30 April 2013
NIGERIA : Dstv Premier Basketball League - NBBF, Stakeholders Trade Words
Basketball stakeholders have cried foul over the non release of sponsorship funds of N58 million naira to clubs participating in the 2012/2013 DStv Premier Basketball League season.
Though the new league season finally took off over the weekend with matches in the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences, stakeholders are not at peace with what the NBBF has described as 40% - 60% sharing formula for the 16 clubs.
In a statement by the stake holders made available to Sports Vanguard yesterday, they expressed worry over the fact that no monies had been credited to the accounts of clubs before the start of the league on April 26th, 2013.
Clubs are particularly worried that given the new 28 games format which has made the over head cost extremely enormous as the N1.45m the federation intends to pay for was grossly inadequate.
In his reaction, President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Tijani Umar challenged clubs in the country's top flight DSTV Basketball league to look for alternative sources of revenue instead of depending on the paltry amount they get as sponsorship funds.
Speaking to Sports Vanguard yesterday Umar said the accusation was spurious and lacked logic.
"The money they are talking about got into our account only on Thursday and today is just Monday. How on earth do you think all the banking procedures could have been completed before the end of day today?" he asked, adding , "as I speak, one of the clubs is yet to forward their bank details to us."
Tijani insisted, "we are very accountable. This is election period, I believe some of them have a hidden agenda and I don't care about what they say. What they should bother about is how to make money for themselves through intensive marketing instead of clinging unto sponsorship money, which is not enough, by the way."
He explained that the federation's share of the sponsorship money has been earmarked for officiating and technical, management of league board, upgrading of facilities and logistics for the entire season.
He challenged clubs to look for alternative home grounds. "In Lagos alone we have UNILAG, Teslim Balogun stadium and Rowe Park indoor sports halls. Why are they insisting on playing at the indoor sports hall of the national Stadium?"
Though the new league season finally took off over the weekend with matches in the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences, stakeholders are not at peace with what the NBBF has described as 40% - 60% sharing formula for the 16 clubs.
In a statement by the stake holders made available to Sports Vanguard yesterday, they expressed worry over the fact that no monies had been credited to the accounts of clubs before the start of the league on April 26th, 2013.
Clubs are particularly worried that given the new 28 games format which has made the over head cost extremely enormous as the N1.45m the federation intends to pay for was grossly inadequate.
In his reaction, President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Tijani Umar challenged clubs in the country's top flight DSTV Basketball league to look for alternative sources of revenue instead of depending on the paltry amount they get as sponsorship funds.
Speaking to Sports Vanguard yesterday Umar said the accusation was spurious and lacked logic.
"The money they are talking about got into our account only on Thursday and today is just Monday. How on earth do you think all the banking procedures could have been completed before the end of day today?" he asked, adding , "as I speak, one of the clubs is yet to forward their bank details to us."
Tijani insisted, "we are very accountable. This is election period, I believe some of them have a hidden agenda and I don't care about what they say. What they should bother about is how to make money for themselves through intensive marketing instead of clinging unto sponsorship money, which is not enough, by the way."
He explained that the federation's share of the sponsorship money has been earmarked for officiating and technical, management of league board, upgrading of facilities and logistics for the entire season.
He challenged clubs to look for alternative home grounds. "In Lagos alone we have UNILAG, Teslim Balogun stadium and Rowe Park indoor sports halls. Why are they insisting on playing at the indoor sports hall of the national Stadium?"
# posted by afrbk : 15:49
