Former England striker, John Fashanu, doesn’t think the Nigeria Premier League should be sponsored by a single corporate body.
In May this year, the League Management Company (LMC) entered into a three-year partnership with Globacom Nigeria Limited as title sponsor of the Glo Nigeria Premier League (NPL), in a deal worth N1,896,720,000 (around $12 million).
The title sponsor are expected to deliver the N1.2 billion by three installments in three years starting with the current season, but the former Wimbledon and Aston Villa forward believes the LMC is making a mistake by settling for a single title sponsor.
“All over the world, sponsorship of the league is spread out,” Fashanu told supersport.com. “Sponsorship is not just for one international organisation or multinational company. You must give the options (involve other organisations).
Fashanu, 50, who began his playing career at Norwhich in 1979 and went on to cap twice for the ‘Three Lions,’ added that brands in direct competition can be integrated in the sponsorship package for the NPL.
“Even if you have conflicting sponsors like MTN and Globacom, it is allowed because it is good for competition. That is how you make the league bigger and unified.
“I’d like to see a league with as many sponsors as possible,” he said.
“In my last year at Aston Villa, I had as many as five different sponsors on my shirt; it did not devalue my shirt or make me play lesser.
“What it did instead was ensure I had bigger salaries and improve the state of (Villa Park, home ground of Aston Villa) for the supporters and fans to enjoy,” he concluded.
Born in Kensington, London, to a Nigerian barrister living in the UK, Fashanu never represented Nigeria at any levels.
During his time at Wimbledon, he scored 126 goals. His best season was 1990/91, when he was the First Division’s second highest scorer with 20 goals as his side ended the season in seventh position.
Football sponsorship is important if the game would be taking to the next level