10 March 2006
NIGERIA: Vmobile Basketball League for Launch Today
The Vmobile Basketball League gets underway with the media launch of the competition holding today in Lagos. The programme scheduled to hold at the Silverbird Galleria is billed to start at 4.00pm with the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and also Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Services, Mr. Jacob Gyang Buba in attendance alongside other basketball stakeholders. The Chief Executive Officer of Vmobile Willem Swart will lead the sponsors' team.
The high launch event comes on the backdrop of the renovation works going on across the country for the league take off. The Head Division, PR Sponsorship and Events, Emeka Oparah explained that the vision of Vmobile is to take the game in Nigeria to the very top.
"It is clear from everything we are involved that we take it to the highest level. The vision is to take this game to the highest level it can be in the country. The league will be played like it had never been done in this country and that explains why we are upgrading the facilities in venues across the country."
Vmobile re-worked the Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos before the Vmobile Challenge held last year but has stretched the repairs this time to Bauchi, Kano, Minna, and Asaba where the league will be played. THISDAYSports gathered that apart from the N35 million for the league itself, the company might have spent similar amount independently to leverage the league.
Vmobile has also re-affirmed their commitment to the league. Both sides restated their positions last week when Buba led a delegation of the NBBF to Vmobile Corporate offices in Victoria Island, Lagos.
"We are happy with the strides the NBBF is taking on the league and it is good state that Vmobile states with league and several other basketball programmes in the country for a long, long time to come," Oparah said.
For the media launch today, the programme will also have players and coaches of the entire teams in the league in attendance. There are 13 teams for the league this season as it was with last season.The programme this evening will give details on how the league will be played and the monetary rewards for the teams and players featuring in the system. The teams are taking 20% of the N35million sponsorship package aside from the cash prizes for individuals and clubs at the end of the play offs.
The delayed 2005/06 season will finally take the first jump ball by next weekend with gradual ceremonial processes running again from Monday. However, the next season has been earmarked to take off by October and terminate by May in order to synchronise with other major leagues across the world.
The high launch event comes on the backdrop of the renovation works going on across the country for the league take off. The Head Division, PR Sponsorship and Events, Emeka Oparah explained that the vision of Vmobile is to take the game in Nigeria to the very top.
"It is clear from everything we are involved that we take it to the highest level. The vision is to take this game to the highest level it can be in the country. The league will be played like it had never been done in this country and that explains why we are upgrading the facilities in venues across the country."
Vmobile re-worked the Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos before the Vmobile Challenge held last year but has stretched the repairs this time to Bauchi, Kano, Minna, and Asaba where the league will be played. THISDAYSports gathered that apart from the N35 million for the league itself, the company might have spent similar amount independently to leverage the league.
Vmobile has also re-affirmed their commitment to the league. Both sides restated their positions last week when Buba led a delegation of the NBBF to Vmobile Corporate offices in Victoria Island, Lagos.
"We are happy with the strides the NBBF is taking on the league and it is good state that Vmobile states with league and several other basketball programmes in the country for a long, long time to come," Oparah said.
For the media launch today, the programme will also have players and coaches of the entire teams in the league in attendance. There are 13 teams for the league this season as it was with last season.The programme this evening will give details on how the league will be played and the monetary rewards for the teams and players featuring in the system. The teams are taking 20% of the N35million sponsorship package aside from the cash prizes for individuals and clubs at the end of the play offs.
The delayed 2005/06 season will finally take the first jump ball by next weekend with gradual ceremonial processes running again from Monday. However, the next season has been earmarked to take off by October and terminate by May in order to synchronise with other major leagues across the world.
# posted by afrbk : 13:08
