League’s sponsorship only for the leadership of the LMC to backtrack and refuse to pay the outstanding salaries. They claimed that they are not the one to pay us since they had not taken over the saddle of the League when the sum was owed. But the fact remains that even we have been working and we are still working under their (LMC) regime”, the source disclosed.

     

     

     

  • LMC release funds to develop feeder clubs

    LMC release funds to develop feeder clubs

    The League Management Company (LMC) on Monday said it had released funds to all the 20 clubs in the Globacom Premier League to develop and recruit young talents into their feeder teams.

    LMC’s Public Relations Officer Mike Enahoro told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the release was based on the dearth of feeder teams into most of the clubs in the Globacom League.

    “The release of funds to these clubs is to enable them to fully develop their feeder teams and for those with no feeder teams to develop one.

    “The dearth of feeder teams in the Globacom League is worrisome to the LMC, and we need to release funds for them for effective continuity

    According to him, the future of football will be uncertain without feeder teams in the various clubs participating in the premiership.

    “We understand that clubs have to develop their feeder teams for continuity and growth.

    “We gave clubs a substantial amount of money to cater for their feeder teams.

    “And we are optimistic that they will use the money judiciously for this purpose, Enahoro said.

    According to him, LMC will go from time to time,to see how the feeder teams are faring, and offer advice when necessary.

  • Club Owners to LMC: attract more sponsors to the league

    Club Owners to LMC: attract more sponsors to the league

    Club Owners Association has challenged League Management Company(LMC) to be on the look out to attract more sponsors to the Glo Premier League so that more funds would be available to run the elite division clubs in the country.

    The Club Owners through its Secretary, Alloy Chukwuemeka tasked the LMC to develop more proactive mechanisms that would fascinate other corporate bodies with a view to doing business with the league body other than the area of league title sponsorship.

    He reckoned that with the return of relative peace devoid of court litigation now in the league, it is the ideal time for LMC and other corporate bodies to meet and rub ideas on how to better improve the nation’s league.

    “We thank God that peace is returning again to Nigeria football. We really thank the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and the Honourable Minister of Sports Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi for their fatherly role during the crises. They have ensured that all cases in court are amicably settled out of court.

    “Sponsorship drought is also becoming a thing of the past but we must consolidate more. We need to seek more partners to get clubs more empowered.

    “The LMC should endeavour to attract more corporate bodies to sponsor other aspects of the league. This will gradually make the clubs independent of the government and will wet the ground for private ownership of clubs in Nigeria in the next few years,” he said.