There is palpable disquietude and restlessness within the corridors of the FA, general public and sports journalist as a major inquest commenced over the disturbing low patronage of our Glo Premier League, women's zonal league and colts football. Workshops, seminars and radio discussions have been directed right unto the path of bringing back loyal soccer loving fans to fill our various national stadia like it were in the days of the late Shamo Quaye and Rev. Osei Kofi.
Its the kind of subject that will persist in the media for a long time to come until a determination and credible hard work is placed behind the innovative ideas that were brought up at the Ohene Djan Stadium yesterday. Our version of the saint-like game,soccer, has been drawn from the English Premier League which has been branded arguably the best soccer league in the world. But there is no iota of doubt that before the earning that priceless accolade, certain things were done right to make it attractive in terms of packaging and lucrative in associating with it. The English Premiership has the best sponsorship and marketing deals football can be associated with in the world. Partners and sponsors like Sky TV and Baclaycard have invested huge sums of money in broadcast rights and other marketing initiatives that have made England home to the best brand of football. What do we witness in Ghana? Globacom has coughed up lots of thousands of Ghana cedis into the league and yet nothing has changed in terms of professionalism and positioning.
The management of Ghana football has become a scare crow to many an interested sponsor who would not want to associate its entity with the uncertainty and unfairness that surrounds our league. Until the court cases, which has been stabbed in the dark recently, and boardroom wranglings which end up giving some points to some clubs to change to order our individual club standing on the league table cease, many prospective sponsors will continue to hold on to their money bags.
The impunity with which some companies have resorted to ambush marketing and the glee with which they advertise their products and services at match venues against the ethics of modern day marketing in mind-blogging. As to whether they have the blessing of the powers that be, only God knows. The English Premiership continues to be the world's finest since its helmsmen have stuck religiously to the principles of marketing and advertising in order not to deny the competition's sponsors their due. The player are well paid to contribute o their respective clubs in spirit of competitiveness and backed by a rare sense of professionalism. Club owners over there are fully aware of that soccer has shifted camp from being the passion of the nation to being the most-sought after profession with the highest returns and opportunities for personal improvement in the world. It behooves on the officials of our game to take advantage of our vibrant media landscape to hype our own version of the Premiership to ensure that Ghana also becomes an enviable brand of the game.
The penchant for everything foreign soccer is also not helping matters and it is about time the our sports journalists took a second look at the tilt in their reportage. The important pages of our sports newspapers and imperative sports segments on our airwaves are always awash with pictures and news respectively on the gods of soccer across the globe at the expense of our local league. Even though the Glo Premier League has found space on Metro TV due to the incredible work done by Optimum Media Prime (OMP) and Mr.Talal Fatal, it still has not registered its presence on the mind of Ghanaians not even to talk about those in other countries. The ferocious attacking prowess of Erick Bekoe,before his trip to Egypt, sublime skills of Tawrick Jibril and the emergence of Rahim Ayew remain in oblivion denying them the chance to to play at the top level. Some of our local TV stations have developed an uncontrolled penchant for airing foreign matches without making any attempt to get the opportunity to telecast our version of what obtains elsewhere which they continue to make fetish of. The obvious media lapse in the agenda setting role of the media certainly needs a second look.
The earlier the GFA, GHALCA and major stake holders did something about the local league, the better it would be be to avoid being pummeled to the a pulp by better organized leagues.
Whats good for the goose, obviously is good for the gander!
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