Clubs in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) have been reminded that all rights contracts must be vetted by the league before they become operational.
In apparent reaction to observed breaches of the NPFL marketing codes through unauthorised Man-of-the-Match awards, NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi drew the attention of the clubs to Rule A7.6 of the NPFL Framework and Rules.
In a memo to the clubs, Owumi wrote: “All rights contracts to be entered into by any club shall first be subject to the vetting and approval of NPFL, before execution. This rule serves as a safeguard to help prevent such abuses, and we expect strict adherence moving forward”.
He expressed concerns about the increasing incidence of unauthorised invitations of unaffiliated brands to league venues and offering them the NPFL platform for promotional purposes.
“We wish to draw your attention to the growing incidence of unauthorised ambush marketing activities at NPFL match venues by unaffiliated brands. These actions severely undermine the marketing efforts aimed at securing sponsorships for the league and go against the collective interests of the league and all participating clubs”, he further wrote.
He advised the clubs to adhere to the provisions of the codes in their marketing activities.
“We are happy to see our clubs engage in raising their revenue base, but please ensure that all marketing activities at your match venues are properly authorised by the league to maintain the integrity and commercial value of the NPFL,” Owumi advised.
