The quest to reignite fan passion for Nigerian football clubs through the Naija Super 8 tournament has kicked off on a good note. After voting portals opened on April 10, eligible clubs have sprung to action in their bid to outrank their counterparts and emerge top of the voting table for each of their regions.
Barely a month after its unveiling, the modalities of the Naija Super 8 has endeared it to football lovers who believe the power of choice will see them transfer the same passion and affinity they show for European clubs to their Nigerian counterparts.
Some fans have also expressed excitement about the egalitarian structure of the competition. Both the teams competing in the Nigerian Professional Football League and the Nigerian National League have an equal opportunity to make the playoff stage of the tournament as long as they are able to build a solid fan base and garner enough votes.
Flykite Productions, organisers of the Naija Super 8, had announced that two top ranked teams from each of the six geopolitical zones will be paired for playoff matches at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom between June 2-3, 2023. All fears of bias have been assuaged after the organisers disclosed that an independent audit company, Deloitte, will be commissioned to collate and audit the vote cast.
The competing clubs have set out to take advantage of the window to build their online presence. Spearheading this scramble for votes are the leaders of the two divisions of the Nigerian Professional Football League table: Bendel Insurance and Lobi Stars.
In a tweet posted on its Twitter page, while celebrating a league match victory, the Lobi Stars handler wrote, “We got the job done for you, please do your own side of the job by voting Lobi Stars for the Naija Super 8.” On the other hand, Bendel Insurance lauded the fans in a similar tweet. The tweet reads, “What’s Naija Super 8, it’s about getting you the real MVPs back to the stadium across Nigeria. You, the real MVPs will determine which teams make it out.”
Without a doubt, this window offers an opportunity for the clubs to tap into the existing passion that Nigerians have shown for European clubs. If need be, digital promotion tools should be deployed to market the clubs and reach wider audiences. Such an investment is worth it considering that successful clubs in Europe were built on the bedrock of huge fanbases.
Besides, Naija Super 8 promises exciting financial rewards for teams who make the main tournament which is set to hold between June 17-25, 2023 at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium, Onikan Lagos State. Each club will earn N3 million per match. The winner will go home with N25 million and a trophy, while the runner-up will get N9 million. Best player of each match will get N250,000, while the players who make the club of the season will be rewarded with N100,000 each.
Meanwhile, fans’ welfare has also been placed on the frontburner as the teams would be given N1 million and accommodation space for fifty travelling fans. This is in addition to musical performances, logistics support, brand souvenirs from sponsors and other exciting prizes for stadium fans.
There is no gainsaying that this tournament, which has been licensed by the Nigerian Football Federation and backed by the Nigerian Professional Football League and Nigerian National League, will rebuild the love Nigerians used to have for local clubs. We are excited and we cannot wait to see this happen.
In the meantime, you can vote for your beloved local club via the Naija Super 8 website, the mobile site, or the MyDStv and MyGOtv apps. Each of these platforms will show you a shortlist of clubs eligible to participate in the tournament from the six regions in Nigeria. DStv and GOtv customers have additional voting advantages. Voting ends on May 12.
Follow @Thenaijasuper8 on Instagram and @ns8official on Twitter and Naija Super 8 on Facebook for more information.
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